Curcumin (2010) and Uveitis

Learn more about uveitis

Researchers have known for some time that tumeric (curcumin) is helpful for inflammatory conditions. A one year study evaluated the effectiveness of tumeric supplements in preventing relapses of uveitis.

The researchers looked at 3 groups of uveitis patients: those with autoimmune uveitis, those with herpetic uveitis, and other forms of uveitis. They evaluated frequency and severity of relapses and overall quality of life.

They found that the specific product which contained curcumin had the capacity to reduce symptoms after a few weeks in more than 80% of the 122 patients.

Their study also demonstrated promising results for other vision inflammatory-related conditions such as dry eye, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and pathological conditions of the macula such as macular degeneration, choroidal neovascularization, cellophane maculopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa.

This study substantiates the findings of a small 1999 study: (Efficacy of curcumin in the management of chronic anterior uveitis. Phytother Res. 1999. Department of Ophthalmology, K.G. Medical College, Lucknow, India.

Researchers: Pia Allegri, Antonio Mastromarino, and Piergiorgio Neri

Published: Clin Ophthalmol. 2010; 4: 1201-1206.