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Use of Turmeric for Parkinson's Disease

Curry may taste delicious, but the turmeric in it could be the key to health. This popular spice is a staple in Indian cuisine, and it also has many properties that could make it an important factor in preventing and treating Parkinson's disease.

  1. Properties of the Spice

    • Turmeric is a spice that comes from the ginger root family. It is yellow and is used in food preparation to add color and flavor and to act as a preservative. It has other qualities that make it an important spice, due to the chemical in it called curcumin---it has anti-inflammatory properties that could help it fight disease and it is also an antioxidant.

    Studies and Findings

    • The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of turmeric are important because inflammation and damage from oxygen are problems for patients with Parkinson's disease. In a model of Parkinson's disease at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, researchers found that curcumin can help keep many cells from dying and can help repair the damage from oxygen. This could be important to help protect the brain and fight Parkinson's disease.
      A study on fruit flies at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that the use of curcumin may help with sleep disorders and the prevention of dementia. This is important to Parkinson's disease sufferers because, according to James Galvin, M.D., almost 3/4 of them have problems sleeping, and more than 3/4 of those who have the disease for at least seven years will also struggle with dementia.

    Past and Future

    • Studies are still being done to determine the extent that turmeric---and more importantly, the curcumin within it---may help those with Parkinson's disease, or if the use of this spice could prevent the disease, but it appears it is giving patients and researchers a lot of hope. The spice has been promoted by ancient Indian medical texts, and used for many years for medicinal purposes, such as to care for wounds and prevent infection, or to treat diabetes, bronchitis, and psoriasis. Turmeric may be no stranger to the medicine world, but it may be time to take it more seriously, especially when looking to treat or prevent an illness as serious and debilitating as Parkinson's disease.

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