Curcumin May Support Esophageal Health

By CP Staff

A new study investigated the effects of curcumin, a potent antioxidant constituent of the botanical turmeric, on esophageal cancer cells. In the United States, over one million people get cancer each year. Currently, the lifetime risk of developing esophageal cancer in the United States is approximately 1 in 200. According to the American Cancer Society 2009 data, there will be an estimated 16,470 new cases of cancer of the esophagus diagnosed and 14,530 deaths from cancer of the esophagus in 2009.

In this new study, esophageal cancer cells were treated with curcumin and were assessed for viability, DNA damage and levels of specific “recycling” proteins involved in the cell cycle.

The study showed that curcumin reduced the survival rate of the esophageal cancer cells by inducing autophagy, a process in which cells degrade or “digest” their own components using lysosomes. The decrease in cell viability was not primarily due to apoptosis (programmed-cell death). In addition, the researchers showed that curcumin induced an accumulation of “house cleaning tags” on proteins that have been identified for recycling and cyclin B, which is a protein involved in regulation of the normal cell division cycle.

The study authors concluded, “Curcumin can induce cell death by a mechanism that is not reliant on apoptosis induction, and thus represents a promising anticancer agent for prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer.”

Reference:

O\'Sullivan-Coyne G, O\'Sullivan GC, O\'Donovan TR, Piwocka K, McKenna SL. Curcumin induces apoptosis-independent death in oesophageal cancer cells. Br J Cancer. 2009 Nov 3;101(9):1585-95.