Curry spice could fight stroke damage

QMI Agency

First posted: | Updated:

A popular, gold-coloured spice commonly found in Indian food does more than make a delicious curry - it can be used to repair the damage caused by strokes, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles have created a new molecule from curcumin, a chemical compound of the yellow spice tumeric.

The researchers found the new molecule, called curcumin-hybrid compound (CNB-001), positively affects the mechanisms that protect and help regenerate brain cells after a stroke.

When a stroke deprives the brain of blood and oxygen, it breaks down the usual electrical and chemical signals - known as pathways - that nourish and support important brain cells.

When tested on lab rabbits, CNB-001 protected the brain cells by repairing some of those pathways at the molecular level.

While it didn't combat all the consequences of a stroke, it did reduce stroke-induced problems with muscle and movement control.

This isn't the first time scientists have touted the healing powers of curcumin. It's often been studied for its potential to treat brain injury and disease.

As well, turmeric has been used for centuries as part of traditional Indian medicine.

But studies have shown curcumin is limited, especially for stroke treatment. It doesn't absorb in the body very well, it fails to reach its target in high enough concentration and it depletes quickly. What's more, it can't enter the brain because a natural protective mechanism called the blood-brain barrier keeps it out.

But where curcumin on its own fails, CNB-001 succeeds.

"CNB-001 has many of the same benefits of curcumin but appears to be a better choice of compound for acute stroke because it crosses the blood-brain barrier, is quickly distributed in the brain, and moderates several critical mechanisms involved in neuronal survival," said Paul A. Lapchak, director of translational research in the neurology department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The researchers hope to put their new compound to the test in human trials.

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