The topic has been subject of many academic debates for decades, and is a matter of impassioned controversy even among the general public. Theories range from it first being used in concentration camps to chemically lobotomize captives to the well known IQ lowering properties due to its ability to enhance calcification of the pineal gland. Around the globe and in heavily fluoridated regions of the USA many are starting to organize at local and state levels in efforts to oust the ubiquitous toxicant from municipal drinking water.
In a compelling study conducted by researchers from the Department of Zoology, University College of Science, curcumin has been shown to attenuate neurotoxicity induced by fluoride with in vivo evidence, as published in the Pharmacognosy Magazine. The work adds experimental support to suspicions that fluoride is indeed a brain damaging toxic substance, and reveals that curcumin has a natural derived natural protective against which can be used against various health effects associated with the compound.
The researchers have spent the past decade investigating mechanisms through which fluoride is able to induce severe neurodegenerative changes with the mammalian brain, particularly within the cells of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. The study begins with describing historical backdrop for concern with fluorides significant and wide ranging toxicity: It is probably the first inorganic ion drawing attention for its toxic effects, and now toxicity through drinking water is a well known global issue. Reports on health effect with exposure include various cancers, adverse reproductive activities, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases.
Fluoride induced neurotoxicity was the study focus, identifying excitoxicity and oxidative stress as the main drivers of the associated neurodegeneration. Fluorosis caused by excessive exposure during tooth development has been observed to have neurodegenerative changes associated with lipid peroxidation rancidity in the brain that can lead to decreases in total brain phospholipid content. The team identified curcumin as an agent worthy of testing as a neuroprotective substance against these well known mechanisms of fluoride associated neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration, as research indicates that curcumin is capable of acting as an antioxidant by protecting against: singlet oxygen; hyrodxyl radicals; and superoxide radical damage, while appearing to raise endogenous glutathione production within the brain.
To investigate neurotoxic effects of fluoride and assess curcumin’s protective role against it mice were divided at random into 4 groups for 30 days: a control group with no fluoride; a 120 ppm fluoride group given distilled water without restriction; a 120 ppm/30mg/kg body weight fluoride + curcumin group given oral doses of curcumin dissolved in olive oil along with fluoride in the drinking water; and a curcumin 30mg/kg body weight group.
Malondialdehyde content was measured in the brains of the different mice treated in order to ascertain effectiveness of treatment, as MDA is a well known marker of oxidative stress/damage. The F only group showed significantly elevated levels of MDA vs the control group; the F + C group showed reduced MDA levels vs the f only group demonstrating neuroprotective activity against fluoride associated neurotoxicity.
It was concluded that the study demonstrated a single daily dose of 120 ppm F resulted in highly significant increases in LPO as well as neurodegenerative changes in neuron cell bodies of selected hippocampal regions. Adding that supplementation of curcumin significantly reduced toxic effects of fluoride to close to normal levels by augmenting antioxidant defense via its scavenging properties, and provided evidence of having therapeutic roles against oxidative stress mediated neurodegeneration.
This is not the only study to demonstrate the remarkable brain saving properties curcumin possesses; there are over 200 peer reviewed published studies indicating curcumin is a neuroprotective agent. When one takes into consideration the many chemical insults faced on a daily basis in the post industrial world, turmeric/curcumin may very well be one of the world’s most important herbs, which has over 800 evidence based health applications.
