Curcumin is the principal antioxidant found in turmeric, a
spice derived from the Curcuma longa root, which is a member of the
ginger family. Curcumin gives turmeric both its bright yellow color and a
number of health benefits that include liver health, prostate health, and joint
health. Resent research provided certain scientific evidence that curcumin
consumption may benefit pancreas health.
Since the time of Ayurveda (1900 Bc) numerous therapeutic
activities have been assigned to turmeric for a wide variety of diseases and
conditions, including those of the skin, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal
systems, aches, pains, wounds, sprains, and liver disorders. Extensive research
within the last half century has proven that most of these activities, once
associated with turmeric, are due to curcumin. Curcumin has been shown to
exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal,
and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant
diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and other
chronic illnesses. These effects are mediated through the regulation of various
transcription factors, growth factors, inflammatory cytokines, protein kinases,
and other enzymes.
Resent Research
In the study, completed by Razelle Kurzrock, M.D., chair of M. D. Anderson’s Department of
Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, 25 patients diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer received 8 grams of curcumin per day for 8 weeks with no
adjunctive chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The patients were
re-evaluated every 8 weeks and allowed to continue taking the curcumin
supplements as long as their pancreatic cancer did not progress (methods of
tumor measurement were done as in previous studies). Patients provided
blood samples to measure for a number of immune system proteins found to be
associated with pancreatic cancer and had their blood samples compared to 42 healthy
volunteers with no evidence of pancreatic cancer and who were not given
curcumin.
While no patients reported any toxic effects of the curcumin
supplementation, only 2 of the 25 pancreatic cancer patients experienced any
benefits from the curcumin. This low ratio was thought to be due to the
very low rate of absorption of curcumin, with larger doses than 8 grams per day
most likely needed for an effect in the patients.
The effects in the 2 patients, however, were
significant. Specifically, 1 patient was able to take curcumin for 18
months with no cancer progression while the other patient had a 73% reduction
in their cancer, although this effect was “short-lived” and the cancer
eventually progressed (the researchers did not specify how long the “short-lived”
period lasted).
For the researchers, “our current study shows that oral
curcumin is tolerated without toxicity at doses of 8 grams per day for up to 18
months”. But curcumin’s poor absorption is “a key question” as higher
dosage levels are needed to see curcumin’s “potent activity against pancreatic
cancer”. Nevertheless, “curcumin is well tolerated and, despite its limited
absorption, has biological activity in some patients with pancreatic cancer.”
Knowledge of
curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties and the growing realization that cancer
can result from inflammation has spurred mounting interest in the spice,
Aggarwal says.
The study was
conceived and developed through a collaboration among Kurzrock, who chairs a
department devoted to studies with new drugs; James Abbruzzese, M.D., chair of
M. D. Anderson's Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology and an expert
in pancreatic cancer.
Curcumin mechanisms and sources
Curcumin is the
yellow pigment associated with the curry spice, Turmeric, and to a lesser
extent Ginger. It exerts potent anti-inflammatory effects, and these
anti-inflammatory effects seem to be quite protective against some form of
cancer progression. However, curcumin has additional anti-cancer effects that
are independent of its anti-inflammatory effects and thus is a heavily
researched molecule for both cancer prevention and treatment. Like
Vitamin D, Curcumin helps to control the reproduction of cells within the body.
It controls the signal to cells to divide, therefore preventing unnecessary
division in both healthy and unhealthy cells. So, curcumin also promotes
apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells without damaging other healthy cells,
enhances the efficiency of other cancer-killing treatments and helps to
regulate tumor suppressor pathways that feed tumors, helping to starve them of
nutrients and restricting growth.
It has a poor
oral bioavailability (a low percentage of what you consume is absorbed) and
thus should be enhanced with other agents such as black pepper extract, called
piperine. This is unless you want the curcumin in your colon (as it is a colon
anti-inflammatory and can help with digestion), in which case you wouldn't pair
it with an enhancement.
Doses up to 8g
curcuminoids in humans have been shown to not be associated with much adverse
effects at all, and in vitro tests suggest curcumin has quite a large
safety threshold.
Curry doesn’t cure cancer
While the preliminary results are encouraging, there are
more studies needed to assess the potential positive effect of the curcumin on
pancreatic cancer patients. You may remember a few years ago, early reports of
research into turmeric spawned a range of “curry cures cancer” headlines.
Unfortunately, these claims has not been supported by scientific data, they are
totally misleading and are not helpful for people coping with the disease.
Yes, obtained evidence does not justify eating more curry or
taking turmeric supplements. Curries aren’t always the healthiest of meals, and
in general there isn’t any evidence that supplements can help to reduce the
risk of cancer. And worryingly, there have been reports of contamination in
certain turmeric supplements in the past.
But… is it useless?
Yes, you should not expect miracle cure from curcumin, but remember
that currently there are only 2 FDA approved drugs for the treatment of
patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, and both of those drugs (gemcitabine
and erlotinib) are only effective in less than 10% of patients. So the Curcumin's
effectiveness is quite similar to the chemo agents.
A worth to remind that a critical point to know about
curcumin is that it is very poorly absorbed (blood levels were very low,
peaking at 22 to 41 ng/mL). The good news is that the absorption of Curcumin
can be markedly increased by taking black pepper with it (the piperine in
pepper enhances the absorption). Alternatively, curcumin products are available
that have been shown to be better absorbed. For example, Curcugel (available
online at many shops) was found in 1 study to be absorbed 8 times as well as
plain curcumin. If you decide to would take 4-8 capsules of the Curcugel or 2
teaspoons of curcumin daily with ~ 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper added.
Sources and Additional
Information:
