Curcumin is the bright yellow anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant compounds of the turmeric root. Curcumin also causes cancer cell apoptosis (programmed cell death). There are many diseases that are very inflammatory in nature, most being in the category of autoimmune diseases whereby the immune system breaks down and starts attacking itself. Curcumin has shown to be very anti-inflammatory without any negative side effects and many additional positive benefits. Curcuminoids are dual-action antioxidants extracted from the turmeric root. They have the unique property of both preventing the formation of free radicals, and of neutralizing free radicals.
Anti Cancer Action
Curcumin has been developed by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and academic investigators around the world as a potent anti-carcinogen. Because of low toxicity and great efficacy in multiple in vitro and in vivo cancer models, curcumin was selected for further development, put through extensive toxicology testing and has successively made it through the first stages (Phase I) of clinical testing abroad and is currently in clinical trials at several sites in the U.S. All of this work by many labs has provided the basis to quickly and safely explore curcumin’s potential for Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.
Do you know that India has just one-tenth the cancer rate of America. The main reason has been attributed to curry, or actually a compound in one of the spices that make up curry called Curcumin(turmeric). Turmeric is a strong antioxidant and free-radical scavenger, but it also possesses amazing anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, and other protective powers.
The compound curcumin is responsible for the yellowish-orange color and distinctive smell of tumeric. Curcumin is more than just a simple pigment. Researchers at the cancer center in Houston reported that curcumin stops laboratory strains of melanoma from proliferating and causes the cancer cells to commit suicide. The findings are so dramatic that human clinical trials are already underway testing curcumin's ability to retard the growth of both pancreatic and breast cancer, and animal studies of its effects on melanoma will begin shortly.
The compound curcumin is responsible for the yellowish-orange color and distinctive smell of tumeric. Curcumin is more than just a simple pigment. Researchers at the cancer center in Houston reported that curcumin stops laboratory strains of melanoma from proliferating and causes the cancer cells to commit suicide. The findings are so dramatic that human clinical trials are already underway testing curcumin's ability to retard the growth of both pancreatic and breast cancer, and animal studies of its effects on melanoma will begin shortly.
The study, reports that the spice appears to shut down a protein active in the spread of breast cancer to a major target for metastasis. Researchers found that the nontoxic natural substance not only repelled progression of the disease to the lungs, but also appeared to reverse the effects of paclitaxel (Taxol™), a commonly prescribed chemotherapy for breast cancer that may trigger spread of the disease with use over a long period of time. Because Taxol is so toxic, it activates a protein that produces an inflammatory response that induces metastasis. Curcumin suppresses this response, making it impossible for the cancer to spread. In fact, researchers found that adding curcumin to Taxol actually enhances its effect. Cancer strains are unable to grow and cells are pushed to commit suicide.
At M. D. Anderson, for example, dramatic results from laboratory studies have led to two ongoing Phase I human clinical trials, testing the ability of daily capsules of curcumin powder to retard growth of pancreatic cancer and multiple myeloma. Another Phase I trial was done for patients with breast cancer, and given this news of curcumin's activity in melanoma, animal studies will soon begin, Aggarwal says. While researchers had thought curcumin primarily has anti-inflammatory properties, the growing realization that cancer can result from inflammation has spurred mounting interest in the spice as an anti-cancer agent. Curcumin had any effect on patients with pancreatic cancer, which is difficult to treat successfully.
Oral administration of curcumin has been shown in several earlier studies to inhibit oral, forestomach, duodenal and colon cancer. One study also reports the cytotoxicity of curcuminoids against human ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cells. Another study was directed towards oral cancer. . The number of tumors were significantly lower in the animals that received turmeric in the diet and applied locally. Suggesting that curcumin and turmeric may have a plausible chemopreventive effect on oral precancerous lesions. Mechanism of chemoprotective and chemopreventive actions of Curcumin Curcuminoids are proven to have a dual-pronged mechanism of antioxidant action, viz., inhibiting the formation as well as propagation of free radicals.
At M. D. Anderson, for example, dramatic results from laboratory studies have led to two ongoing Phase I human clinical trials, testing the ability of daily capsules of curcumin powder to retard growth of pancreatic cancer and multiple myeloma. Another Phase I trial was done for patients with breast cancer, and given this news of curcumin's activity in melanoma, animal studies will soon begin, Aggarwal says. While researchers had thought curcumin primarily has anti-inflammatory properties, the growing realization that cancer can result from inflammation has spurred mounting interest in the spice as an anti-cancer agent. Curcumin had any effect on patients with pancreatic cancer, which is difficult to treat successfully.
Oral administration of curcumin has been shown in several earlier studies to inhibit oral, forestomach, duodenal and colon cancer. One study also reports the cytotoxicity of curcuminoids against human ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cells. Another study was directed towards oral cancer. . The number of tumors were significantly lower in the animals that received turmeric in the diet and applied locally. Suggesting that curcumin and turmeric may have a plausible chemopreventive effect on oral precancerous lesions. Mechanism of chemoprotective and chemopreventive actions of Curcumin Curcuminoids are proven to have a dual-pronged mechanism of antioxidant action, viz., inhibiting the formation as well as propagation of free radicals.
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