Thursday Sep 4, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study led by scientists at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in Beijing, China suggests taking curcumin supplements may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Previous studies have already provided ample evidence suggesting that curcumin, an active phytochemical found in spice turmeric - a major spice found in curry may be a potent therapy for Alzheimer's disease because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, studies have revealed that curcumin supplementation reduces amyloid pathology in Alzheimer's disease.

The current study performed in the APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice, an Alzheimer's disease model was intended to understand how curcumin could reduce the toxicity of amyloid proteins.

As a result, curcumin supplementation improved spatial learning and memory ability in the AD mice.  Along with the improvement, Aβ40 , Aβ42 , and aggregation of Aβ-derived diffusible ligands in the mouse hippocampal CA1 area were reduced.  Additionally, in mice supplemented with curcumin, the γ-secretase component presenilin-2 was reduced while β-amyloid-degrading enzymes were increased.

The study concluded "This evidence suggests that curcumin, as a potential AD therapeutic method, can reduce β-amyloid pathological aggregation, possibly through mechanisms that prevent its production by inhibiting presenilin-2 and/or by accelerating its clearance by increasing degrading enzymes such as insulin-degrading enzyme and neprilysin."

Curcumin is an important supplement that may be used to prevent or treat cancer, inflammatory diseases, cystic fibrosis, and diabetes mellitus and many other diseases in addition to Alzheimer's disease.  (David Liu)

Wang P, Su C, Li R, Wang H, Ren Y, Sun H, Yang J, Sun J, Shi J, Tian J, Jiang S.  Mechanisms and effects of curcumin on spatial learning and memory improvement in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice.  J Neurosci Res. 2014 Feb;92(2):218-31.