/oss/taxonomy/term/2637/all en /oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/rooting-out-curcumin-problems <p>Divide some laboratory rabbits into three groups. Feed one group normal rabbit chow, the second group a high cholesterol diet, and the third group a high cholesterol diet supplemented with 0.2% curcumin. After eight weeks take blood samples, sacrifice the bunnies, and examine their aortas for atherosclerotic deposits. That’s a typical animal experiment to test the potential of curcumin, the compound responsible for the yellow colour of turmeric, as being possibly beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease.</p> Wed, 11 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9687 at /oss /oss/article/food-health/curry-and-alzheimers-disease <p style="text-align:justify"><a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/?p=3825" rel="attachment wp-att-3826"><img alt="curry" height="150" src="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/files/2012/12/curry-powder-150x150.jpg" width="150" /></a>It’s always noteworthy when a scientist makes a lifestyle alteration based on the results of their own research. It means they have uncovered some information that has more than just theoretical interest. So, when Dr. Sally Frautschy, associate professor of medicine at UCLA, decided to eat curry four times a week,it seemed she was on to something. Indeed, she had become convinced by her work that curry powder, with its dose of turmeric, was potentially protective against Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists first became interested in turmeric when they noted that Alzheimer’s Disease was rare in India. Curry of course is a dietary staple there and has a history of folkloric use as a medicine. It is used as a household remedy for sprains and swellings, the kinds of conditions for which we would use anti-inflammatory drugs. That’s an interesting connection because recent evidence suggests that Alzheimer’s has an inflammatory component. The disease is characterized by a buildup of deposits in the brain made of a protein called beta-amyloid. These abnormal deposits then cause inflammation which in turn destroys cells. If curcumin, the major ingredient in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory effects, it makes sense that it might be of some help in Alzheimer’s.</p> <p style="text-align:justify">But there is another point that makes curcumin research worthwhile. Presently, the only way to diagnose Alzheimer’s with certainty is upon autopsy. The beta-amyloid deposits are identified using a stain called Congo red. This dye binds selectively to beta-amyloid making it visible under the microscope. Well, curcumin has a molecular structure similar to Congo red, so it is reasonable to think that it also binds to beta-amyloid. And if this is the case, maybe it can somehow inactivate the troublesome protein. This is what Dr. Frautschy decided to investigate. <a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/2012/12/24/curry-and-alzheimer’s-disease/">Read more</a></p> Tue, 25 Dec 2012 03:07:06 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1844 at /oss