Panacea in the spice rack

August 11, 2010

By hammersmith

[Source: UA News] – Turmeric, a relative of the ginger plant, has been grown and processed for centuries as a dye and as a flavoring for foods such as curries. The underground stem, or rhizome, of the turmeric plant also has been used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, ranging from indigestion to arthritis to gallstones and even some forms of cancer.

While anecdotal evidence suggests that some people feel better when they use a turmeric supplement for a given disorder, well-designed clinical trials to support the efficacy of turmeric are lacking. But a growing body of research at the Arizona Health Sciences Center at the University of Arizona is shedding light on how turmeric works in animal models, and how it might be effective in people as well.

For more information: Panacea in the Spice Rack