According to animal research completed at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital and published in the February edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the yellow curry spice ingredient curcumin may prove to be a powerful way to dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure in people.

Curcumin is found in Tumeric (Curcuma longa), a plant used for centuries in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine to prevent scars after a burn or injury, and is also employed as a general tonic, and as a means of treating various digestive ailments as well as certain inflammatory conditions. Curcumin is sold in the USA as a dietary supplement, typically in tablet and capsule form.

In the study researchers gave curcumin orally to a variety of mice with enlarged hearts (hypertrophy). What they discovered is that it works to prevent and even reverse hypertrophy, restore heart function and reduce the formation of scars.

 “Curcumin’s ability to shut off one of the major switches right at the chromosome source where the enlargement and scarring genes are being turned on is impressive,” says Dr. Peter Liu, a cardiologist in the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and Scientific Director at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health). Dr. Liu, however, adds that “the beneficial effects of curcumin are not strengthened by eating more of it.”

If clinical studies support the Canadian group’s findings, curcumin may wind up providing folks with enlarged hearts a relatively safe and inexpensive way to address their condition. It may also prevent cardiac hypertrophy (heart enlargement) in people at risk for this.

Curcumin in various guises is being used in clinical trials in-progress for pancreatic and colorectal cancer patients. So far the results look very promising.

Reference: University Health Network (2008, February 22). Ingredient In Yellow Curry Can Reduce Heart Enlargement And May Prevent Heart Failure. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 22, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/02/080221173235.htm