Warts are small, benign lesions on your skin caused by the human papilloma virus, or HPV. If you have a wart, you have plenty of company; Robert Gary, Ph.D., an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine, says that roughly 10 percent of the population has a wart at any given time. Doctors can remove unsightly or irritating warts with cryosurgery, liquid nitrogen or lasers, but warts can sometimes be banished with home remedies and herbal treatments --- such as curcumin --- as well.
Wart Features
Warts -- which are usually elevated and flesh-colored, white, pink or tan -- can occur singly or in multiples just about anywhere on your body, although they often appear on hands and fingers. Flat warts are flat and smooth on top, while common warts have a grainy, bumpy appearance; plantar warts are warts that appear on the soles of your feet. University of Maryland Medical Center notes that warts can be transmitted by direct contact or by touching a personal item handled by someone infected with the HPV virus.
Misconceptions About Warts
According to MotherNature.com, it is impossible to get warts from handling a toad or a frog, old wives' tales to the contrary. MayoClinic.com states that the tiny black dots in warts, which many people think of as "seeds" for more warts, are nothing more than small blood vessels.
Curcumin Features
Curcumin is the active substance in turmeric, a perennial plant in the ginger family botanically known as curcuma longa. The rhizome, or underground stem, is used as a culinary spice, and has been employed since roughly 2,000 B.C. in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic healing as an herbal remedy for a myriad of ailments, including indigestion, skin infections and wounds. According to The People's Pharmacy, curcumin has antiviral properties that may be effective against warts.
Research
Herbalists and naturopaths recommend the curcumin in turmeric as an antiviral and antibacterial agent. There is some scientific laboratory research supporting the belief that the curcumin in turmeric acts against viruses. In a clinical study conducted by H.J. Kim and colleagues and published in the July 2009 issue of "Journal of Ethnopharmacology," a curcuma longa extract prevented Hepatitis-B virus cells from replicating.
Application
To use curcumin on a wart, you can use the technique endorsed by The People's Pharmacy and mix dried turmeric with enough olive oil to make a paste. After applying it, cover the area with surgical tape and repeat the treatment daily.
Safety Considerations
Ask your doctor before using turmeric topically to treat warts, and don't use it if you are pregnant or nursing. Turmeric can cause allergic dermatitis; if you experience irritation, itching or reddening, discontinue use. "Medicine at your Feet: Healing Plants of the Hawaiian Kingdom" by David Bruce Leonard notes that turmeric can stain your skin.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Turmeric
- Mother Nature: The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies--Warts
- PubMed.gom: "Antiviral Effect of Curcuma Longa Linn Extract Against Hepatitis B Virus Replication"
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Warts
- The People's Pharmacy: Turmeric For Getting Rid Of Warts Home Remedy
- MayoClinic.com: Common Warts--Symptoms
