Curcumin was tested in patients with oral cancer 30 . Some patients responded with dramatic clinical improvement within days, while others responded gradually to the treatment. Curcuminoids have also been shown to exhibit antimicrobial properties. Extracts from turmeric as well as the active principles, the curcuminoids, were found to inhibit the growth of numerous gram positive and gram negative bacteria, fungi and the intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica 14 . Aspergillus parasiticus , which may grow and contaminate the poorly preserved foods 31 .
Aflatoxin is a potent biological agent causing injury to the liver, often resulting in liver cancer.
An interesting property of curcuminoids is their anti-HIV effect which has been demonstrated during in vitro and in vivo experiments, including a limited number of human studies 9,10 . Platelet aggregation plays a vital role in initiation of thrombosis. In a comparative study on the protective effects of curcumin and aspirin in mice subjected to induced thrombotic challenge, curcumin was found to exhibit dose-related antithrombotic effect 32 . This bioprotective action of curcuminoids validates their potential role as antioxidants for oral administration as well as for topical application to retard the progression of free radical mediated disease processes. Curcuminoids thus represent a class of valuable phytonutrients with unique bioprotective properties.