Mirosław Malec

Anticancer properties of curcumin
2019-08-31

Anticancer properties of curcumin

Curcumin is a substance obtained from the root of the Curcuma longa plant; it is the main ingredient of the curry spice commonly used in Asian cuisine. Curcumin, which has been playing an essential role in traditional Indian and Chinese medicines for thousands of years, has been the focus of scientific research for several years, especially in the field of cancer treatment. Laboratory tests have yielded some favorable results, in particular about the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties of curcumin. As a result, there is considerable interest in the development of adjuvant chemotherapy to increase current treatments, which may reduce side effects and toxicity without compromising therapeutic efficacy. Curcumin is one such potential substance, and this work provides an overview of current in vitro and in vivo data confirming its therapeutic activity in various types of cancer, as well as some of the challenges associated with curcumin as an adjuvant chemotherapeutic agent.

Keywords: curcumin, turmeric, cancer, natural medicine.

© Farm Pol, 2019, 75(8): 431–436