According to a British medical journal, Gut, turmeric protects the liver.
Michael Trauner, professor of internal medicine at Graz medical university in Austria, led a new study on the benefits of turmeric.
This spice is widely cultivated in Asia and has been used for many years to treat a wide range of gastrointestinal diseases which often lead to cirrhosis.
Austrian and American researchers have just discovered that turmeric protects the liver.
The study looked at mice that had been genetically modified to have a diseased liver. They were given turmeric for four weeks and eight weeks, while another group followed a normal diet.
Researchers found that turmeric plays a role in the inflammatory process and reduces liver damage. They also learned that it acted against bile duct blockage. Mice that were on turmeric for both four and eight weeks experienced the protective benefits of this spice. This suggests that turmeric may provide a useful therapy in the future.