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If you’ve cut salt, eased up on caffeine, and tried to stress less, and your blood pressure still won’t budge, perhaps a golden spice in your kitchen cabinet can ease your efforts.Curcumin is found in the root of the turmeric plant, giving it its distinctive golden hue and earthy flavor. It belongs to a group of plant-based substances called polyphenols, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.These effects may help explain why curcumin—turmeric’s most active compound—is being studied for its potential to support healthy blood pressure.A Natural Ally for Blood Pressure ControlThe most convenient and widely available source of curcumin...

A new study has revealed how curcumin, a bioactive compound found in Curcuma aromatica (Yujin), can help mitigate neuroinflammation and brain damage caused by epileptic seizures. The study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms through which curcumin regulates the brain's inflammatory response, opening up new avenues for the treatment of epilepsy. Epilepsy, a severe neurological disorder, is characterized by recurrent seizures that not only cause neuronal damage but also activate glial cells, triggering a local immune response. This immune response releases pro-inflammatory factors that contribute to a vicious cycle that worsens the condition. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has long...

Turmeric has been a healing remedy in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It comes from the rhizome (root) of the Curcuma longa plant and has a warm, earthy flavor. Turmeric's active compound, curcumin, is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with many health benefits, from soothing joint pain to enhancing digestion and immunity. 1. Arthritis (Joint Pain) Arthritis is a broad term that describes over 100 conditions that cause joint inflammation, pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, typically develops due to age-related "wear and tear." Other types, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic...

Curcumin, a compound in turmeric, aids muscle recovery and reduces inflammation after exercise, according to UOC researchers. Optimal results depend on dosage, timing, and bioavailability. A review of scientific literature conducted by the UOC has found that consuming moderate doses of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, may support muscle recovery and help reduce pain after intense physical activity. The turmeric plant, part of the ginger family, has been valued for thousands of years as both a spice and a natural food dye in cooking. Its stem produces a yellow or reddish substance, depending on the species, which is a...

From turmeric to green tea, many botanicals we commonly use as herbal remedies pose a threat to our liver if we indulge too much. A new survey from the University of Michigan estimates up to 18.6 million people in the US make use of at least one of these herbal remedies with liver-damaging potential. When used in moderation, herbs like green tea and other plant-based supplements can provide us with benefits. In concentrated forms, such as capsules, it's easier to overdose on them. Hospitalizations due to herbally-induced liver problems are increasing globally. "The safety and efficacy of herbal and dietary...

Turmeric, a flowering plant of the ginger family, has long been prized in Ayurvedic medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties and in Asian cuisines for its earthy flavour and vibrant hue. Haldi, the spice’s Hindi name, is derived from the Sanskrit for “golden coloured”. But for the millions of South Asians who habitually consume it, turmeric’s skin-staining yellowness can be deceptive and deadly. To heighten their colour, the rhizomes from which the spice is extracted are routinely dusted with lead chromate, a neurotoxin. The practice helps explain why South Asia has the highest rates of lead poisoning in the world. The...

Americans may love to eat junk, but we’re nearly as passionate about doing penance, with more than half of us scarfing down dietary supplements on a regular basis. From herbal remedies to energy boosters, vitamins and weight-loss pills, supplements form a massive global industry — one that’s expected to reach $200 billion in value by 2025, according to the AMA Journal of Ethics. Trouble is, it’s a largely “Wild West” scene — and that’s by design, believe it or not. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 limits the ability of the Food and Drug Administration to regulate...

Archaeologists have found remnants of eight spices on a sandstone slab from an archaeological site in Vietnam, showing the early adoption of ingredients and techniques from South Asia.Unearthed in an ancient village in southern Vietnam, the cookware—roughly the size and shape of an anvil—was likely used to grind the spice and other ingredients familiar in today’s curries...An analysis of 717 grains of starch recovered from the tools revealed the presence of eight different spices: turmeric, ginger, galangal, sand ginger, fingerroot, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Many of the grains also showed signs of deformation, indicating that they had been damaged during...

— Compound is still in earliest stages of testingAn investigational drug derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa) appeared to have activity in patients being evaluated for head and neck cancer therapy, at least in an early phase trial. All nine oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated in the phase II trial had their disease under control after 4 to 6 weeks of neoadjuvant treatment with the agent, dubbed APG-157, an interim analysis showed. "No subject given APG-157 has had recurrence or progression from 1 month to 12 months following post-curative intent therapy," Marilene Wang, MD, of the David Geffen School of...

Researchers found that drinking a 60ml turmeric drink twice a day allowed players to return to their pre-game fitness faster than those who did not. Playing soccer causes muscle damage in players and an inflammatory response—and their rapid recovery is crucial to optimizing their next performance and reducing injury risk. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin—known to have anti-inflammatory properties—and previous studies have found that curcumin supplementation can reduce soreness following muscle-damaging exercise. This process appears to be aided by a reduction in pro-inflammatory proteins in the blood, known as cytokines, which increase in response to a stress, such...

A recent study published in the journal Computers in Biology and Medicine demonstrated that the phytochemical curcumin is a potent therapeutic prospect against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant. The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused over 508 million SARS-CoV-2 cases and six million deaths to date globally. As of now, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant is the dominant strain worldwide. Omicron was designated a variant of concern (VOC) since it can evade vaccine- and infection-induced immunity due to several mutations in its spike (S) protein, including 15 amino acid substitutions across the receptor-binding...

THE SPICE HAS A COMPONENT THAT SETS IT APART, RESEARCHERS SUGGEST. According to new research published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, turmeric could also help you improve muscle recovery and even boost overall exercise performance. The active compound in turmeric is curcumin, which has been associated in previous research with benefits related to cardiovascular and gastrointestinal function. The familiar aroma of turmeric wafting up from curry blends could do more than whet your appetite—the spice could also help you improve muscle recovery and even boost overall exercise performance, according to a recent review in Critical Reviews in...

What I hear when you tell me my food is “strong smelling” Before I left my home in Mumbai to study in the Netherlands, I thought the idea of cultural appropriation of food was outright bogus. I was working as a food writer for a startup back then, and I often wrote about new restaurants serving foreign food across the city. I believed that food was a way to bring people across the world closer to one another. I believed that everyone was free to eat, cook, write about, and sell whatever food they wanted to. I still do. Things...

Credit: Shutterstock Turmeric supplements are popular these days, but for one woman in Arizona, taking a turmeric supplement may have triggered an uncommon liver problem, according to a new report of the case. What's more, the link between the woman's liver problem and her turmeric supplement use wasn't identified by her doctors — but rather by the woman herself, after she consulted the internet. Until the woman brought it up, her doctors weren't aware that she was taking a turmeric supplement, and the case underscores the need for doctors and patients to communicate about the supplements that patients are...

Many curries and stews around the world are made with turmeric, which gives them a yellowish hue and a peppery, ginger-like taste. Shutterstock Turmeric and the chemical compound derived from it, called curcumin, have some amazing health benefits. In addition to being an anti-inflammatory that helps boost circulation, turmeric may also be an anti-cancer, antioxidant therapy that can fight off brain plaques, possibly helping prevent diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and more. And unlike a lot of other vitamins and supplements, it's cheap. Doctors are increasingly embracing the idea that the food we eat may be as good as any disease-fighting,...

  “Exactly how curcumin exerts its effects is not certain, but it may be due to its ability to reduce brain inflammation, which has been linked to both Alzheimer’s disease and major depression,” said Dr. Gary Small, director of geriatric psychiatry at UCLA’s Longevity Center and of the geriatric psychiatry division at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, and the study’s first author. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 40 adults between the ages of 50 and 90 years who had mild memory complaints. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or 90 milligrams of curcumin twice...

A woman who battled blood cancer for years without success finally halted the disease with turmeric, it has been reported. Dieneke Ferguson is now leading a normal life after giving up on gruelling treatments that failed to stop it. Doctors say her case is the first recorded instance in which a patient has recovered by using the spice after stopping conventional medical treatments. With her myeloma spreading rapidly after three rounds of chemotherapy and four stem cell transplants, the 67-year-old began taking 8g of curcumin a day – one of the main compounds in turmeric. The cancer, which has an...

Worried about osteoporosis? Take turmeric! Indian spice improves bone density by up to 7%, study revealsTurmeric helps to build and repair bone mass in the elderly, a new study reveals. Taking a supplement of the popular Indian spice improves bone density by up to seven per cent over six months, researchers found. A compound in turmeric, known as curcumin, is thought to balance out cells that remove ageing parts of bone before it is replaced, according to previous findings. Almost three quarters of elderly people suffer declining bone density, which can cause osteoporosis and is responsible for around 65,000 potentially...

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Russian citizenship to action film actor Steven Seagal, the Kremlin said Thursday. The 64-year-old Seagal has been a regular visitor to Russia in recent years and has accompanied Putin to several martial arts events, as well as vocally defending the Russian leader's policies and criticizing the U.S. government. Seagal is the latest in a string of foreign celebrities to be awarded Russian nationality by the Kremlin in recent years. Others include French actor Gerard Depardieu and U.S. boxer Roy Jones Jr....

A diagnosis of AlzheimerÂ’s, sadly, has become almost like a rite of passage in so-called developed countries. AlzheimerÂ’s is considered the most common form of dementia, which is defined as a serious loss of cognitive function beyond what is expected from normal aging in previously unimpaired persons. A 2006 study estimated that 26 million people throughout the world suffer from this condition, and that by 2050, the prevalence will quadruple, by which time one in 85 people worldwide will be afflicted with the disease. Given the global extent of the problem, interest is growing in safe and effective preventive and...