Curcumin, a bioactive constituent in turmeric, can prove effectual if added in weight loss schedule, a new research has suggested.

The compound can stall the spread of fat-tissue by inhibiting new blood vessel growth, called angiogenesis, which is necessary to build fat tissue, according to results from a new animal model study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-funded scientists and colleagues.

In the research, headed by nutritionist Mohsen Meydani at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass, 18 rats were allotted to 3 groups of six mice each.

For a period of twelve weeks, the rats were kept on special diets.

A "control" group's mix comprised 4% fat, a "high fat" group's mix had 22% fat while the third group was given the same "high fat" diet supplemented with curcumin. A mouse normally consumes around 3,000 to 3,500 milligrams on a daily basis, so the curcumin-supplemented mice would have had approx 1.5 to 1.75 milligrams of curcumin on a daily basis, a relatively small quantity.

The study scientists record the weight as well as food intake of the mice two times each week. At completion of twelve week period, the overall weight and fat allocation were evaluated.

The research discovered that supplementing the animals' high-fat food along with curcumin lessened weight gain and overall body fat, even though food consumption was not affected.

The curcumin-treated set also had less blood vessel development in fat tissue. Moreover, blood glucose level, lipoid, carboxylic acid, cholesterol and liver fat levels were also lower.

At present, it is not recognized whether the quantity of curcumin generally present in food made with turmeric is enough to slow down complex fat-tissue secernments that are involved in enrolling new blood vessel development.

The researchers' next step is to establish the efficiency of dietary ingestion of curcumin in lessening weight in human beings.

The study outcomes were released in the May issue of The Journal of Nutrition. (With Input from Agencies)