Kitchen Spice Shows Potential in the Treatment of Stroke

If you’d rather avoid an appointment with this man, then sign-up to the FREE Daily Health eletter...
where good health comes naturally!

Curcumin — the pigment that gives the curry spice turmeric its yellow-orange colour — is a natural compound that should be on your health radar for a number of reasons.

For one, a 2007 study showed that curcumin has the ability to prevent breast cancer tumour growth by restoring the normal mechanism by which cells die. In doing so, it prevents cancer from spreading (metastasis) through the blood stream and lymphatic system.

Its cancer-busting action is just one of curcumin’s many healing benefits that have been recognised for thousands of years by both ancient Chinese and Indian medicine. In fact, it’s only been in the last decade that mainstream medicine has started to realise curcumin’s potential to fight inflammation, reverse free radical damage, prevent Alzheimer’s disease and even help to repair stroke damage.

Cancer-fighter doubles up to help repair stroke damage

In a recent study, US researchers from the Department of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, created a hybrid compound from curcumin (CNB-001) and found that it affects the mechanisms that protect and help regenerate brain cells after stroke.

In it’s natural form, curcumin has been studied previously for its potential to treat brain injury and disease. While the results of these studies were promising, curcumin had several drawbacks, especially as an emergency stroke treatment, which must be quick to be effective. In previous studies, curcumin didn’t absorb well in the body, failed to reach its target in high concentrations, became depleted quickly, and was blocked from entering the brain by a natural protective mechanism called the blood-brain barrier.

According to lead researcher Dr. Paul Lapchak, the newly developed curcumin hybrid, CNB-001, has many of the same benefits as curcumin but is a better choice for treating acute stroke because it is able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Adding to that, CNB-001 distributes much quicker in the brain, and moderates several critical mechanisms involved in neuronal survival.

Sign up to The Daily Health e-letter - it’s FREE!    ("We value your privacy!")

In just 5 minutes every day, it will tell you what works, what doesn't work, and what may harm you in both orthodox and alternative medicine.


“The HSI Daily Health e-Alerts contain scattered nuggets and gems of
health and nutritional wisdom.A very useful source of information about new thinking and
innovative treatments for a wide range of conditions.” - Dr AB, FRCS

Protecting the brain from destruction

During an ischaemic stroke — which occurs when a clot blocks blood flow to the brain — the brain tissue is deprived of blood and oxygen. A cascading series of interrelated events is triggered at the molecular level, breaking down the normal electrical and chemical ‘signalling pathways’ responsible for nourishing and supporting neurons. As a result, brain cells die and their support structures disintegrate.

It takes a very powerful cocktail of drugs to interrupt these harmful events and to restore normal pathway function that will prevent cell death and the memory and behavioural problems it leaves behind after its path of destruction.

Currently there is only one drug approved for treating ischaemic stroke — a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). It’s commonly called the "clot-busting drug", which is injected intravenously to dissolve clots and reinstate blood flow. If blood and oxygen are restored in time, effects of the stroke, such as speech and movement impairment and memory loss may be reduced.

This is where CNB-001 steps in. Remarkably it is able to protect brain cells from damage by repairing four major pathways. One mechanism also plays a major role in the growth and survival of neurons. During this laboratory study, CNB- 001 reduced stroke-caused "motor deficits" — problems of muscle and movement control — and was effective when administered up to an hour after stroke, which correlates with about three hours in humans, the same time frame for which tPA is currently approved.

Of course, this does not mean that turmeric can be used as a make-shift home-remedy for a stroke. Much as curcumin shows promising potential for its ability to save lives in an emergency setting, further studies are necessary to determine exactly how it should be applied. But if Dr. Lapchak’s optimism is anything to go by, we have reason to be hopeful because according to him and his fellow researchers the curcumin hybrid is expected to move to human clinical trials soon.

Until then, if you think you’re showing signs of having a stroke, seek immediate emergency medical attention!

Hot Topics:

Echinacea And Astragalus : Powerful Immune Boosters

Pharmaceutical industry: More shocking tactics used by drug giants

Vioxx lawsuits: The Vioxx saga continues

If you’d rather avoid an appointment with this man, then sign-up to the FREE Daily Health eletter...
where good health comes naturally!

Sources:

Clin Cancer Res 2005; 11: 7490-7498

‘New hybrid drug, derived from common spice, may protect, rebuild brain cells after stroke’ published online 10.02.11, physorg.com

‘The Spice that Helps Prevent Cancer - Now Being Used to Repair Stroke Damage’ by Dr. Mercola, published online 02.03.10, articles.mercola.com