A spice commonly used in Indian foods could also double as a
powerful weapon to fight against cancer, diabetes, and
inflammation. If recent studies on the spice’s effect to
continue producing promising results are any indication, Dr.
Saraswati Sukumar of Johns Hopkins University hopes curcumin,
which gives turmeric its yellow color, will help people fight
off or prevent diseases such as diabetes and cancer. In an
interview with India-West, Sukumar explained how she and a
colleague, Dr. Anirban Maitra, are paying close attention to
promising clinical trials of curcumin. Curcumin is the extract
of turmeric and may soon be used in pill form. The spice is
commonly integrated into many Indian dishes. Sukumar will be
giving a presentation Jan. 24 in West Palm Beach, Florida, about
the positive health benefits of curcumin. While more clinical
trials are still needed to further understand how the common
spice is beneficial to the human body, Sukumar believes a
curcumin pill currently in experimental format could have