On Sep 13, 3:28 pm, ironjustice <***@rock.com> wrote: anti-
cancer therapy <<
Primary component in turmeric kicks off cancer-killing mechanisms in
human saliva
September 13, 2011
Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric used in curry,
suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and
neck cancer, according to a pilot study using human saliva by
researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The
inhibition of the cell signaling pathway also correlated with reduced
expression of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, or signaling
molecules, in the saliva that promote cancer growth, said Dr. Marilene
Wang, a professor of head and neck surgery, senior author of the study
and a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher.
"This study shows that curcumin can work in the mouths of patients
with head and neck malignancies and reduce activities that promote
cancer growth," Wang said. "And it not only affected the cancer by
inhibiting a critical cell signaling pathway, it also affected the
saliva itself by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines within the
saliva."
The study appears Sept. 15 in Clinical Cancer Research, a peer-
reviewed journal of the American Association of Cancer Research.
Turmeric is a naturally occurring spice widely used in South Asian and
Middle Eastern cooking and has long been known to have medicinal
properties, attributed to its anti-inflammatory effects. Previous
studies have shown it can suppress the growth of certain cancers. In
India, women for years have been using turmeric as an anti-aging agent
rubbed into their skin, to treat cramps during menstruation and as a
poultice on the skin to promote wound healing.
A 2005 study by Wang and her team first showed that curcumin
suppressed the growth of head and neck cancer, first in cells and then
in mouse models. In the animal studies, the curcumin was applied
directly onto the tumors in paste form. In a 2010 study, also done in
cells and in mouse models, the research team found that the curcumin
suppressed head and neck cancer growth by regulating cell cycling,
said scientist Eri Srivatsan, an adjunct professor of surgery, article
author and a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher who, along with Wang,
has been studying curcumin and its anti-cancer properties for seven
years.
The curcumin binds to and prevents an enzyme known as IKK, an
inhibitor of kappa β kinase, from activating a transcription factor
called nuclear factor kappa β (NFκβ), which promotes cancer growth.
In this study, 21 patients with head and neck cancers gave samples of
their saliva before and after chewing two curcumin tablets totaling
1,000 milligrams. One hour later, another sample of saliva was taken
and proteins were extracted and IKKβ kinase activity measured.
Thirteen subjects with tooth decay and five healthy subjects were used
as controls, Wang said.
Eating the curcumin, Wang said, put it in contact not just with the
cancer but also with the saliva, and the study found it reduced the
level of cancer enhancing cytokines.
An independent lab in Maryland was sent blind samples and confirmed
the results -- the pro-inflammatory cytokines in the saliva that help
feed the cancer were reduced in the patients that had chewed the
curcumin and the cell signaling pathway driving cancer growth was
inhibited, Wang said.
"The curcumin had a significant inhibitory effect, blocking two
different drivers of head and neck cancer growth," Wang said. "We
believe curcumin could be combined with other treatments such as
chemotherapy and radiation to treat head and neck cancer. It also
could perhaps be given to patients at high risk for developing head
and neck cancers -- smokers, those who chew tobacco and people with
the HPV virus -- as well as to patients with previous oral cancers to
fight recurrence."
The curcumin was well tolerated by the patients and resulted in no
toxic effects. The biggest problem was their mouths and teeth turned
bright yellow.
"Curcumin inhibited IKKβ kinase activity in the saliva of head and
neck cancer patients and this inhibition correlated with reduced
expression of a number of cytokines," the study states. "IKKβ kinase
could be a useful biomarker for detecting the effects of curcumin in
head and neck cancer."
To be effective in fighting cancer, the curcumin must be used in
supplement form. Although turmeric is used in cooking, the amount of
curcumin needed to produce a clinical response is much larger.
Expecting a positive effect through eating foods spiced with turmeric
is not realistic, Wang said.
The next step for Wang and her team is to treat patients with curcumin
for longer periods of time to see if the inhibitory effects can be
increased. They plan to treat cancer patients scheduled for surgery
for a few weeks prior to their procedure. They'll take a biopsy before
the curcumin is started and then at the time of surgery and analyze
the tissue to look for differences.
"There's potential here for the development of curcumin as an adjuvant
treatment for cancer," Wang said. "It's not toxic, well tolerated,
cheap and easily obtained in any health food store. While this is a
promising pilot study, it's important to expand our work to more
patients to confirm our findings."
Finding ways to better treat head and neck cancers is vital as
patients often require disfiguring surgery, often losing parts of
their tongue or mouth. They also experience many side effects,
including difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and have the potential for
developing another oral cancer later.
The study was funded by Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Health
System, West Los Angeles Surgical Education Research Center, UCLA
Academic Senate, the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans
Administration.
Source: University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences
Who loves ya.
Tom
Jesus Was A Vegetarian!
http://tinyurl.com/2r2nkh
Man Is A Herbivore!
http://tinyurl.com/4rq595
DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
http://tinyurl.com/zk9fk
Post by ironjusticeCurcumin inhibits growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae through iron
chelation.
Minear S, O'Donnell AF, Ballew A, Giaever G, Nislow C, Stearns T,
Cyert MS
Eukaryot Cell 2011 Sep 9.
Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from turmeric, is an ancient
therapeutic, used in India for centuries to treat a wide array of
ailments.
Interest in curcumin has increased recently, with on-going clinical
trials exploring curcumin as an anti-cancer therapy and as a
protectant against neurodegenerative diseases.
In vitro, curcumin chelates metal ions.
However, curcumin's mechanism of action on mammalian cells remains
unclear, although diverse physiological effects have been documented
for this compound.
These studies use yeast as a model eukaryotic system to dissect the
biological activity of curcumin.
We find that yeast mutants deleted for genes required for iron and
copper homeostasis are hyper-sensitive to curcumin and that iron
supplementation rescues this sensitivity.
Curcumin penetrates yeast cells, concentrates in the ER-membranes, and
reduces the intracellular iron pool.
Curcumin-treated, iron-starved cultures are enriched in unbudded
cells, suggesting that the G1 phase of the cell cycle is lengthened.
A delay in cell cycle progression could, in part, explain the anti-
tumorigenic properties associated with curcumin.
We also demonstrate that curcumin causes a growth lag in cultured
human cells that is remediated by addition of exogenous iron.
These findings suggest that curcumin-induced iron starvation is
conserved from yeast to humans and underlies its medicinal properties.
Eukaryotic cell [Eukaryot Cell]
Who loves ya.
Tom
Jesus Was A Vegetarian!http://tinyurl.com/2r2nkh
Man Is A Herbivore!http://tinyurl.com/4rq595
DEAD PEOPLE WALKINGhttp://tinyurl.com/zk9fk