Researchers have found that curcumin, the major component in turmeric, when combined with the drug cisplatin, enhances chemotherapy's suppression of head and neck cancer cell growth.Indian-American researcher and lead author of the study Eri Srivatsan and Dr Marilene Wang, a professor of head and neck surgery at the Jonsson Cancer Centre at the University of California, has been studying curcumin and its anti-cancer properties for six years.A naturally occurring spice widely used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, turmeric has long been known to have medicinal properties, attributed to its anti-inflammatory effects. Previous studies have shown it can suppress the growth of certain cancers.In India, women for years have been using turmeric for medicinal purposes, as an anti-ageing agent rubbed into their skin, to treat cramps during menstruation, as a poultice on the skin to promote wound healing and as an additive in cosmetics.