Curcumin, an active ingredient
in turmeric, is an antioxidant.
Antioxidants are compounds that
can protect the body's cells
from damage caused by activated
oxygen molecules known as free
radicals.
Recently, curcumin has received
a great deal more attention
in studies than turmeric as
a whole herb. Researchers are
studying curcumin to learn whether
it is an effective anti-inflammatory
agent and whether it holds any
promise as a cancer drug.
According to a review article
published by researchers from
the Ohio State University in
Columbus, curcumin demonstrated
anti-cancer effects at virtually
all stages of tumor development
in rodents. It showed potential
to kill cancer cells and prevent
normal cells from becoming cancerous.
A French laboratory study concluded
that curcumin appeared to be
a potent inhibitor of cancer
development. Several more laboratory
studies also concluded that
curcumin might prevent and slow
the growth of some types of
tumor cells.
Animal studies in the United
Kingdom suggested that curcumin
slows the growth of adenomas
in the intestine in mice. A
recent United States mouse study
also showed that it slowed the
spread of breast cancer to the
lungs.
One concern about curcumin
has been about how little reaches
the rest of the body when it
is taken by mouth. Because curcumin
is hard to absorb, some studies
in animals have used an injectable
form.
One study of 15 patients with
colorectal cancer was done to
find out how much curcumin they
could safely take and whether
they could take a dose large
enough to be detected in the
blood. The patients were able
to take 3.6 grams of curcumin
without noting ill effects.
At this high dose, some curcumin
and its products (metabolites)
were found in the blood. The
researchers recommended that
this dose be used when curcumin
is tested for effects outside
the intestine. Lower doses may
work for the stomach and intestine.
Even though it does not absorb
well into the body, it has been
shown to absorb into the colon
lining and even into any cancerous
tissue in the colon. Other small
studies have found people were
able to take up to 10 grams
per day for a period of a few
weeks without noting problems.
Human studies of curcumin in
cancer prevention and treatment
are in the very early stages.
Further study is needed to find
out what role, if any, curcumin
may play in the prevention or
treatment of cancer.
Curcumin is being studied to
see if it helps other diseases
as well. One small study of
curcumin, along with another
antioxidant called quercetin,
was done in adults who received
kidney transplants. Those who
received the combination in
high dosages had fewer transplant
rejections than those who received
lower doses or placebo. More
studies are needed to find out
if this holds true. Curcumin
may also promote the emptying
of the gallbladder, but again,
more human studies are needed.
Early studies showed promise
that curcumin could correct
the problem of cystic fibrosis,
but later studies have been
inconsistent and often showed
no effect. Curcumin also seemed
to help prevent stomach ulcers
in rodents, although there aren't
good studies in humans to recommend
it for this use.
Early research has suggested
that curcumin may help lower
"bad cholesterol,"
reduce inflammation, and help
with arthritis symptoms, although
more reliable human studies
are still needed. Tests of curcumin
in HIV disease have been mixed
and have generally not shown
it to be helpful. In studies
of mice, curcumin appeared to
help with blocking the plaques
and proteins that cause problems
in the brain during Alzheimer
Disease.
Although lab and animal tests
look promising, careful study
is needed to find out whether
curcumin will be useful for
treating these conditions. It
is important to remember that
extracted compounds such as
curcumin are not the same as
the whole herb, and study results
are not likely to show the same
effects.
