curcumin tagged posts

Turmeric, a spice found in most kitchens, has an extract that could lead to safer, more efficient fuel cells.

Researchers at the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute (CNI) and their collaborators from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) in India discovered a novel way to combine curcumin—the substance in turmeric—and gold nanoparticles to create an electrode that requires 100 times less energy to efficiently convert ethanol into electricity.

While the research...

Turmeric powder and roots. Turmeric contains curcumin, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Credit: © pinkomelet / Fotolia

Twice-daily supplements boosted cognitive power over 18 months. Daily consumption of a certain form of curcumin improved memory and mood in people with mild, age-related memory loss, according to the results of a study conducted by UCLA researchers. The research, published online Jan. 19 in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, examined the effects of an easily absorbed curcumin supplement on memory performance in people without dementia, as well as curcumin’s potential impact on the microscopic plaques and tangles in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Found in turmeric, curcumin has previously been shown to ha...

Increased apoptosis was induced by curcumin + silymarin combination treatment of DLD-1 colon cancer cells.

The combination of 2 plant compounds that have medicinal properties – curcumin and silymarin – holds promise in treating colon cancer, according Saint Louis University research published in the June 23 issue of the Journal of Cancer. Curcumin is the active ingredient in the spice turmeric, which is present in spicy curry dishes, and silymarin is a component of milk thistle, which has been used to treat liver disease.

The researchers and their students studied a line of colon cancer cells in a laboratory model. They found treating the cells initially with curcumin, then with silymarin was more effective in fighting cancer than treating the cells with either phytochemical alone.

“The co...