Turmeric, the vibrant yellow spice celebrated for its anti-inflammatory properties and use in everything from curries to golden milk lattes, has a hidden downside that many consumers overlook: lead contamination. While turmeric itself doesn’t naturally absorb high levels of lead from soil, intentional adulteration—particularly with lead chromate, a toxic industrial pigment—has turned some batches into silent […]
Warding off superbugs with a pinch of turmeric
In 2017, a tragic incident unfolded in a Nevada hospital. A woman, admitted for pneumonia, tragically succumbed to multiple organ failure and sepsis. The culprit? A strain of bacteria that had developed resistance to a staggering 26 different antibiotics. These superbugs, or antibiotic-resistant bacteria, stand as one of the most pressing public health threats globally. […]
Curry: Curcumin offers potential therapy for cancers caused by HPV
Curcumin, an antioxidant found in the curry spice turmeric, has been found to slow or limit the activity of the HPV virus, which causes oral and cervical cancers. Turmeric — the familiar yellow spice common in Indian and Asian cooking — may play a therapeutic role in oral cancers associated with human papillomavirus, according to […]
Indian Spice In Turmeric Reduces Size Of Hemorrhagic Stroke
You might want to make curcumin part of your daily diet. This active ingredient of the Indian curry spice, turmeric, not only lowers your chances of getting cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, but may reduce the size of a hemorrhagic stroke, say Medical College of Georgia researchers. Second-year medical student Jay McCracken is working with Dr. […]
Turmeric could have antiviral properties
Curcumin, a natural compound found in the spice turmeric, could help eliminate certain viruses, research has found. A study published in the Journal of General Virology showed that curcumin can prevent Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) — an alpha-group coronavirus that infects pigs — from infecting cells. At higher doses, the compound was also found to kill virus […]
Research finds combo of plant nutrients kills breast cancer cells
A study led by Madhwa Raj, PhD, Research Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans and its Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, has found that a super cocktail of six natural compounds in vegetables, fruits, spices and plant roots killed 100% of sample breast cancer cells without toxic side effects […]
Turmeric compound boosts regeneration of brain stem cells
A bioactive compound found in turmeric promotes stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the brain, reveals new research published today in the open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy. The findings suggest aromatic turmerone could be a future drug candidate for treating neurological disorders, such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. The study looked at the […]
Curcumin is the spice of life when delivered via tiny nanoparticles
For years, curry lovers have sworn by the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, but its active compound, curcumin, has long frustrated scientists hoping to validate these claims with clinical studies. The failure of the body to easily absorb curcumin has been a thorn in the side of medical researchers seeking scientific proof that curcumin can successfully […]
Solving its insolubility, researchers discover method to deliver curcumin to cancer cells
In India and other countries in Southeast Asia, curcumin is often used as a spice in cooking, particularly chicken or fish. It is known for its therapeutic effect and as a way to kill germs present in raw meat. Recently, scientists have also discovered that curcumin, a naturally occurring substance isolated from the Curcuma longa […]
Turmeric-Derived Eye Drops Could Treat Glaucoma
A derivative of turmeric could be used in eye drops to treat the early stages of glaucoma, finds a new study led by UCL and Imperial College London researchers. In the new Scientific Reports paper, the researchers report a new method to deliver curcumin, extracted from the yellow spice turmeric, directly to the back of the eye […]