Curcumin is a member of the ginger family and its roots contain turmeric, which gives this popular Indian spice its bright yellow pigment. In cancer research studies, curcumin has been found to have beneficial effects in the treatment of certain cancers. Inflammation plays a role in the development of cancer and research suggests that because curcumin has antioxidant properties that decrease inflammation, it is beneficial for cancer prevention and treatment. Curcumin has also been found to kill cancer cells, enhance overall immunity and stop angiogenesis--the formation of blood vessels.
Curcumin Kills Cancer Cells and Prevents Inflammation
Curcumin works at the cellular level and is able to stop cancer at very early stages by interrupting the cell cycle and communicating with the cancerous--or pre-cancerous--cells to self-destruct before they grow and multiply. Curcumin is an antioxidant capable of inhibiting the activity of inflammatory enzymes. Anti-inflammatory actions are beneficial in the treatment of cancer because inflammation appears to play a role in the development of cancer.
Apoptosis
Apoptosis is the spontaneous self-destruction of a cell. The body has an innate ability to identify and destroy unhealthy, abnormal cells. Curcumin has the ability to identify a cancer or pre-cancerous cell by its abnormal chemistry. It then directs the cell to conduct apoptosis or self-destruct. The beauty of this process of spontaneous cell death is that curcumin does not induce apoptosis of healthy cells, only cancerous ones.
Curcumin Enhances Immunity and Antioxidant Activity
Should certain cells escape apoptosis, curcumin can continue to fight off cancer by enhancing the immune system. Certain immune cells--T-helper and B type lymphocytes--have been measured to be greater in number after the ingestion of curcumin. Curcumin, supplemented orally at 3.6g per day for seven days, was found to decrease the number of oxidative--destructive cancer causing--DNA molecules in tissue samples. This suggests that sufficient levels of curcumin were bio available and capable of preventing or reversing DNA damage.
Curcumin Stops Angiogenesis
Even if a cancer cell is present, curcumin can still have an anti-cancer effect. Angiogenesis is a process of increased blood vessel growth, whereby tumors invade surrounding tissues and spread. Curcumin has been used to inhibit blood vessel formation. When the blood vessels are restricted, the cancer tumor does not have a pathway to receive its nutrition. Without its source of energy, the cancer cell dies.
Contraindications
There seem to be multiple benefits to curcumin, but as of 2011 there is no scientific consensus on how best to take advantage of them in the treatment of cancer. Curcumin has not been adequately tested along side chemotherapy drugs and may have adverse side effects during treatment; therefore it is advisable to discuss with the oncology team. As always, before embarking on any new regimen, it is best to consult with a qualified health care provider.
