If you have joint pain or osteoarthritis add curry powder or turmeric to your food. The curcumin compound in curry powder and turmeric has been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory effects: It lowers the production of some inflammatory agents, such as prostaglandin E2.

Also new research at the Comprehensive Cancer Center in University of Michigan shows that the curcumin compound can be beneficial in people with head and neck cancers. One of the main reasons that chemotherapy fails in these patients is that the tumor cells gradually become resistant to chemotherapy. But the curcumin compound sensitizes resistant cells and reduces the required dosage of chemotherapy.

Still not convinced? Here’s another good news: Curcumin compound is the new hope for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. New research has shown that this compound reduces inflammation in the brain and also inhibits the aggregation of beta-amyloid. Formation of beta-amyloid in brain cells is the main reason behind Alzheimer’s disease.

References:
Chemical and Engineering News, 30 July 2012

Waleed M. Abuzeid, MBBS; Samantha Davis, MD; Alice L. Tang, MD; Lindsay Saunders, BS; J. Chadwick Brenner, MSE; Jiayuh Lin, PhD; James R. Fuchs, PhD; Emily Light, MS; Carol R. Bradford, MD; Mark E. P. Prince, MD; Thomas E. Carey, PhD, Sensitization of Head and Neck Cancer to Cisplatin Through the Use of a Novel Curcumin Analog; Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011;137(5):499-507. doi:10.1001/archoto.2011.63