26 October,2010 08:45 AM IST | | The Features Team
Apart from fighting the effects of ageing, relief from menstrual cramps and accelerating the healing of wounds, turmeric can also boost the efficacy of chemotherapy.
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that the main ingredient in turmeric (haldi), a chemical compound called curcumin, enhances the effects of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, which is commonly used to treat head and neck cancers, in addition to radiation. Curcumin has been found to help curb the growth of breast, colon and pancreatic cancers.
Curcumin is believed to work by suppressing a protein that controls cell growth. When such proteins aren't controlled properly, cancers can develop, grow and spread, according to study researcher Dr Marilene Wang, a professor of head and neck surgery at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center. Doses of curcumin used in clinical trials are far higher than the amount in foods, and it's still not know if turmeric in food alone can ward off cancer.
However, it's possible that continuous intake of curcumin couldu00a0-- even in small quantitiesu00a0-- help prevent cancer, according to the researchers.
