 In this study, researchers examined the effects of curcumin on neutrophil activation in response to lipopolysaccharide, LPS. They found that curcumin reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8, and decreased the phosphorylation of P38 and JNK, but not ERK-1 slash 2. Additionally, they observed that curcumin restored the delayed neutrophil apoptosis caused by LPS stimulation. These findings suggest that curcumin could have potential therapeutic applications for patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Further clinical trials are needed to confirm these in vitro findings. This article was authored by Q. Bum Cho, Cheon Hee Park, Jungmin Kim, and others.