Thursday June 5, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Doctors say that there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease.  But studies suggest that some dietary supplements like turmeric/curcumin may help prevent or even treat Alzheimer's disease even though more research is needed to confirm the therapeutical effect against Alzheimer's disease.

Turmeric, also known as manjal, has been known to detoxify the liver, balance lipid profile, protect against allergies, promote digestion and boost immunity.   Curcumin one of the active ingredients found in turmeric has been known to protect against cancer, Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, allergies, arthritis and other chronic diseases.

Epidemiological studies show that incidence of Alzheimer's disease in Southeast Asia where turmeric is commonly consumed as a spice was 4.4 times lower, compared to that found in countries where the price is not as commonly used.   Some studies also has found the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory property of turmeric associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

In animal studies, aged mice with advanced plaque similar to those found in human Alzheimer's disease patients reduced the plaque deposits after supplementation with curcumin.  In Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mice, curcumin reduced oxidative damage and reversed the amyloid pathological properties.

As a powerful antioxidant, curcumin when directly injected into the mouse brain with Alzheimer's disease inhibited the progression of plaque and reduced the plaque levels.  Curcumin also reduced Alzheimer's disease symptoms associated with inflammation and oxidation.

Even at lower doses (160 parts per million or ppm), turmeric reduced proinflammatory cytokines involved in neurotic plaque pathogenesis.  In vitro studies show curcucmin inhibited lipid peroxidation and neutralize reactive oxygen species more effectively than vitamin E.

Both curcumin and turmeric are very safe to eat.  In rodents, up to 50,000 ppm of turmeric oleoresin does not yield any acute or chronic side effects.  In human trials, patients with Alzheimer's disease who took up to 4 grams of curcumin per day did not experience any side effect.  In an India study, people with prediabetes took 6 grams of curcumin per day did not suffer any side effects.

Turmeric, the main spice used in curry, is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the ginger family, Zingiberaceae.  Turmeric is commonly used as a spice, a natural colorant and traditional medicine (Siddha medicine) in Asia.  The active ingredients are volatile oils like turmerone oil, atlantone oil, and zingiberene oil, and water soluble  curcuminoids such as curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin.   Curcumin is known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour, antibacterial, and antiviral activities.  (David Liu, PHD)