Antidotes: To Radiation Regimen, Add Spice

By ERIC NAGOURNEY

urmeric, a principal ingredient of curry, may protect cancer patients from the burns and blisters they often suffer from radiation therapy, researchers report.

Although their study was conducted on mice, the researchers, from the University of Rochester Medical Center, suggested that patients undergoing radiation might want to try eating foods with curry. The lead researcher, Dr. Ivan Ding, presented his findings at a recent conference of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

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The substance studied was curcumin, which gives turmeric its yellow color and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory benefits. Evidence also suggests it may be able to suppress tumor growth.

The researchers gave mice differing regimens of curcumin and found they had fewer radiation-related skin problems in all cases. It also appeared to enhance the benefits of the treatment.

Dr. Paul Okunieff, the university's radiation oncology chief, said the group looked at curcumin in part because turmeric has long been used to treat burns in India.

Turmeric supplements are available at health food stores, but Dr. Okunieff said it was unclear how much would be needed. "It would be more or less equivalent to somewhere between half a teaspoon and a tablespoon," he said.

He rejected the notion of turmeric as an alternative medicine. "Alternative medicine becomes standard medicine when it is proven true," he said.