IN A CAPSULE – CA – NOV 2014
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in Uncategorized
IN A CAPSULE
Eating curry can help beat dementia
Lovers of spicy Indian food could be better equipped to ward off dementia, research suggests. Tumerone, a compound in the aromatic spice turmeric, a key ingredient in most curries, may hold the key to repairing the brains of people with neuro degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and those who have suffered a stroke. The findings are published in the online journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy.
In laboratory tests, aromatic turmerone promoted the proliferation of brain stem cells and their development into neurons. Another compound in turmeric, curcumin, is a well known anti-inflammatory agent and reputed to have anti-cancer properties.
Broad-spectrum antibiotics increase risk of obesity in children below 2
The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in children under the age of 24 months is associated with an increased risk of obesity in early childhood, says a US study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are effective against a wide range of bacteria.
The study was based on previous research which suggested that obesity is associated with intestinal micro flora, which is the presence of a community of microorganisms in the digestive tract. Antibiotics attack both disease-causing and harmless bacteria in the intestines, affecting microbial diversity and composition. No association was seen between obesity and narrow-spectrum antibiotics.
