August 16th, 2008
These scientists looked at the effect of curcumin, the active component of tumeric, on colon (large intestine) cancer of male F344 rats. Azoxymethane is a substance used in cancer research to cause colon tumors in animals. In the this study azoxymethane (AOM) was used to stimulate the cancer pathways, including the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and tyrosine protein kinase (TPK). It also increased the arachidonic acid cascade (another cancer pathway) and produced aberrant crypt foci in the colon. These foci are an early change in the colon leading to cancer. Group of rats were fed diets containing either no curcumin or 2000 parts per million at five weeks of age. Two weeks later all animals were injected under the skin with AOM once weekly for two weeks. Curcumin significantly decreased the levels of ODC and TPK activity, and the formation of numerous arachidonic acid cascade products in the liver and colon. These products included 5(S)-, 8(S)-, 12(S)- and 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, thromboxane and prostaglandins. Also, dietary curcumin reduced the formation of these products in the test tube, in liver and colon cells taken from the treated rats. A greater dose of curcumin reduced the products more. Aberrant crypt foci caused by AOM were significantly less in the animals fed curcumin. These findings show that curcumin inhibits precancerous lesions and pathways caused by AOM in the colon of rats.
Inhibition by dietary curcumin of azoxymethane-ind…[Carcinogenesis. 1993]
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August 16th, 2008
Tumeric, a yellow spice used in Indian foods, contains a chemical, Curcumin. Curcumin is known to act as an anti-oxidant, anti-mutagen and anti-carcinogen in experimental animals. Anti-oxidants are chemicals that reduce free radicals. Because free radicals cause chain reactions that damage cells, anti-oxidants are thought to help in a number of illnesses. Anti-carcinogens reduce the impact of carcinogens in the start or growth of cancer. Anti-mutagens reduce or inhibit mutagens. Mutagens increased the number of mutations, that is, mistakes in the copying of genetic information, usually DNA. Since mutations can lead to cancer, mutagens can cause cancer. These scientists tested whether turmeric reduced mutagens in 16 long term smokers. Tumeric was giving for 30 days, 1.5 grams per day. After this dose the amount of mutagens in the urine of the smokers was significantly less. In comparison in six untreated non-smokers, there was no change in the amount of mutagens in their urine after 30 days. The scientists did blood tests to see if tumeric had any liver, diabetic, kidney or lipid side effects. Turmeric had no significant effect on the blood tests; serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, blood glucose, creatinine and lipid profile. These findings imply that dietary turmeric is an effective anti-mutagen and it may be useful in prevention of cancer.
Effect of turmeric on urinary mutagens in smokers. [Mutagenesis. 1992]
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August 16th, 2008
The scientists tested whether tumeric in the diet could decrease the growth of tumors in Swiss mice. They looked at two types of tumors intentionally produced by cancer causing chemicals benzo[a]pyrene-(BP) and 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). BP caused cancer in the stomach. DMBA caused skin cancer. Turmeric (2% or 5%) in the diet significantly reduced the growth of the stomach tumors caused by BP. The reduced tumor growth was more for the higher dose and for longer periods of treatment. A diet of 2% turmeric diet significantly stopped skin tumors caused DMBA. Then the scientist looked at how tumeric produced its anticancer effect. In female Swiss mice they tested turmeric’s effect on established cancer pathways. These included the hepatic cytochrome b5, cytochrome P-450, glutathione, and glutathione S-transferase. The 5% turmeric diet for seven days in a row decreased the hepatic cytochrome b5 and cytochrome P-450 levels by 38%. Glutathione content was increased by 12%. Glutathione S-transferase activity was increased by 32% in the liver. These results document a protective effect of turmeric on stomach cancer caused by BP and skin tumors caused by DMBA in mice.
Chemopreventive effect of turmeric against stomach…[Nutr Cancer. 1992]
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August 16th, 2008
In India traditional forms of medicine, called Ayurvedha and Sidha employ various materials of plant origin as medicines. The medicinal properties of these materials are time tested and have been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicines to cure illness and/or help maintain health. Components of two plants, Azadirachta indica ADR (Neem) and Curcuma longa (Turmeric) has been used for healing chronic ulcers and scabies. Scabies is a skin illness that is very itchy, contagious and caused by a tiny mite. In this study Neem and Turmeric were prepared as a paste. This paste was tested as a treatment for scabies in 814 persons. Within 3 to 15 days of treatment 97% of cases were cured. The authors found this to be a very cheap, easily available, effective and acceptable way of treating scabies for the villagers in the developing countries. They did not fine any serious or mild side effects so far. However, further research is needed.
The use and efficacy of Azadirachta indica ADR (’N…[Trop Geogr Med. 1992]
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August 16th, 2008
The studies that were reviewed found that extracts of Curcuma longa injected into standard animal models reduced inflammation. An extract is a way of purifying and concentrating the active part of the drug. Curcumin and the volatile oil are at least in part responsible for this action. Curcumin is the chemical which is the most potent part of this remedy. The benefit of curcumin for peptic ulcers is unproven because of varying results. Protection against ulcers caused by histamine is in dispute. Whether curcumin reduces acid and stomach secretions has not been tested. Curcumin reduced muscle contractions in the test tube. In animals these extracts protected the liver and increased bile secretion. Therefore Curcuma longa has been advocated for use in liver disorders. But so far there is no proof treating liver disease in humans. It appears that when given by mouth, curcumin is far less active than when it is injected into the abdomen (intra-peritoneal). When given by mouth only tiny amounts of curcumin were found in the blood. Also most of the curcumin was excreted in the stool. So it was concluded that curcumin is absorbed poorly by the gastrointestinal tract. The authors question whether effects on the whole body are really possible after curcumin is given by mouth, unless they require only minute amount of curcumin. Since curcumin stays in the intestine, it is still possible that when given by mouth it acts directly on the mucosa of the stomach or intestine, without being absorbed.
Pharmacology of Curcuma longa. [Planta Med. 1991]
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August 16th, 2008
These scientists reviewed studies about the effect of curcumin, the major yellow substance in turmeric, on tumors in mouse skin. They focused on several paths by which tumors start and grow. One path is called tumor promotion; this is when a substance helps an existing tumor to grow. Other steps involve chemicals and enzymes which increase skin inflammation. Spreading curcumin to mouse skin strongly inhibits tumor promotion caused by the chemical, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The related food compounds chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid have shapes that are similar to curcumins’. However they reduce this tumor promotion less than curcumin. Curcumin is a strong inhibitor of the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase activity and inflammation in mouse skin that is started by TPA. In comparison the three related are only weakly active or inactive. Curcumin is a strong inhibitor of inflammation in the skin of whole live mice caused by the chemical arachidonic acid. It is also strongly inhibits two enzymes, epidermal lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase in the test tube. Increased activity of these enzymes is thought to lead to mouse skin tumors. Chlorogenic acid weakly reduced the activity of the enzyme, epidermal lipoxygenase and ear inflammation caused by TPA. It inhibits these tumor paths more than caffeic acid and ferulic acid. Curcumin has two benzene rings on each end with a free hydroxyl group (one oxygen then one hydrogen). These free hydroxyl groups are not required curcumin to inhibit ornithine decarboxylase activity and inflammation caused by TPA
Inhibitory effect of curcumin and some related die…[Adv Enzyme Regul. 1991]
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August 16th, 2008
An alcohol (ethanol) extract of turmeric was studied in rats as a treatment for peptic ulcers. An extract is a way of concentrating and purifying the active part of the drug. Peptic ulcers in humans occur in the stomach and the duodenum (upper intestine that attaches to the outlet of the stomach). They used standard animal models for peptic ulcers. In these models animals were caused to have ulcers by various stresses, drugs or cell destroying chemicals. Then they tested whether the extract could protect the lining of the stomach and duodenum from these injuries. The stresses were pyloric ligation (tying of the outlet of the stomach) and hypothermic-restraint stress (placing the rats in a cage in a cold room). The drugs were indomethacin, reserpine and cysteamine. The chemicals were 80% ethanol (alcohol), 0.6 M HCl (hydrochloric acid), 0.2 M NaOH (soda lye) and 25% NaCl (salt). When the rats were given the extract (500 milligram per each kg of rat weight) by mouth they were significantly protected against the ulcers caused by stress, the chemicals and the drugs indomethacin and reserpine. However this dose did not reduce the amount of ulcer injury in the duodenum caused by cysteamine enough to conclude that it was different than no treatment. They found that the tumeric extract increased the mucous in the wall of the stomach. It also restores ulcer protective substances, the non-protein sulfhydryl (NP-SH) content in the glandular stomachs of the rats.
Evaluation of turmeric (Curcuma longa) for gastric…[J Ethnopharmacol. 1990]
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August 16th, 2008
Two forms of the Indian yellow spice tumeric were studied to see if they could treat skin cancer. One form was an extract in alcohol (ethanol). An extract is a way of concentrating the active part of a drug, and separating it from the inactive components. It contains many components of tumeric. The other form was an ointment of curcumin. Curcumin is a single chemical. It is the active ingredient of tumeric. Both forms of tumeric were followed by remarkable symptomatic relief in patients with skin cancer. The odor of the sores were lessened in 90% of the cases. In almost all cases itching was less after treatment. Lesions dried up in 70% of the cases. In a few of those treated, 10%, the cancer was smaller and less painful. In many patients the improvement lasted for several months. They found a harmful side effect in only one of the 62 patients.
Turmeric and curcumin as topical agents in cancer …[Tumori. 1987]
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August 16th, 2008
The roots of the spice tumeric were tested to see if they could stop the growth of cancer in rodents. The cancer was of two types. One was grown in the laboratory, Chinese Hamster Ovary cells. This is like cancer in a test tube. The other was a cancer in the abdomen of live mice. This was produced by injecting cancer cells called Dalton’s lymphoma, the ascites form, into mice. First, an extract was made from the roots. An extract is a way of concentrating the active part of the drug, and separating it from the inactive components. It is still fairly unrefined and contains many different chemicals. The extract killed cancer cells at a concentration of 400 micrograms/milliliter. The active part of the root was the chemical curcumin. This killed both types of cancer cells at a much lower concentration, 4 micrograms/milliliter. These preliminary tests showed that tumeric extract and curcumin slowed the growth of animal tumours.
Potential anticancer activity of turmeric (Curcuma…[Cancer Lett. 1985]
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August 16th, 2008
The Japanese folk remedy “ukon” is made from the root of the plant CURCUMA LONGA. Scientists looked at whether parts of this remedy could protect the liver from the harm usually caused by toxins. First they prepared an extract from the roots. This extract strongly prevented the liver damage that is usually caused by the poison, carbon tetrachloride. This was found both in laboratory tests and in live animals. Then they split the extract into parts. Then each part was tested to see which prevented injury to rat liver cells. The liver cells were taken from live rats and grown in liquids. Each test looked at the harm to rat liver cells caused by poisons, either carbon tetrachloride or galactosamine. Curcumin is the chemical which is the most potent part of this remedy. Curcuminoids are compounds related to curcumin. Curcuminoids were shown to have an important protective effect against liver cell damage from these poisons. These scientists also evaluated the liver protective activity of likely metabolites of the curcuminoids. Metabolites are produced when the body breaks down a chemical. The likely metabolites they evaluated were compounds related to the chemicals, ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid.
Antihepatotoxic Principles of Curcuma longa Rhizom…[Planta Med. 1983]
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