Curry can help cure tennis elbow

LONDON: It seems that your grandmother was right — eating curry could cure your tennis elbow by reducing inflammation, says a new study. Researchers have found that a key ingredient found in Indian curries — curcumin — blocks tendon inflammation in the joints, a finding which may pave the way for a remedy for a painful condition.

They have shown that curcumin, which gives the spice turmeric its trademark bright yellow colouring, can be used to suppress biological mechanisms that spark inflammation in tendon diseases, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

For their study, the researchers at the University of Nottingham in London and Ludwig Maximilians University in Germany have described laboratory experiments that show the ingredient can switch off inflammatory cell cycle involved. Ali Mobasheri, who co-led the research, said: "Our research is not suggesting that curry, turmeric or curcumin are cures for inflammatory conditions such as tendinitis and arthritis.

 

"However, we believe that it could offer scientists an important new lead in the treatment of these painful conditions through nutrition." In the laboratory, researchers used a culture model of human tendon inflammation to study the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin on tendon cells. Results showed that curcumin inhibits NFkB and prevents it from switching on and promoting inflammation.

"Further research into curcumin should be the subject of future investigations and complementary therapies aimed at reducing the use of non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the only drugs currently available for the treatment of tendinitis and various forms of arthritis," he said.