Posted on 06/10/2004 12:41:20 PM PDT by SupplySider
Curry 'may slow Alzheimer's'
A spicy ingredient of many curries may be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease, say researchers. A team from the University of California at Los Angeles believes that turmeric may play a role in slowing down the progression of the neurodegenerative disease.
The finding may help to explain why rates of Alzheimer's are much lower among the elderly in India than in their Western peers.
Previous studies have found that Alzheimer's affects just 1% of people over the age of 65 living in some Indian villages.
Vindaloos
Turmeric is found in everything from mild Kormas to the hottest Vindaloos. The crucial chemical is curcumin, a compound found in the spice.
Alzheimer's is linked to the build up of knots in the brain called amyloid plaques.
Turmeric reduced the number of these plaques by a half.
The researchers also found that turmeric had other health benefits.
It aids digestion, helps fight infection and guards against heart attacks.
In the study, middle aged and aged rats were fed a diet rich in curcumin.
All the rats received brain injections of amyloid to mimic progressive Alzheimer's disease.
Not only was there less evidence of plaque build up in the curcumin-fed rats, they also outperformed rats on normal diets when carrying out maze-based memory tests.
Curcumin also appeared to reduce Alzheimer's-related inflammation in the brain tissue.
Researcher Dr Sally Frautschy said the compound had potential as a treatment for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease - particularly in tandem with anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.
Dr Richard Harvey, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Curcumin has both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
"Drugs with similar properties could potentially be used as preventative treatments for Alzheimer's disease."
However, Dr Harvey warned that it could be many years before such drugs were made widely available.
See also:
10 Jan 00 | Health 'Curry is cancer fighter' 25 Oct 00 | Health 'Addictive curry' claim attacked 09 Oct 01 | Health Takeaways 'loaded with fat' Internet links:
British Dietetic Association UCLA Alzheimer's Society
Alzheimer's is almost unheard of in India. Of course they die early of gazillions other causes instead....
Another link about curry. They think it may slow MS as well.
http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/news/Apr2002/CurrySpiceForMS.html
This is why my mother will always have enough marbles to nag me when she's one hundred.
hehehe
lol
Perhaps. Or maybe it's other factors. For example, suppose Alzheimer's is a slow variant of a mad cow/prion caused disease. We eat lots of beef, and have a high Alzheimer's rate. Hindus eat no beef and have a very low Alzheimer's rate...
ping
Curcumin may be an inexpensive, well-tolerated, and effective therapy for inflammatory bowel disease
Common Indian spice pigment can prevent onset of alcoholic liver disease, study finds
Researchers show cystic fibrosis defect in mice corrected with turmeric extract
And for Alzheimer's here is an interesting search of articles:
ping
FWIW-
The animal tests with amyloid plaques would tend to point toward curcumin as a definite help.
Turmeric also speeds wound healing. There was a contoversy recently when some scientists tried to get a patent based on this fact and many Indians objected that this use of turmeric is a well known part of Indian "Ayurvedic" medical practice.
Turmeric also speeds wound healing. There was a controversy recently when some scientists tried to get a patent based on this fact and many Indians objected that this use of turmeric is a well known part of Indian "Ayurvedic" medical practice.
I've always hated that movie.
LOL
Curry? Let me know when they start making it in different flavors.
bump for later read
I take some curry spice with extra turmeric every day, and give some to my mother. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's five years ago, but is doing pretty well. She turns ninety-one in a couple of weeks and still recognizes everyone and enjoys life.
It's an aquired taste.
FYI...curry also slows the sale of your home. ;^)
You damn right I won't forget it!
Plus, since my grandmother had Alzheimers, I know it's in my family.
Shhh! Don't tell the The Hamburgler!
Good point, but there may well be many other factors. Just to be on the safe side, I'm going to continue to eat Indian food, to counter act the burgers...
lol
*gentle cough* There are as many different flavors of curry as there are Indian cooks...
I don't really know, but the ingredient in turmeric they are studying is called curcumin.
I figure it can't hurt, and I like the taste, so I toss a mix of turmeric, cumin, ginger, coriander and black pepper into beans or veggies every day.
Turmeric is also an ingredient of yellow mustard, but I don't know if you get enough that way.
"Dr Richard Harvey, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society, said: "Curcumin has both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
"Drugs with similar properties could potentially be used as preventative treatments for Alzheimer's disease."
However, Dr Harvey warned that it could be many years before such drugs were made widely available. "
Funny, but I have a bottle of turmeric right above my stove. I'll have to think about using it more often.
I mix my own spices and leave out the asafetida, fenugreek, and garlic. No doubt a study will be along soon showing those to be the most important ingredients :)
Looks like I am going to get Alzheimers.
Between my mother's Lamb Currie and having an Indian Roommate in college, I never want to smell that smell again.
Let's have a study to see what chocolate prevents.
Daily Dark Chocolate Good for the Heart, Loaded With Flavinoids
By Daniel DeNoon WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD on Tuesday, June 01, 2004
Here's news that's hard not to like. Eating a small, 1.6-ounce bar of dark chocolate every day is good for you. Very good for you, find Mary Engler, PhD, RN, of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues.
Now here is a medical experiment you would love to volunteer for. Engler's team divided 21 healthy adults into two groups. One group got a Dove Dark Chocolate bar every day for two weeks. Like other dark chocolate bars with high-cocoa content, this one is loaded with something called epicatechin. Epicatechin is a particularly active member of a group of compounds called plant flavonoids. flavonoids keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and slow down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries.
The second group that didn't get Dove bars wasn't totally left out. They, too, got dark chocolate bars. But their treats had the flavonoids taken out.
All subjects underwent high-tech evaluation of how well the blood vessels dilate and relax -- an indictor of healthy blood vessel function. Blood vessel stiffness indicates diseased vessels and possible atherosclerosis. Those who got the full-flavonoid chocolate did significantly better. Why? Blood tests showed that high levels of epicatechin were coursing through their arteries.
"This is the longest clinical trial to date to show improvement in blood vessel function from consuming flavonoid-rich dark chocolate daily over an extended period of time," Engler says in a news release. "It is likely that the elevated blood levels of epicatechin triggered the release of active substances that ... increase blood flow in the artery. Better blood flow is good for your heart."
Why Dark Chocolate Is Different
Not all chocolate is created equal. Dark chocolate contains a lot more cocoa than other forms of chocolate. And standard chocolate manufacturing destroys up to half of the flavonoids. But chocolate companies have now learned to make dark chocolate that keeps up to 95% of its flavonoids.
Sure, this seems like a scam. Can't you get more and better flavonoids from other foods? Surprisingly, the answer is "not really." Engler says that dark chocolate contains more flavonoids than any other food -- including green tea, black tea, red wine, and blueberries.
"Many people don't realize that chocolate is plant-derived, as are the fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy heart," Engler says.
While a little dark chocolate is good, a lot is not better. Chocolate still is loaded with calories. If you're going to eat more chocolate, you'll have to cut back somewhere else. And remember that a balanced diet -- and plenty of exercise -- is still the key to heart health.
Engler's study was funded by the University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing. The American Cocoa Research Institute, a nonprofit group funded by the chocolate industry, provided the chocolate used in the study.
The findings appear in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Engler previously reported the findings at the 2002 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association and at the Experimental Biology 2003 meeting.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCES: Engler, M.B. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, June 2004; vol 23: pp 197-204. News release, University of California, San Francisco.
This report will not curry favor within some pharmaceutical circles...
Tumeric is also what makes prepared mustards yellow.
So does smoking!
Well, I'll have to hold my nose, as I absolutely cannot STAND curry.
I expect the active ingredients will be in capsules at your local health food store in a month or so.
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