Spice used in curry may help tendinitis

NOTTINGHAM, England, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- A common spice used in Indian curries shows promise for those suffering from tendinitis, a team of British and German researchers say.

Dr. Ali Mobasheri of the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science and colleagues at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, say curcumin, which gives the spice turmeric its trademark bright yellow coloring in curry and mustard, can be used to suppress biological mechanisms that spark inflammation in tendon diseases.

"Our research is not suggesting that curry, turmeric or curcumin are cures for inflammatory conditions such as tendinitis and arthritis," Mobasheri says in a statement.

"However, we believe that it could offer scientists an important new lead in the treatment of these painful conditions through nutrition. Further research into curcumin, and chemically-modified versions of it, should be the subject of future investigations and complementary therapies aimed at reducing the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the only drugs currently available for the treatment of tendinitis and various forms of arthritis."

Tendons, the tough cords of fibrous connective tissue that join muscles to bones, are essential for movement because they transfer the force of muscle contraction to bones, but they are prone to injury, particularly in athletes who may overstretch themselves and overuse their joints.

The findings are published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.