VOA英语2010年-Tumeric Might Give Your Brain a Kick

Tumeric doesn't just add a little spice to your food, it could also give your brain a jolt¹. Researchers find that the widely used spice might contain compounds which can help prevent neurological diseases.

Many medicines have come from nature. Both aspirin² and quinine were derived³ from the bark of trees while digitalis, a potent⁴ heart medicine, comes from a flower. Researcher Dave Schubert from the Salk Institute in San Diego has been looking at turmeric, a spice that's commonly used, particularly in South Asia.

"If you look at the epidemiology of Alzheimer's in India, and compare that to other countries, India has much lower levels of Alzheimer's than other countries," says Schubert.

He and other researchers believe that part of the reason for that low level of brain injury in India is that, over a lifetime, consuming turmeric may actually have a protective effect on the brain and nervous system. It's not an easy hypothesis to prove, but Schubert began by extracting several compounds from the spice. He found that at least one compound, curcumin, has protective effects on brain cells of lab animals with neurological injuries.

That's probably because, rather than working directly on brain cells, curcumin targets many parts of the body, which is typical of medicines that come from nature.

"So they are antioxidants. They affect inflammation," says Schubert. "And so it's not probably one thing that's happening when you eat something like curcumin, it's multiple things and these things are probably either additive⁵ or they multiplied together."

He believes it's possible that, eventually, curcumin and other compounds from turmeric could be used to actually protect the brain from traumatic brain injury, stroke or even Alzheimer's.

"The thought is that you can give people something like curcumin derivative⁶ or some drug before they are exposed to the concussion⁷ and the injuries, and that may prevent it or lessen⁸ the effect," says Schubert. "So prevention is certainly a major aspect."

Schubert has collaborated⁹ with scientists in several labs, and they have several research papers in publication. He's trying to get the attention of drug-makers or the military in moving forward to create a medicine from turmeric. In the meantime, he says, it doesn't hurt to add some to your diet.

1 jolt   

v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸

参考例句：

• We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。
• They were working frantically in the fear that an aftershock would jolt the house again.他们拼命地干着，担心余震可能会使房子再次受到震动。

2 aspirin   

n.阿司匹林

参考例句：

• The aspirin seems to quiet the headache.阿司匹林似乎使头痛减轻了。
• She went into a chemist's and bought some aspirin.她进了一家药店，买了些阿司匹林。

3 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

5 additive   

adj.附加的；n.添加剂

参考例句：

• Colour is often an additive in foods.颜料经常是各种食物中的添加物。
• Strict safety tests are carried out on food additives.对食品添加剂进行了严格的安全检测。

6 derivative   

n.派(衍)生物；adj.非独创性的，模仿他人的

参考例句：

• His paintings are really quite derivative.他的画实在没有创意。
• Derivative works are far more complicated.派生作品更加复杂。

7 concussion   

n.脑震荡；震动

参考例句：

• He was carried off the field with slight concussion.他因轻微脑震荡给抬离了现场。
• She suffers from brain concussion.她得了脑震荡。

8 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

9 collaborated   

合作( collaborate的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• We have collaborated on many projects over the years. 这些年来我们合作搞了许多项目。
• We have collaborated closely with the university on this project. 我们与大学在这个专案上紧密合作。