Hi All.  For what it's worth: Some years ago, Laureen learned of a curcumin study in England.  Several times, she spoke with a PD patient undergoing curcumin trials there.  He could say nothing conclusive relative to curcumin and PD at the time, but had a very positive outlook.  I forget why this communication stopped, but Laureen started taking curcumin supplements, as well as using more turmeric and curry.  I can't remember how long her personal trial lasted, but it was a fair test with no noticeable effects on her PD.  As I recall, though, the curcumin did have a positive overall tonic effect.  I asked Laureen about her cucumin experience this morning, in case I forgot something.  Although she couldn't recall any specifics, she said she wouldn't mind taking it again.  Apparently the tonic effect alone was worth taking it regularly.  Scott

PS: I took curcumin myself at the same time, because of its health properties, but since I'm feeling pretty well most all of the time anyway, I really didn't notice any positive or negative effects.  I stopped taking it when I ran out.  Like Laureen, though, if we stocked up on it again I'd add it to my daily routine simply because I like putting healthy supplements in my body.

PPS: If the trial patient in England I mentioned (above) is on this list, please let us know how you're doing and if any of my recollections are incorrect.
 
Scott E. Antes
Northern Arizona University
Department of Anthropology
PO Box 15200
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of mschild [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 12:36 PM
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Subject: Turmeric treatment for Parkinson's

Turmeric treatment for Parkinson's
Bhargavi Kerur / DNA
Monday, March 22, 2010 8:26 IST
http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_turmeric-treatment-for-parkinson-
s_1361848

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Bangalore: Turmeric, that quintessential ingredient in many an Indian food
item, now has one more medicinal property to its name. A collaborative
research study, which involved scientists from the National Institute for
Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) also, has found that the spice’s
anti-oxidant property could be effective in treating Parkinson’s disease.
Turmeric gets the anti-oxidant property from curcumin, which gives the spice
its yellow colour. Curcumin improves the body’s immunity against various
diseases.
“Curcumin is recognised worldwide for its medicinal property,” said MM
Srinivas Bharath, the co-author of the study and a faculty member at the
department of neurochemistry, Nimhans. “It can be used as a drug for any kind
of disease as it is an anti-oxidant that provides immunity to the body.”
But it cannot be absorbed by the human body cells since it is insoluble in
water. Scientists from Nimhans, along with researchers from Indo-Russian
Centre for Biotechnology in Allahabad, and Cellworks Group Inc in Bangalore,
“improvised” curcumin to get round its “non-bio availability” (low absorption
rate in the body). “During the experiment, we found positive results for
treating Parkinson’s disease,” Bharath said.
The disease is caused by the loss of neurons — in the mid-brain — that produce
the chemical, dopamine, which controls body movements. Oxidative stress (the
presence of free radicals in the body that react with cell molecules and
damage the cells) caused by the depletion of the cellular antioxidant,
glutathione (GSH), is said to be responsible for the neurodegeneration. This
then manifests as tremors in limbs and uncontrolled body movements, the
symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
“Curcumin can prevent the degeneration or the death of the cells,” Bharath
said. Besides anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties, curcumin also had
therapeutic potential for neurological disorders, he said. It also had the
ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, he said.
The research team — G Harish, Rajeswara Babu Mythri, C Venkateshappa, Shiv
Kumar Dubey, Krishna Mishra, Neetu Singh, Shireen Vali and MM Srinivas Bharath
— embarked on the study to increase the solubility of curcumin in the body
using bio-conjugates in 2007.
The scientists attached amino acids, which are easily absorbed by the body, to
curcumin and injected it into cultured cells. The amino acids easily entered
the cells along with curcumin. “Once curcumin enters the cell, it is de-tagged
from the amino acids and carries on its function of preventing the
degeneration or death of the cells,” the co-author explained.
The “improvised” curcumin can act as a supplementary medicine for treating
Parkinson’s disease. “The drug available now generates dopamine to control the
movement of the body, but it is not able to stop the cells from dying. Hence,
it fails to attack the cause,” Bharath said. “When used with curcumin, which
prevents degeneration of the neuron cells, it can delay the disease.”
Curcumin could also increase the anti-oxidant load responsible for immunity in
the body, he said.
The studies, however, were only at experimental stages and yet to go for human
trials, Bharath said. “Once it goes through human trials it will become the
drug to fight any disease,” he said.
The researchers have successfully tested the efficacy of curcumin in its purified
form in mice. “We are planning to test the improvised one soon,” he said.
“Now, there is promise of a molecule that can fight the disease.”

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