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Curries and onions 'could treat bowel cancer'

2 August 2006

Chemicals found in onions and in some curry spices could help to treat or prevent bowel cancer, according to a new study.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University in the US found that a pill containing curcumin (found in the curry spice, turmeric) and quercetin (found in onions) could reduce the size of growths in the bowel.

The study, published in the Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology journal, analysed five patients with inherited precancerous polyps (growths that can turn cancerous) in their lower bowels.

The patients were treated with the pills for six months. Researchers found that after this treatment, the growths were significantly smaller in size and number.

Previous studies of populations that consume large amounts of curry have also shown that curcumin may be effective for treating or preventing bowel cancer. Quercetin was found to have a similar effect.

Although the pills used in this study contained both chemicals, the researchers believe that the high dose of curcumin was more important than quercetin for treating the growths.

"The amount of quercetin we administered was similar to what many people consume daily; however, the amount of curcumin is many times what a person might ingest in a typical diet," said Dr Giardiello.

He added that eating curry and onions as part of your normal diet may not have the same effect as the pills used in this study.


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