Turmeric checks liver damage
Washington, Nov. 27: A new Saint Louis University study has revealed that a chemical that gives curry its zing holds promise in preventing or treating liver damage from an advanced form of a condition known as fatty liver disease.
The chemical, curcurmin, is contained in turmeric, a plant used by the Chinese to make traditional medicines for thousands of years.
The recent study has highlighted its potential in countering an increasingly common kind of fatty liver disease called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
“My laboratory studies the molecular mechanism of liver fibrosis and is searching for natural ways to prevent and treat this liver damage,” said Mr Anping Chen of the Saint Louis Varsity.
High levels of leptin activate hepatic stellate cells, a major feature of liver fibrosis. The researchers found that among other activities, curcumin eliminated the effects of leptin on activating hepatic stellate cells, which short-circuited the development of liver damage.
Post new comment