In a major Plasmodium Falciparum malaria drug research programme in the country, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the research partner has successfully completed the mice study using a combination therapy of curcumin (turmeric) with Artemisinin derivative, Artesunate, and anti-malarial agent. The coordinating agency National Institute of Malarial Research, New Delhi, is seeking an approval from the Drugs Control General of India for the clinical trials on humans.

Artemisinin is a herb traditionally used in China to treat malaria. Out of the many combinations tested, Artesunate + curcumin is identified to be a potential drug if it works in humans, said Prof. G. Padmanabhan, scientist emeritus and former director Indian Institute of Science who is engaged in the study.

Among the centres identified for the trial along with IISc are Institute of Lifesciences in Bhubaneswar, an autonomous Institute of the Department of Biotechnology and Regional Centre for Tribal Research, Jabalpur. The blood samples will be tested at the Malaria Research Centre Field Station at Ranipur, Hardwar. Being a hospital based trial, the ISPAT Hospital, Rourkela, which is swarmed by malaria cases would recruit the patients.

The phase I of the trial expected to commence in March 2007 will be on simple malaria cases (100 patients) who will be administered with curcumin + Artesunate combination which will be tested against the Artesunate+sulphadoxine pyrimethamine (SP) which is an approved combination for malaria treatment. But if this combination of curcumin+Artesunate is proved efficacious, then it will be far more advantageous because SP is known to be drug resistant, said Prof. Padmanabhan.