Curry Spice May Fight Alzheimer's
(NY, Reuters Health, 1/4/05)

Dr. Gregory M. Cole of the University of California Los Angeles and the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, and team, found that feeding elderly mice curcumin, a component of turmeric, was associated with decreased beta-amyloid protein deposits in the animals’ brains. The Curcumin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, can cross into an animal’s brain and bind to amyloid deposits. In addition, when scientists exposed human beta-amyloid proteins to curcumin in a test tube, the proteins did not clump and amyloid fibers that make up Alzheimer's plaques did not form. These findings suggest that this spice may be able to prevent and break up "plaques" on the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

(Journal of Biological Chemistry, online Dec. 7, 2004)