A tasty antidote to lead poisoning
A new study shows that a component of the spice turmeric prevents lead-induced neuron death and memory loss in rats.
The cure for the effects of lead poisoning on learning and memory may lie in the roots of the plant Curcuma longa, the source of the Asian spice turmeric. That conclusion comes from a new study published online January 17 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Lead reduces levels of antioxidants—compounds that mop up toxic free radicals—in the brain. Free radicals kill neurons in the hippocampus, the brain region that controls learning and memory. When simultaneously treated with lead and curcumin—a chemical in turmeric and a powerful antioxidant—rat hippocampal neurons survived better than those treated only with lead. Curcumin also improved the performance of lead-poisoned rats in a learning and memory test, illustrating curcumin’s therapeutic prowess.
