Turmeric News and Research

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Turmeric, a shrub related to ginger, is grown throughout India, other parts of Asia, and Africa. Known for its warm, bitter taste and golden color, turmeric is commonly used in fabric dyes and foods such as curry powders, mustards, and cheeses.

In traditional Chinese medicine turmeric has been used to aid digestion and liver function, relieve arthritis pain, and regulate menstruation. Turmeric has also been applied directly to the skin for eczema and wound healing. Today, turmeric is used for conditions such as heartburn, stomach ulcers, and gallstones. It is also used to reduce inflammation, as well as to prevent and treat cancer.

Health benefits of modified formulation of curcumin supplements

The health benefits of over-the-counter curcumin supplements might not get past your gut, but new research shows that a modified formulation of the spice releases its anti-inflammatory goodness throughout the body.

7 Nov 2014

Curcumin, cancer-inhibiting peptides show promise in slowing progression of mesothelioma

A common Asian spice and cancer-hampering molecules show promise in slowing the progression of mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung's lining often linked to asbestos. Scientists from Case Western Reserve University and the Georg-Speyer-Haus in Frankfurt, Germany, demonstrate that application of curcumin, a derivative of the spice turmeric, and cancer-inhibiting peptides increase levels of a protein inhibitor known to combat the progression of this cancer.

22 Sep 2014

Noninvasive optical imaging device helps to detect changes linked with Alzheimer's disease

A noninvasive optical imaging device developed at Cedars-Sinai can provide early detection of changes that later occur in the brain and are a classic sign of Alzheimer's disease, according to preliminary results from investigators conducting a clinical trial in Australia.

14 Jul 2014

Extracts from algae, rosemary and monk fruit could soon replace synthetic ingredients and food additives

Extracts from algae, rosemary and monk fruit could soon replace synthetic ingredients and food additives such as Blue No. 1, BHT and aspartame that label-conscious grocery shoppers are increasingly shunning.

13 Feb 2014

Super cocktail of six natural compounds killed 100% of breast cancer cells without toxic side effects

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 on normal cells.

25 Nov 2013

Antioxidant substances in red wine, dark chocolate, olive oil linked with health benefits

The scientific spotlight focuses today on the healthful antioxidant substances in red wine, dark chocolate, olive oil, coffee, tea, and other foods and dietary supplements that are enticing millions of consumers with the promise of a healthier, longer life.

12 Sep 2013

Combination of anti-nausea drug and turmeric spice target cancer cells

In a laboratory, preclinical study recently published by the journal Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center researchers combined structural features from anti-nausea drug thalidomide with common kitchen spice turmeric to create hybrid molecules that effectively kill multiple myeloma cells.

20 Aug 2013

Creating, promoting foods containing angiogenesis is the new frontier in dietary health

Creating and promoting foods that contain natural inhibitors of unhealthy angiogenesis - the formation of blood vessels that feed and promote disease, obesity and inflammation - is the "new frontier in dietary health," according to a presentation at the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo- in Chicago.

18 Jul 2013

Curcumin may provide lasting protection against lung damage in premature infants

Turmeric, a key ingredient in spicy curry dishes, has long been known to have medicinal values. Now new research finds a substance in turmeric, curcumin, may provide lasting protection against potentially deadly lung damage in premature infants.

3 Jul 2013

Diet, lifestyle and environment attribute to the cause of majority of cancer cases

Diet, lifestyle and the environment are all factors attributed to the cause of the majority of cancer cases and it has been estimated that up to half of all cancers may be preventable according to research by a University of Leicester scientist.

19 Jun 2013

Spicing up fingerprints

It is most commonly used to spice up Indian cuisine, but scientists at Sheffield Hallam University have discovered turmeric could be used to help solve crimes.

From Sheffield Hallam University 3 Jun 2013

New records of fraudulent food products added to USP Food Fraud Database

Nearly 800 new records of "food fraud" added to the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention's (USP) Food Fraud Database present new information about foods that are vulnerable to fraudulent manipulation in today's food supply.

25 Jan 2013

Curcumin can inhibit formation of prostate cancer metastases

Powdered turmeric has been used for centuries to treat osteoarthritis and other illnesses. Its active ingredient, curcumin, inhibits inflammatory reactions. A new study led by a research team at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit-t (LMU) in Munich now shows that it can also inhibit formation of metastases.

13 Oct 2012

Solubilized curcumin shrinks lung tumors in mice

Belgian researchers report that orally administered curcumin can reduce the size of lung cancer tumors in mice.

13 Sep 2012

More than 40 plant-based compounds can turn on genes that slow the spread of cancer

More than 40 plant-based compounds can turn on genes that slow the spread of cancer, according to a first-of-its-kind study by a Washington State University researcher.

28 Aug 2012

Spicy solution for viral infection

Curcumin, the main compound in the spice turmeric, prevents replication of mosquito-borne Rift Valley Fever virus in infected cells, report researchers.

22 Aug 2012

Curcumin shows promise in fighting devastating viruses

The popular spice turmeric packs more than just flavor - it shows promise in fighting devastating viruses, Mason researchers recently discovered.

17 Aug 2012

Curcumin emerges as prime candidate for less expensive AD treatment

The spice compound that gives curry dishes their yellow color and pungent flavor is emerging as a prime candidate for a less expensive treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to an article in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News. C&EN is the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

2 Aug 2012

DHA and curcumin help maintain neurological function after degenerative damage

UCLA researchers discovered that a diet enriched with a popular omega-3 fatty acid and an ingredient in curry spice preserved walking ability in rats with spinal-cord injury. Published June 26 in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, the findings suggest that these dietary supplements help repair nerve cells and maintain neurological function after degenerative damage to the neck.

27 Jun 2012

Diet enriched with curcumin and DHA can promote neuroprotection in chronic SCI

Researchers from the Department of Neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine and the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology at UCLA have found that a diet enriched with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, and curcumin, a component of the Indian spice turmeric, can protect the injured spinal cord and minimize the clinical and biochemical effects of spinal cord myelopathy in rats.