Turmeric is a pungent spice that is a main ingredient in curries is also well known as a potent antioxidant compound. This spice has successfully been used to prevent and treat many forms of cancer - more than 240 peer-reviewed research studies over the past year alone have demonstrated the spice's effectiveness. Scientists continue to provide evidence that indicates everyone should include the spice as part of their regular diet.

The active ingredient responsible for turmeric's incredible anti-cancer properties is curcumin, which gives the spice its vivid golden color. It is among a small handful of agents that fight cancer at the genetic level by inhibiting ten critical steps necessary for development and progression of the disease.

Cancer is known to develop through ten independent factors including DNA damage, chronic inflammation, cellular signaling dysfunction, abnormal cell death and metastasis. Curcumin has been shown to provide a protective shield against each of the factors known to promote cancer.

Research publishing in the AAPS Journal found that curcumin is an inexpensive natural compound that fights cancer at its root cause by disrupting the initiation phase of ten different pathways used by the disease to multiply and spread throughout the body. Curcumin has also been shown to interfere with the production of advanced glycation end (AGE) products, which promote the accumulation of dangerous inflammatory byproducts that lead to cancerous mutations.

Curcumin as an Anti-Inflammatory

New findings suggest that curcumin amplifies the therapeutic activity of highly toxic anti-inflammatory drugs used to fight colon cancer when used at high doses.

Researchers found that curcumin can fight cancer when used in combination with a popular anti-inflammatory drug, alleviating the inflammatory response caused when cancer takes root in the body. A treatment based on this finding has already had promising results in human clinical trials.

Research in the last few decades has shown that cancer is linked to inflammation. Several pieces of evidence demonstrate that chronic inflammation in the stomach can cause gastric cancer and that inflammation in the liver from hepatitis can lead to liver cancer.

Curcumin and Breast Cancer

Another recent investigation reports that curcumin is particularly effective in targeting hormone-dependent forms of the disease such as breast cancer. The study found that curcumin is able to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the most resistant breast cancer cells that lack estrogen receptors. The spice targets only cancerous cells causing them to self-destruct by destroying the mitochondria that power the rapidly growing tumor tissue.

Turmeric is such a strong anti-inflammatory and disease-protector that even a small amount is enough to reduce the risk of illness. This healing spice can be used ground up in powder form to add flavor and color to almost any dish.

References

• Aroch I, Kraus S, Naumov I, et al. Chemopreventive effects of Coltect, a novel dietary supplement, alone and in combination with 5-aminosalicylic acid in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer in rats. Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology, 2010; 3 (5): 281.

• Ravindran J, Prasad S, Aggarwal BB. Curcumin and cancer cells: how many ways can curry kill tumor cells selectively? AAPS J. 2009 Sep;11(3):495-510. Epub 2009 Jul 10.

• Banerjee M, Singh P, Panda D. Curcumin suppresses the dynamic instability of microtubules, activates the mitotic checkpoint and induces apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. FEBS J. 2010 Aug;277(16):3437-48. Epub 2010 Jul 14.