1. Signaling pathways and Sequence of Events induced by injury. Approximate time sequences after injury are given within brackets. Abbreviations: NF-kB (nuclear factor-kB), TGFβ1 (transforming growth factor-β1).
2. Burns from Barbeque Fire:
(upper panel): Second degree burns from a barbeque fire before treatment with curcumin gel.
(lower panel): Rapid healing 5 days after curcumin gel applied hourly.
3. Improvement one day later after hourly application of curcumin gel. Pain and blistering were much improved.
Dr. Madalene Heng, Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the David Geffen School of Medicine, stresses that use of topical curcumin gel for treating skin problems, like burns and scalds, is very different, and appears to work more effectively, when compared to taking curcumin tablets by mouth for other conditions. “Curcumin gel appears to work much better when used on the skin because the gel preparation allows curcumin to penetrate the skin, inhibit phosphorylase kinase and reduce inflammation,” explains Dr Heng.
In this report, use of curcumin after burns and scalds were found to reduce the severity of the injury, lessen pain and inflammation, and improve healing with less than expected scarring, or even no scarring, of the affected skin. Dr. Heng reports her exp
rience using curcumin gel on such injuries using 3 examples of patients treated after burns and scalds, and provides a detailed explanation why topical curcumin may work on such injuries.
Curcumin is an ingredient found in the common spice turmeric. “When taken by mouth, curcumin is very poorly absorbed into the body, and may not work as well,” notes Dr. Heng. “Nonetheless, our tests have shown that when the substance is used in a topical gel, the effect is notable.” The author of the study believes that the effectiveness of curcumin gel on the skin – or topical curcumin – is related to its potent anti-inflammatory activity. Based on studies that she has done both in the laboratory and in patients over 25 years, the key to curcumin’s effectiveness on burns and scalds is that it is a natural inhibitor of enzyme phosphorylase kinase.
This enzyme in humans has many important functions, including its involvement in wound healing. The process goes through a sequence of acute and chronic inflammatory events, during which there is redness, swelling, pain and then healing, often with scarring in the case of burns and scalds of the skin. The sequence is started by the release of phosphorylase kinase about 5 mins after injury, which activates over 200 genes that are involved in wound healing.
Dr. Heng uses curcumin gel for burns, scalds and other skin conditions as complementary treatment, in addition to standard treatment usually recommended for such conditions. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/pp-tcg031417.php http://biodiscovery.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=11207
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