Analysis: Curry studied in Alzheimer's

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., July 16 (UPI) -- The most active ingredient in Indian curry appears to help human immune cells remove substances implicated in Alzheimer's disease, researchers said Monday.

"We don't think it would be harmful to add curry to you diet," said Milan Fiala, researcher/professor at the University of California, Los Angeles/Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, "although it is too early in our experimentation to make recommendations about how much curry is needed to impact Alzheimer's disease."

Fiala and associates at UCLA began investigating curry because of epidemiological data that indicated that in populations in India where curry cuisine is common the incidence of Alzheimer's type dementia is low.

In a study published by the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers determined that a compound called bisdemethoxycurcumin -- derived from the herb turmeric -- has the most actively. He said that the Indian curry he used is a mixture of different curcuminoids.

Fiala told United Press International that injection of bisdemethoxycurcumin boosted the ability of immune cells of some Alzheimer's patients to clear amyloid-beta, the destructive substance that causes buildup of plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

"We found, however," Fiala said, "that the addition of the curcuminoids doesn't work as well in some patients' cells as it does in others. That means there could be a genetic difference in some patients that would indicate a need for individualized treatment with such a compound in the future."

At present, there are no drugs or drug candidates based on the bisdemethoxycurcumin, he said, although laboratory tests using Alzheimer's patients' blood samples and the brains of deceased patients are continuing. In his studies, Fiala used a synthetic form of bisdemethoxycurcumin.

"The study provides more insight into the role of the immune system in Alzheimer's disease and points to a new treatment approach," he suggested. The laboratory researchers also identified genes involved in the process. These genes, MGAT III and Toll-like receptors, are also responsible for a number of other key functions in the immune system.

Turmeric, a yellowish herb, is often ground up and used in numerous curry dishes and other foods throughout India, Asia and the Middle East.

"These herbs have been used by indigenous peoples for treatment of neurological disorders such as epilepsy, so there could be something here," said Steven Pacia, director of neurology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

"This is a fascinating study, especially in that it shows differences in how the immune system works in removing amyloid-beta from patients who are normal and who have Alzheimer's disease," he told UPI.

"Even more interesting is that it appears that the addition of this turmeric compound improves that removal of the amyloid-beta. It is the buildup of amyloid-beta in the brain that is the leading hypothesis for the cause of Alzheimer's disease," he said.

He said, however, that the studies were conducted using peripheral blood cells as opposed to cells from the brains of the patients and that it is possible that what is seen in the blood cells might not be happening in the brain cells.

"This is an interesting first step," he said.

Pacia said that intake of turmeric in various cuisines is unlikely to cause any medical problems, although there are always some people who have unexpected reactions to foods and spices.

He agreed that the scientific work being done in the test tube is still too early to consider any recommendations for increasing turmeric consumption.

Fiala suggested that if there is a family predisposition to dementia-type illnesses, these individuals might want to start developing a taste for Indian foods.

He said his research could lead to a prophylactic use of bisdemethoxycurcumin as well as a therapeutic drug.

"This study provides an unexpected benefit of how curry spices impact the immune system. This is not an area in which we were looking with these spices. It points us in a different direction that may help us unravel the way that Alzheimer's disease affects us," said Sam Gandy, chairman of the Alzheimer's Association's medical and scientific advisory council.

He said there have been previous reports of lower levels of dementia in groups where curry is often ingested. "The study gives us new insights in how these spices might lower the risks of Alzheimer's disease," he told UPI.

However, Gandy said that adding curry to the diet probably won't have nearly the impact of a medication that may be derived from the science.