Curcumin, a component of turmeric, a spice often used in curries, appears to prevent the spread of amyloid protein plaques in the brain. These plaques are thought to cause Alzheimer's Disease, a form of dementia.

Curcumin, the yellowish component of turmeric that gives curry its flavor, has long been noted for its potential anti-cancer properties. Researchers from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, report on an apparent improvement upon nature: two molecular analogues of curcumin that demonstrate even greater tumor suppressive properties.

Scientists showed that curcumin, the main ingredient of the Indian herb turmeric, restores key immune cells that fight off cancer.