Curcumin Shows Potential in Treating Depression:

Previous research has suggested that eating a diet containing curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, may prevent memory loss in older populations. Now, there is growing interest in the possible anti-depressant effects of curcumin. In a recent review by a group of authors from India, several plausible mechanisms are presented for how curcumin may help treat depression. For example, curcumin has been shown to be an inhibitor of the monoamine oxidase enzymes, MAO-A and MAO-B, which in turn causes an increase in the levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. A large family of powerful, well studied prescription medications owes their anti-depressant effects to a similar inhibition of these enzymes.   Curcumin has also been shown to modulate norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin levels in the brain, to promote the generation of new neurons, and to reduce markers of inflammation which are all possible reasons behind its anti-depressant effects. Increasingly more evidence points to turmeric, and therefore curcumin, as potentially powerful agents for the treatment of various mental illnesses.

Future posts will examine the scientific evidence behind these claims.