Curcumin, an extract of the turmeric root has been shown in several studies to have an ability to treat or prevent prostate and other cancers, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis-- however the molecular mechanism for its anti-cancer effect has been unknown-- until now.

According to research published in the journal Cancer Research, scientists at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama have now described how curcumin can fight cancer.

Using human prostate cancer cell lines in vitro, introduction of curcumin decreased mRNA and protein expression of MDM2 (an oncoprotein). It also increased the expression of the tumor modulator p21. This caused a decrease in cell multiplication (proliferation), and increased cell apoptosis.

Mice were also tested by grafting them with prostate cancer cells and dividing them into groups: 1) given curcumin orally five days/wk for four weeks; 2) curcumin and gemcitabine (a chemotheraputic agent); 3) gemcitabine alone; 4) curcumin and radiation; 5) radiation alone; 6) cotton seed oil (control group).

At the end of the study, the endpoint measurement was tumor mass. All groups with curcumin reflected tumor growth inhibition, and appeared to enhance the effects of both radiation and gemcitabine therapy.

Analysis:

This was a well designed and performed study which demonstrates and provides a mechanistic explanation of curcumin's anti-cancer effects.

The next steps would be studying the use of curcumin as a dietary supplement in combination with radiation and chemotherapy in humans with tumors dependent on this MDM2 pathway. This could be exciting news about a way to bolster treatments that we already have.

_{Source: Mao Li, Zhuo Zhang, Donald L. Hill, Hui Wang, and Ruiwen Zhang. (2007). Curcumin Has Anticancer, Chemosensitization, & Radiosensitization Effects By Down-regulating MDM2 Oncogene Through PI3K/mTOR/ETS2 Pathway. Cancer Research. 2007 Mar 1:67(5): 1988-96.}