How good ol' turmeric prevents Alzheimer's

Eating curry, which contains curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric, can cut down risk of dementia

The humble curry the staple diet of Indians the world over may be the answer to the prayers of patients suffering from Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Professor Murali Doraiswamy, of the Department of Psychiatry, at Duke Medical Centre, in Durham, North Carolina in the US, told delegates at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' annual meeting in Liverpool yesterday, "Studies looking at populations show that people who eat a curry meal two or three times a week seem to have a lower risk for dementia."

According to Prof Doraiswamy, who grew up in Madras, the magic ingredient in curry is curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric.

He is quoted in a London newspaper as saying that curcumin prevents the spread of harmful amyloid plaques found in the brain of Alzheimer's sufferers. These plaques are said to play a key role in symptoms such as memory loss and mental impairment.

"There is very solid evidence that curcumin binds to plaques, and basic research on animals engineered to produce human amyloid plaques has shown benefits.

Turmeric is also found in mustard and Professor Doraiswamy predicted a day would arrive when those unable, or unwilling to eat curries, might be advised to take a daily "curry pill".

"Turmeric has been studied not just in Alzheimer's research, but for a variety of conditions, such as cancer and arthritis. Turmeric is often referred to as the spice of life in ancient Indian medical lore," Doraiswamy said.

A trial is about to begin at the University of California in Los Angeles and the Southampton University in the UK to test curcumin's effects in Alzheimer's patients.