If it were possible to inhibit the COX-2 enzyme, it would be possible to control inflammation and possibly even cancer. Did you know that cancer cells are surrounded by an abnormally heavy concentration of COX-2 enzymes? And that chronic aspirin users have less cancer?

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Many years ago, drug companies found that aspirin inhibited COX-2. There is a downside to chronic aspirin use, however. At the same time it inhibits COX-2, it also inhibits COX-1 which is a protective prostaglandin for the lining of the digestive tract and blood vessels. Therefore, without adequate COX-1 protection, you may have ulcers and leaking of the blood vessels. So, for temporary use, aspirin is fine, but for extended use, it may cause serious side effects and even death. One report has estimated that over 40,000 people die annually from the overuse of drugs in the aspirin family.

Remember that inflammation is the cause of pain, both acute and chronic.
If an antiinflammatory product could be found that would inhibit the enzymes COX-2 and possibly 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), without side effects, it would be superior to any other pain relieving medication. This form of therapy would stop the cause of pain. Turmeric contains the compound curcumin, an even better anti-inflammatory than cortisone, which is one of the most powerful of all the steroids.

Curcumin is extremely effective in relieving inflammation, which many medical experts believe to be the cause of 80-90% of all chronic disease, including cancer. In one double-blind study, curcumin matched cortisone as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory.

Researchers at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas stated that curcumin in laboratory studies was as effective, if not more effective, than any cancer treatment drug they have seen, even from any pharmaceutical company. But if this is not enough, over 3,672 references to articles on curcumin have been published in peer-reviewed professional journals. It has been identified as having a multitude of potent health effects. It has demonstrated anti-bacterial, antifungal (yeast), antiviral, antiallergenic, anti-inflammatory, potent antioxidant, antitumor and anticancer properties. Getting the Most from Curcumin. The majority of turmeric products on the market are regular formulas, standardized to 95% curcumin. The problem with this type of formulation is that the curcumin is poorly bioavailable, meaning that it doesn’t pass easily from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream. The curcumin that does reach the bloodstream quickly converts into other compounds. What this means for you is that you have to take huge doses of turmeric powder to get any health benefits. In some cases, cancer patients are taking as many as 16-24, 500 mg capsules a day, which is very difficult to do. Recently scientists in India isolated a curcuminoid complex (curcumin is one kind of curcuminoid) which is much more bioavailable than regular 95% curcumin in any other delivery form.

In fact, in comparison tests, their curcumin, which is mixed with turmeric oils and then micronized (meaning reduced to a small particle), was almost 7 times more bioavailable than other forms of curcumin, and it stayed active in the bloodstream much longer.

Curcumin's Heart Healthy Effects and Other Benefits
	Writing in the April 3, 2009, issue of the International Journal of Cardiology, researchers say that curcumin offers protection against drug induced heart toxicity and "may prevent diabetic cardiovascular complications." Known technically as a polyphenol, curcumin has anti-inflammatory effects, and can help to keep red blood cells from forming abnormal clots, which increases risk of thrombosis. By "decreasing the serum cholesterol level, curcumin may protect against the pathological changes occurring with atherosclerosis."
In the February 2008 edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre of the Toronto General Hospital reported that curcumin may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure. "When the herb is given orally, it can actually prevent and reverse hypertrophy, restore heart function, and reduce scar formation." Curcumin molecules, when properly absorbed, enter the cell nucleus, beneficially turning on and off gene switches, preventing abnormal unraveling of the chromosome under stress, and preventing excessive abnormal protein production. This helps to minimize plaque growth, just as it minimizes damaged cell division. -L. Stephen Coles, M.D., Ph.D. Cognitive Decline and Dementia Even in the absence of injury or toxicity, loss of cognitive function is a hallmark of aging. Memory loss is believed to begin by age 50, and, by age 80, it’s predicted that nearly half of all individuals will advance to some form of dementia.1 Wondering if curcumin might protect aging brains from cognitive decline, Asian scientists conducted an epidemiological study of curry consumption and cognitive function among the elderly. They found that men and women who consumed turmeric-laced curry “occasionally,” “often,” or “very often,” had significantly better scores on a standardized test of mental status than subjects who “never or rarely” consumed curry. The investigators described these findings as “tentative evidence of better cognitive performance from curry consumption in nondemented elderly Asians…”2 Alzheimer’s Disease Protection Curcumin may offer protection against the most common cause of dementia: Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the accumulation of a malformed protein, amyloid-beta. Ordinarily, immune cells known as macrophages identify these defective proteins, engulf them, and destroy them. But for reasons that are not entirely clear, macrophages fail to perform this crucial function in Alzheimer’s disease.3 Using animal models of Alzheimer’s, scientists have shown that curcumin can enhance clearance of amyloid-beta, while reducing fibrils, which are also associated with Alzheimer’s pathology. Curcumin’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and directly bind to plaques may be important in its anti-amyloid activity.4 Los Angeles-based researchers tested the anti-amyloid activity of human macrophages taken from Alzheimer’s disease patients. After incubation with curcumin in the laboratory, uptake of amyloid-beta by macrophages from half of the patients significantly increased. The researchers concluded that this modification of the innate immune system by curcumin, “might be a safe approach to immune clearance of [abnormal amyloid-beta accumulation] in Alzheimer’s disease brain.”5 These data appear to indicate that curcumin is protective against the development of Alzheimer’s disease, and that it may even help reverse the disease process, once begun.

Curcumin’s Natural Partners.

There are many natural ingredients that can support and work synergistically with curcumin to relieve both acute and chronic pain.

Boswellia is another traditional herb that is excellent at reducing inflammation and therefore, relieving pain. The majority of boswellia’s anti-inflammatory activity is linked to the array of boswellic acids in the extract. When scientists dug deeper into these activities they found that every single boswellic acid has anti-inflammatory properties – except one. One boswellic acid (beta) was actually pro-inflammatory.

They wondered what would happen if they removed this beta boswellic acid, and found that with its removal, boswellia’s activity greatly increased. Research studies have found that it is especially potent at reducing joint pain associated with arthritis. It does this by inhibiting the inflammatory enzyme, 5-LOX. Together, curcumin and boswellia reduce the activity of the two most significant pain pathways in the body – COX-2 and 5-LOX. The pain reliever DLPA (dl-phenylalanine) contains two forms of the amino acid phenylalanine. The “l” form improves mood-elevating chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. The “d” form of phenylalanine appears to block a nervous system enzyme (enzyme carboxypeptidase A) that intensifies pain signals. The current theory is that DLPA prevents the breakdown of one of the brain’s natural pain-killing substances, enkephalins, which are in the same family as endorphins.

DLPA supplements combine the “l” and “d” forms of phenylalanine, which work synergistically to reduce chronic pain and improve mood – two concerns that are interconnected. Many people confuse DLPA (found abundantly in fish, yogurt and tofu) with aspartame (NutraSweet® or Equal®) that also has the amino acid phenylalanine as an ingredient.

These are not the same compounds and do not act in the same way in our body. Aspartame breaks down into an unnatural toxic substance not found in the human diet, which can cause some people to be sick or have migraine headaches. When DLPA breaks down, it converts to tyrosine, which is a precursor to helpful substances like dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine, helpful neurotransmitters in the brain; melanin, a healthy pigment in the skin; and thyroid hormone. It does not metabolize into toxic substances. There are no health concerns with DLPA causing migraine headaches or other problems.

The third natural partner for curcumin is the enzyme nattokinase. This enzyme from fermented soybean increases circulation, enabling other compounds that are carried in the bloodstream (such as curcumin, boswellia, and pain-killing endorphins) to reach the areas where they are needed the most. It also balances fibrinogen in the body, a compound that is associated with muscle damage and muscle fiber stiffness. Potent Combination.

Curcumin, boswellia, DLPA and nattokinase make one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory and pain relieving combinations you can find. These ingredients have been proven time and again to be highly effective and safe for extended use. When you use natural ingredients such as turmeric or its active compound curcumin, you are using wisdom of the ages backed by 5,000 years of use as a food and medicine in India.

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