ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Curry 'may slow Alzheimer's  BBC - Nov 2001

As per the BBC report, Curry may be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers. A team from UCLA believe that turmeric may assist in slowing down the progression of this degenerative disease of the brain.

Alzheimer's is linked to the build up of knots in the brain called amyloid plaques. Turmeric reduced the number of these plaques by half in addition to offering other health benefits. It aids digestion, helps fight infection and guards against heart attacks.

In the study, middle aged rats were fed a diet rich in curcumin. All the rats received brain injections of amyloid to mimic progressive Alzheimer's disease. The discovery was astounding, there was less evidence of plaque build up in the curcumin-fed rats, and they also outperformed rats on normal diets when doing maze-based memory tests. Curcumin also appeared to reduce Alzheimer's-related inflammation in the brain tissue. BBC - Curry Alzheimers

CYSTIC FYBROSIS: A spice used in curry and mustard may benefit people with cystic fibrosis.  BBC - April 2004

Scientists at Yale led by Marie Egan have found that curcumin, the yellow ingredient in curry & mustard can reduce symptoms in mice with Cystic Fibrosis and help extend their lives.

Cystic fibrosis is a fatal disease in which thick mucous clogs the lungs and pancreas, trapping bacteria and harming digestion. It is usually caused by a genetic mutation that leads the body's cells to make abnormal versions of a protein called deltaF508. This abnormal protein prevents the body balancing cellular salt content.

Curcumin appears to help the deltaF508 molecules escape the cell membrane and travel safely to the surface. The researchers found that deltaF508 was seen to be working properly in the mice.  Major symptoms of the disease disappeared, and only 10% of the treated mice died within 10 weeks compared with 60% of the untreated animals. BBC Health-Curry Cystic Fibrosis

Curry spice may fight multiple sclerosis:   Reuters Health article 

Preliminary research using mice with Multiple Sclerosis suggests that curry probably blocks the progression of multiple sclerosis.

According to Dr. Chandramohan Natarajan of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, mice with an MS-like illness (EAE) showed little or no signs of the disease's symptoms after being injected with curcumin, while animals without the treatment went on to severe paralysis. "We got a very good inhibition of the disease by treating with curcumin," Natarajan told Reuters Health. He presented the findings at the annual Experimental Biology 2002 conference.

In 15 days, mice who had not received curcumin developed EAE (the mouse version of MS) to such a degree that they exhibited complete paralysis of their hind limbs. Conversely, the lucky mice given 50-microgram dose of curry compound showed only minor symptoms, such as a temporarily stiff tail. And mice given the 100-microgram dose appeared completely unimpaired throughout the 30 days of the study.  

AGAIN, the bottom line is to EAT LOTS OF CURRY!  It helps your blood brain barrier fight off any invading force.  Curry reinforces the Blood brain barrier so nothing can manifest there and cause harm including lesions.