Curry that kills cancer cell

A spicy way has been found to kill cancer cells.

Scientists ave discovered that a substance found in turmeric, a basic curry ingredient, can kill cancer cells within 24 hours.

Researchers at Ireland's Cork Cancer Research Centre who treated oesophageal cancer cells with curcumin, a chemical found in turmeric, observed that it triggers lethal death signals in the cells.

The cells eventually digest themselves and die.

The results of the study were published in the British Journal of Cancer on Wednesday.

Curcumin gives turmeric (curcuma zangais) its orangy-yellow colour. The rhizome, a close relative of the ginger, is commonly used in Asian cooking as well as in traditional medicine.

Chinese and Ayurvedic medical practioners use turmeric as a treatment for many ailments as it has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal properties and believed to lower cholestrol.

The results of the Cork Cancer Research Centre study were published in the British Journal of Cancer on Wednesday.

"These exciting results suggest that scientists can develop curcumin as a potential anti-cancer drug to treat oesophageal cancer," said Dr Sharon McKenna who led the study.

She said scientists had known hat natural compounds had the potential to treat faulty cells that become cancerous, adding they also suspected curcumin's possible therapeutic value.

She said medical researcher Dr Geraldine O’Sullivan-Coyne who had been looking for new ways of killing resistant oesophageal cancer cells tested curcumin on resistant cells.

"She found that they started to die using an unexpected system of cell messages."


"Normally, faulty cells die by committing programmed suicide – or apoptosis – which occurs when proteins called caspases are ‘switched on’ in cells."

"But these cells showed no evidence of suicide and the addition of a molecule that inhibits caspases and stops this ‘switch being flicked’, made no difference to the number of cells which died."

"This suggested that curcumin attacked cancer cells using an alternative cell signalling system," she added.

Oesophagus cancer kill more than half a million people in the world each year. The cancers are exceptionally deadly, with five-year survival rates of between 12 and 31 per cent.

The number of oesophageal cancer cases have gone up tremendously since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease.

Source: Cancer Research UK

Published Oct 29 2009

Plants and Ayurveda

Ayurveda (Devanāgarī: आयुर्वेद, the 'science of life') is a system of traditional medicine native to the Indian Subcontinent and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine.

In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda consists of the words āyus, meaning 'life', and veda, meaning 'related to knowledge' or 'science'.Evolving throughout its history, Ayurveda remains an influential system of medicine in South Asia.

The earliest literature of Ayurveda appeared during the Vedic period in India.

The Sushruta Samhita and the Charaka Samhita were influential works on traditional medicine during this era. Ayurvedic practitioners also identified a number of medicinal preparations and surgical procedures for curing various ailments and diseases.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda About Ayurveda Etymologically Ayurveda has two word- Ayu and Veda. Ayu means life and Veda stands for the knowledge. So strictly speaking Ayurveda is knowledge for life. For what this knowledge is? What is the aim of Ayurveda? Talking about both Paramount Scholars of Ayurveda- Charka and Sushruta has told that- Aim of Ayurveda is to prevent the diseases in a healthy person and to cure the diseased one. They have given these following definitions of Ayurveda- Ayurveda is a science of life. It tells what is good and what is not for the healthy life. A science dealing with the details about the life, its endurance and eminence is Ayurveda. An eternal knowledge, aimed to cure the diseases of all creatures is Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a science which tells us how to use foods, herbs and other natural resources for maintenance of health. All natural things and their effect on body is where discussed that science is known as Ayurveda. Where all ailments of body, psyche and consciousness are cured and made healthy is Ayurveda. From these definitions it is clear that Ayurveda is a complete knowledge about life, how to live life in a healthy way and to achieve harmony with the nature. Eight limbs of Ayurveda Ayurveda is a science which was offered to students by the teachers in a chain. This knowledge was totally classified and systemized so that pupils can retain it and understand in a better way. These eight parts are known as ASHTANG AYURVEDA- Kaya Chikitsa - Healing and detoxifying measures are discussed under this part of Ayurveda. Shalya Chikitsa- dealing with extraction of foreign bodies Shalakya Chikitsa- Dealing with disease of supra-clavicular region- ENT. & Ophthalmology Agad-tantra. dealing with alleviation of poison, artificial poison and toxic symptoms due to in take of antagonistic substance Kaumar Bhritya- Deals with the pregnant ladies and babies Bhoot Vidya- dealing with spirit or organisms- Psychiatry Medicine Rasayana- dealing with promotional measures – Rejuvenates Bajikarna- dealing with aphrodisiacs In these eight parts, Rasayana and Bajikarana are meant to promote health and to prevent the diseases. Rests are aimed to cure different diseases of different parts. He, who has completed, Knowledge of all these eight limbs in detail, Is the real Vaidya “A Physician”!! (Charka Samhita, Sutra Stahana)

http://www.atharvayurveda.com/content/index.php?id=7