Curry spice may help tackle cancer

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Curry spice may help tackle cancer

By Stenson

NEW YORK, Apr 09 (Reuters Health) - The substance that gives the spice

turmeric its yellow color may help fight cancer, preliminary evidence

suggests.

Researchers have found in the lab that the active ingredient in

turmeric, called curcumin, can enhance the cancer-fighting power of

treatment with TRAIL, a naturally occurring molecule that helps kill

cancer cells. TRAIL stands for tumor necrosis factor-related

apoptosis-inducing ligand.

In an experiment with human prostate cancer cells in a laboratory dish,

the combination treatment killed off two to three times more cells than

either treatment alone, according to a study released Tuesday at the

annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in San

Francisco, California.

" Using these two agents--curcumin and TRAIL--we killed up to 80% of

cells in culture, " said study author Subhash Gautam, a researcher at the

Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan. " That's pretty

remarkable. "

The next step is to see if the results with this experimental treatment

combination can be reproduced in lab animals, he said.

Turmeric is a common ingredient in Indian food, Gautam noted. Indian

folklore suggests it helps reduce inflammation, he said, and there is

some laboratory evidence that it has both anti-inflammatory and

antioxidant properties. Other studies in the laboratory and in animals

suggest the spice can help wounds heal and could also be protective

against Alzheimer's.

While turmeric consumption has not been proven to lower cancer risk,

Gautam pointed out that the spice contains plant phytochemicals that are

associated with many health benefits, including cancer prevention.