Curcumin bioavailability and cancer

[Guest guest]

Exerpt

Heat-Solubilized Curcumin Should Be Considered in Clinical Trials for Increasing

Bioavailability

Biji T. Kurien and R. Hal Scofield

The recent article by Dhillon et al. is of great interest to those working with

curcumin. As the investigators suggest, the usefulness of curcumin could be

minimized because of its poor oral bioavailability . Data from this study show

that only 22 to 41 ng/mL were detectable in plasma even when 8 g curcumin/day

was given orally Curcumin levels in the microgram range have been shown to be

necessary to show antiproliferative effects in in vitro studies . The solution

to this problem would be to increase the solubility of curcumin before oral

administration to patients. We have shown that we could increase the solubility

of curcumin 12-fold by heating a solution of curcumin in water to boiling for 10

minutes..

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Curcumin may Prevent Breast Cancer in Women Who Took Hormones

It's not only estrogen that can spark breast cancer. Some malignant tumors are

sensitive to the hormone progestin. And studies have shown that postmenopausal

women who took a combination of estrogen and progestin in hormone replacement

therapy (HRT) have an increased likelihood of developing progestin-fueled breast

cancer. But new research concludes a natural therapy could help. University of

Missouri researchers have found that curcumin, a popular Indian spice derived

from the turmeric root, could reduce the risk of breast cancer risk in women

exposed to HRT.

Read more at :

http://www.jmbblog.com/2009/07/cancer-alternative-treatments-digest-part-37-curc\

umin/