Turmeric has radioprotective properties. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Radioprotection of turmeric extracts in bacterial system.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Dec 6. PMID: 16196208
Biophysics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 37, Belgachia Road, Kolkata-700 037, India.
The present study investigates the possible role of crude turmeric extracts in radioprotection by a variety of methods. Although curcumin, the main bioactive component of turmeric, has been extensively used in such studies, the efficiency of the crude extracts has been poorly investigated. This study revealed that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extracts of turmeric produces a significant amount of radioprotection, which is very similar in nature and extent to that imparted by curcumin. Field Inversion Gel Electrophoresis (FIGE) studies also clearly showed the protection offered by turmeric extracts against X-ray induced DNA damage of E. coli WP2s(lambda) cells.