Scientists in Ireland have found that curcumin, a component in turmeric, may help defeat esophageal cancer. Turmeric is the yellow spice in curry, although it is not clear that eating curry will help overcome the cancer. The investigators found that curcumin added to tissue cultures of esophageal cancer cells started killing them within 24 hours. The mechanism whereby curcumin induced cell death is different from so-called cell suicide or apoptosis. How curcumin kills esophageal cancer cells in the test tube remains mysterious. Whether it would be helpful for patients with this disease remains to be determined.
[British Journal of Cancer, online Oct. 6, 2009]
The People's Perspective on Medicine