Cancer Clinics Boston MA

A Curry for Cancer

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Turmeric (Curcuma longa), the spice that gives our curries and mustards that familiar blast of vibrant yellow color, has long been known to have healing properties.

A member of the ginger family, turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries as a way to treat a host of complaints such as indigestion, inflammation and arthritic pain. More recently, scientists are looking to turmeric’s powerful anti-inflammatory compound, known as curcumin, as a way to fight cancer.

According to a University of Chicago study conducted in 2002, curcumin inhibits a cancer-provoking bacteria (H. pylori) associated with gastric and colon cancer. In addition, a 1999 University of Leicester study demonstrated curcumin’s ability to slow the rate at which prostate cancer cells become resistant to hormonal therapy.

The latest study brings turmeric to bear on melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. This study, published in the August 15 issue of the journal Cancer, shows that curcumin kills and stops the growth of melanoma cells in laboratory tests. Although the higher the dose, the more effectively curcumin kills the cancer cells, researchers did note that low concentrations over long periods can also be effective.

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