Turmeric acts as cell "disciplinarian" in body

Revered in India as "holy powder," the marigold-colored spice known as turmeric has been used for centuries to treat wounds, infections and  other health problems. Yet, little has been known about exactly how  curcumin works.

Research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society  claims that curcumin, a substance in turmeric, acts as a  "disciplinarian," inserting itself into cell membranes and making them  more orderly, a move that improves cells' resistance to infection and  malignancy.

Scientists have speculated that curcumin does its health-promoting work  by interacting directly with membrane proteins, but the new findings  challenge that notion. Instead, the researchers found that curcumin  regulates the action of proteins indirectly, by changing the physical  properties of the membrane.