Turmeric Compound Repairs Heart, Reduces Risk

A study by Canadian researchers suggests that a common ingredient of curry might provide good benefits for the heart. The researchers found that curcumin, a compound found in the spice turmeric, can bring an enlarged heart back to comparatively normal size and also lower the risk of heart failure. Findings of the study have been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

When the heart gets damaged due to a heart attack or disease, it gradually loses its ability to pump blood across the body. This leads to heart failure, a condition that proves to be fatal for 40% of patients within a year of onset. Its symptoms include tiredness, swollen ankles and breathlessness.

While medications are available to control heart failure, the scarring and damage suffered by heart muscles is irreversible and can not be repaired. Researchers led by Dr. Peter Liu at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital have found that turmeric however possess the ability to repair this damage.

When the scientists tested curcumin on laboratory mice that had enlarged hearts (hypertrophy), they found that the compound did not just arrest and reverse the condition but also restored heart function and cut down scar formation. While the tests were conducted on mice, the researchers are hopeful of achieving similar success with human hearts. If successful, the researchers believe their findings might pave the path for new safer and inexpensive curcumin-based treatments for patients with heart enlargement.

The researchers are not sure about the exact working of curcumin but believe it might be on account of the compound switching off the genes that cause the heart to become enlarged and scarred. According to the researchers, curcumin works directly in the cell nucleus by preventing abnormal unravelling of the chromosome under stress. This in turn prevents excessive abnormal protein production.

“Curcumin’s ability to shut off one of the major switches right at the chromosome source where the enlargement and scarring genes are being turned on is impressive,” said Dr. Liu, a cardiologist at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and scientific director at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research – Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health.

“Whether you are young or old; male or female; the larger your heart is, the higher your risk is for developing heart attacks or heart failure in the future,” Dr. Liu said. “However, until clinical trials are done, we don’t recommend patients to take curcumin routinely. You are better off to take action today by lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, exercising, and health eating.”

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