UNITED KINGDOM, February 10, 2011: A drug derived from the curry spice turmeric may be able to help the body repair some of the damage caused in the immediate aftermath of a stroke. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles are preparing to embark on human trials after promising results in rabbits. The Stroke Association said it was the ‘first significant research’ suggesting that the compound could aid stroke patients.
Turmeric has been used for centuries as part of traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, and many laboratory studies suggest one of its components, curcumin, might have various beneficial properties. However, curcumin cannot pass the ‘blood brain barrier’ which protects the brain from potentially toxic molecules. The US researchers, who reported their results to a stroke conference, modified curcumin to come up with a new version, CNB-001, which could pass the blood brain barrier.
Dr. Sharlin Ahmed, from The Stroke Association, said that turmeric was known to have health benefits. She said: ‘There is a great need for new treatments which can protect brain cells after a stroke and improve recovery.’ ‘This is the first significant research to show that turmeric could be beneficial to stroke patients by encouraging new cells to grow and preventing cell death after a stroke. ‘The results look promising, however it is still very early days and human trials need to be undertaken.’