A new study published September 26, 2014 in the Stem Cell Research & Therapy journal suggests that a component of turmeric, aromatic (ar-) turmerone, induces and increases neural stem cell proliferation.
A bioactive compound found in turmeric promotes stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the brain, reveals new research published today in the open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy. The findings suggest aromatic turmerone could be a future drug candidate for treating neurological disorders, such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
Turmeric is a herbaceous perennial plant in the ginger family, native to southeast India.
The orange-yellow powder from its ground roots is commonly used as a spice in Indian cuisine, for dyeing and for coloring in mustard.
In a new study, researchers from the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine in Jülich, Germany found that a bioactive compound found in turmeric promotes stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the brain.
Turmeric has been found to have numerous health benefits with especially powerful anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties that can improve cognitive function and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. A study published back in 2012 demonstrated three months of treatment, where Alzheimer’s patients were given a daily turmeric supplement, resulted in a significant decrease of severe behavioral and psychological symptoms, and in two instances, patients came to recognize their family within one year of treatment (Hishikawa 2012).
The study looked at the effects of aromatic turmerone (ar-turmerone) on neutral stem cells (NSC), which are the stem cells found within adult brains. NSC differentiate into neurons and play an important role in self-repair and recovery of brain function in neurodegenerative diseases.
Previous studies of ar-turmerone have shown that the compound blocks activation of microglia cells. When these cells are activated, they can cause inflammation, which is associated with different neurological disorders. However, ar-turmerone’s impact on the brain’s capacity for self-repair was unknown.
Researchers first studied the effects of ar-turmerone on NSC proliferation and differentiation in fetal rat NSC, which were cultured and grown in six different concentrations. At certain concentrations, ar-turmerone was shown to increase NSC proliferation by up to 80 percent, without having any impact on cell death. The cell differentiation process also accelerated in ar-turmerone-treated cells, compared to untreated control cells.
Then the researchers tested the effects of ar-turmerone on NSC by injecting adult rats. Using PET imaging and a tracer to detect proliferating cells, they found that the subventricular zone (SVZ) was wider, and the hippocampus expanded, in the brains of rats injected with ar-turmerone than in control animals. The SVZ and hippocampus are both sites in adult mammalian brains where the growth of neurons occurs.
“While several substances have been described to promote stem cell proliferation in the brain, fewer drugs additionally promote the differentiation of stem cells into neurons, which constitutes a major goal in regenerative medicine,” said lead author Adele Rueger. “Our findings on ar-turmerone take us one step closer to achieving this goal.”
Ar-turmerone is the lesser-studied of two major bioactive compounds found in turmeric. The other compound is curcumin, which is also known for its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.
The findings of the study suggest ar-turmerone is a potential drug candidate for treating neurological disorders, such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
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