Turmeric has been used in cooking and as medicine for centuries in Asian countries, and its active ingredient, curcumin has been sho(wn to have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and bone-building capabilities. It has also been shown to prevent various forms of cancers.
"I want people to know the beneficial effects of these natural compounds," said Bose. "Natural biomolecules derived from these plant-based products are inexpensive and a safer alternative to synthetic drugs."
However, when taken orally as medicine, the compound can't be absorbed well in the body. It is metabolized and eliminated too quickly.
In their study, the researchers used 3D printing to build support scaffolds out of calcium phosphate. While most implants are currently made of metal, such ceramic scaffolds, which are more like real bone, could someday be used as a graft material after bone cancer surgery. The researchers incorporated curcumin, encapsulated in a vesicle of fat molecules into the scaffolds, allowing for the gradual release of the chemical.
