Indian food is delicious, but a highly touted spice in this food largely failed in a small trial designed to test its value in treating psoriasis.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that despite strong scientific evidence in the laboratory demonstrating the ability of curcumin (the active ingredient in the spice turmeric) to inhibit a critical pathway of psoriasis, the positive response in patients was so low that scientists suggest the placebo effect or the disease’s natural remission might be the reason.
We would all love an easy and ‘natural’ cure for psoriasis, but one does not exist. That’s why we need more research.
One problem the researchers note is that most curcumin consumed is not “bioavailable”–instead, it is eliminated by the body’s digestive system before it can do any good.
So enjoy that Tandoori chicken, but don’t expect it to cure your psoriasis. Then again, the researchers theorize that a topical formulation could potentially still prove helpful. So maybe instead of eating that bird, you should …. nevermind.
Category: Alternative/buyer beware/natural, Psoriasis Research
