Old Indian spice and dye to treat traumatic brain injury?RSS Feed

An old Indian spice and dye could in future be used to block brain swelling following traumatic brain injury, according to scientists.

Researchers from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) found that analogues of curcumin and the dye brilliant blue G could possibly be used to block dangerous swelling in the brain.

Dr Cargill Alleyne, chairman of the MCG Department of Neurosurgery has said that it is important to identify good therapies for traumatic brain injury, as many good young minds are damaged or lost that way.

"You can imagine a soldier in Kabul or Bagdad or Afghanistan and he has brilliant blue G or its analogue in his water bottle," added Dr. Krishnan Dhandapani, MCG neuroscientist, who hopes to take a clinical trial to the army one day.

This comes after news that US military insurers have refused to pay for cognitive rehabilitation therapy for US troops with traumatic brain injury on the grounds that it is scientifically unproven.

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Posted by Matthew Heap 

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