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Article: Antidotes: To Radiation Regimen, Add Spice
I thought this might be interesting. It could be used to protect against
radiation fallout.
-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
3050 Traymore Lane
Bowie, MD 20715-2024
E-mail: jenday1@email.msn.com (H)
Antidotes: To Radiation Regimen, Add Spice
October 22, 2002
By ERIC NAGOURNEY
Turmeric, a principal ingredient of curry, may protect
cancer patients from the burns and blisters they often
suffer from radiation therapy, researchers report.
Although their study was conducted on mice, the
researchers, from the University of Rochester Medical
Center, suggested that patients undergoing radiation might
want to try eating foods with curry. The lead researcher,
Dr. Ivan Ding, presented his findings at a recent
conference of the American Society for Therapeutic
Radiology and Oncology.
The substance studied was curcumin, which gives turmeric
its yellow color and has been shown to have
anti-inflammatory benefits. Evidence also suggests it may
be able to suppress tumor growth.
The researchers gave mice differing regimens of curcumin
and found they had fewer radiation-related skin problems in
all cases. It also appeared to enhance the benefits of the
treatment.
Dr. Paul Okunieff, the university's radiation oncology
chief, said the group looked at curcumin in part because
turmeric has long been used to treat burns in India.
Turmeric supplements are available at health food stores,
but Dr. Okunieff said it was unclear how much would be
needed. "It would be more or less equivalent to somewhere
between half a teaspoon and a tablespoon," he said.
He rejected the notion of turmeric as an alternative
medicine. "Alternative medicine becomes standard medicine
when it is proven true," he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/22/health/22ANTI.html?ex=1036404192&ei=1&en=d
2aa5b0ae6514e1e
Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company
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