Open your kitchen cabinet, and chances are you might just find a jar of curcumin in there. More than that, you have also discovered a possible treatment for herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infections. According to the latest research from the Van Adel Institute, this common curry spice is more than capable of preventing these infections and the resulting cold sores that they typically cause.

We found that cells treated with curcumin did not support herpes simplex virus infections very well," said Sebla Kutluay, Michigan State University graduate student and lead author of this study.

There is still more research to be done to determine both how curcumin blocks HSV-1 and what process a patient needs to undergo in order to receive the desired effects. Regarding these specific issues, VAI Scientific Investigator, head of the laboratory who published this study in Virology, and Graduate School Dean Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D said, "This isn't a recipe for a remedy yet. Applying turmeric or curry to cold sores won't have an effect. Once we determine what is happening to block the infections at the cellular level, we'll be closer to developing a treatment."

These subsequent findings cannot come soon enough. HSV-1 has been diagnosed in more than half of the American population. This is a staggering statistic, indeed. Furthermore, the cold sores that are associated with the infection are usually very painful, unpleasant to the complexion, and a reoccurring side effect.

For now, curcumin as a viable treatment is still in its beginning stages. However, with the expectation of further research ahead, the day may come when the treatment for HSV-1 is natural, safe and easily accessible.