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Therapeutic Affects of Curcumin for Multiple Sclerosis

Around the world more than 2.5 million people are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, with 200 more being diagnosed each week. Multiple sclerosis is considered as a neurodegenerative disorder, as well as an inflammatory autoimmune disease that triggers various symptoms.

Although these symptoms can’t be treated, many patients around the world choose to manage their intensity during relapses with alternative medicines and dietary supplements.

One of these supplements is a compound called Curcumin, which comes from the yellow spice, Turmeric. Many experts and researches are looking into and researching how Curcumin actually intervenes and helps alleviate symptoms in patients with MS.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the Central Nervous System (CNS) and disrupts the pathways of neurotransmitters, affecting order delays from the nervous system to the motor neurons.

In case of MS the immune system starts to dysfunction due to unknown reasons, and releases t-lymphocytes which turn against the nerve cells and damage their protective layer, called the myelin sheath. The demyelination of neurons prevents and completely stops the neurotransmitters, or electric signals, to pass thorough.

This disrupted communication between the neurons sets off different symptoms of various severities. These symptoms can be mild or intense, depending on the myelin damage in each patient.

To this is day there is no evident cause found which offsets the t-cells to attack myelin and cause MS.

Curcumin (Turmeric)

Curcumin comes from a yellow spice which is used as a staple ingredient in Indian –Sub continental dishes, called turmeric. Since ancient times, ayurvedic medicine has used Curcumin to treat a multitude of diseases; from heart-burn, bloating and headaches to more complex ones like jaundice and fibromyalgia.

Before research proved it so, Indian households used turmeric for all kinds of cuts and scrapes, believing it to be anti-septic and anti-inflammatory. To find out more, researchers from National Institute of Medicine conducted a study and found that Curcumin has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective qualities which reduce inflammation and swelling.

Curcumin (Turmeric) for Multiple Sclerosis

As it was already known that multiple sclerosis is basically caused by the localized inflammation and damage of myelin sheath (demyelination) surrounding neurons; an anti-inflammatory compound with antibacterial and antioxidant tendencies sounded perfect for treatment.

Interested by this hypothesis, researchers at Vanderbilt Medical Center conducted an experiment with mice which had MS like disease called, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The mice were injected three times a week with 50 and 100 mg of Curcumin for 1 month. After the study concluded, the mice showed little to no symptoms of the disease.

A more recent study found that Curcumin has the ability to treat symptoms of MS by regulating cytokines which play host to inflammation. Multiple other studies also showed results which confirmed that Curcumin had anti-inflammatory qualities that can be beneficial for managing MS.

Curcumin is available currently in different forms that vary a lot from each other in function. The absorption of Curcumin depends on the form it has taken as each form targets certain tissues. Although the studies show promising results and possible treatment possibilities for MS, Curcumin in pure extracted form needs further broad research. But dietary consumption of Curcumin through turmeric in regular foods can be beneficial.

April 04, 2018 by

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