Curry spice 'kills cancer cells'

[waynebar 52]

I just wanted to post this article sent to me by a member of my family who is trying this. I don't know much about it other than many doctors and scientists have had some great results with it.

 

The yellow spice gives curries their bright colour

An extract found in the bright yellow curry spice turmeric can kill off cancer cells, scientists have shown.

The chemical - curcumin - has long been thought to have healing powers and is already being tested as a treatment for arthritis and even dementia.

Now tests by a team at the Cork Cancer Research Centre show it can destroy gullet cancer cells in the lab.

Cancer experts said the findings in the British Journal of Cancer could help doctors find new treatments.

Dr Sharon McKenna and her team found that curcumin started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours.

'Natural' remedy

The cells also began to digest themselves, after the curcumin triggered lethal cell death signals.

Dr McKenna said: "Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous and we suspected that curcumin might have therapeutic value."

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in turmeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer.

"Rates of oesophageal cancer have gone up by more than a half since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease so finding ways to prevent this disease is important too."

Each year around 7,800 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK. It is the sixth most common cause of cancer death and accounts for around five percent of all UK cancer deaths.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8328377.stm

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

Thanks for posting this. That's interesting. I guess it's just my luck that about the only kind of spicy dish I never liked was curry chicken, etc...

 

The type of cancer they are talking about in the article is the same type that I have. They explain that pretty good in this wiki link... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esophageal_cancer

[diamondback 56]

Doesn't have to be curry--eatin' lots of mustard (same key ingredient) should do it for ya too. Knew there had to be a reason I love the stuff...

Edited November 3, 2009 by Diamondback

[waynebar 52]

Cobra, I thought it might be similar to your problem that's why I posted it. I was hoping you wouldn't be offended by the posting.

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

No brother not at all. The only time I get offended around here is when somebody intentionally says something to get a rise out of me in a negative way. That shit is childish and unnecessary.

[RobRez 1,895]

Sounds great, I like the mustard option, considering how FAST curry dishes run through me, I don't think they would have enough time to help me.

[diamondback 56]

The rub is, mustard has way less turmeric than curry, so you'd better be marinating all your meats in it, using it as salad-dressing, making all your sauces with it, adding straight ground turmeric as seasoning... On the upside, some studies also indicate it to be an antivenin for king-cobra venom.

 

Some recipes to take a look at, maybe there's something you might like:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Herbs-and-Spices/Spices/More-Spices/Turmeric/ViewAll.aspx

In my other life, I'm a foodie, so have to spend a fair amount of time at various recipe sites--and when I watch the Idiot Box it's either on History or Food Network.