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Curcuma as an adjuvant in colorectal cancer treatment

Villegas, Cecilia ; Perez, Rebeca ; Sterner, Olov LU ; González-Chavarría, Iván and Paz, Cristian (2021) In Life Sciences 286.
Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide and mostly affects men. Around 20% of its incidence is by familiar disposition due to hereditary syndromes. The CRC treatment involves surgery and chemotherapy; however, the side effects of treatments and the fast emergence of drug resistance evidence the necessity to find more effective drugs. Curcumin is the main polyphenol pigment present in Curcuma longa, a plant widely used as healthy food with antioxidant properties. Curcumin has synergistic effects with antineoplastics such as 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin, as well anti-inflammatory drugs by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 and the Nuclear factor kappa B. Furthermore, curcumin shows anticancer properties by... (More)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide and mostly affects men. Around 20% of its incidence is by familiar disposition due to hereditary syndromes. The CRC treatment involves surgery and chemotherapy; however, the side effects of treatments and the fast emergence of drug resistance evidence the necessity to find more effective drugs. Curcumin is the main polyphenol pigment present in Curcuma longa, a plant widely used as healthy food with antioxidant properties. Curcumin has synergistic effects with antineoplastics such as 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin, as well anti-inflammatory drugs by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 and the Nuclear factor kappa B. Furthermore, curcumin shows anticancer properties by inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin, Hedgehog, Notch, and the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways implicated in the progression of CRC. However, the consumption of pure curcumin is less suitable, as the absorption is poor, and the metabolism and excretion are high. Pharmacological formulations and essential oils of the plant improve the curcumin absorption, resulting in therapeutical dosages. Despite the evidence obtained in vitro and in vivo, clinical studies have not yet confirmed the therapeutic potential of curcumin against CRC. Here we reviewed the last scientific information that supports the consumption of curcumin as an adjuvant for CRC therapy.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
5-fluorouracilo, Chemoprevention, Chemotherapy, Clinical trials, Concomitant therapy, Curcuma longa
in
Life Sciences
volume
286
article number
120043
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85116887390
  • pmid:34637800
ISSN
0024-3205
DOI
10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120043
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2021
id
e4e48664-2b8f-4ad5-8bbd-5c1a092a2ceb
date added to LUP
2021-11-01 14:09:39
date last changed
2024-06-29 20:47:18
@article{e4e48664-2b8f-4ad5-8bbd-5c1a092a2ceb,
  abstract     = {{<p>Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide and mostly affects men. Around 20% of its incidence is by familiar disposition due to hereditary syndromes. The CRC treatment involves surgery and chemotherapy; however, the side effects of treatments and the fast emergence of drug resistance evidence the necessity to find more effective drugs. Curcumin is the main polyphenol pigment present in Curcuma longa, a plant widely used as healthy food with antioxidant properties. Curcumin has synergistic effects with antineoplastics such as 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin, as well anti-inflammatory drugs by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 and the Nuclear factor kappa B. Furthermore, curcumin shows anticancer properties by inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin, Hedgehog, Notch, and the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways implicated in the progression of CRC. However, the consumption of pure curcumin is less suitable, as the absorption is poor, and the metabolism and excretion are high. Pharmacological formulations and essential oils of the plant improve the curcumin absorption, resulting in therapeutical dosages. Despite the evidence obtained in vitro and in vivo, clinical studies have not yet confirmed the therapeutic potential of curcumin against CRC. Here we reviewed the last scientific information that supports the consumption of curcumin as an adjuvant for CRC therapy.</p>}},
  author       = {{Villegas, Cecilia and Perez, Rebeca and Sterner, Olov and González-Chavarría, Iván and Paz, Cristian}},
  issn         = {{0024-3205}},
  keywords     = {{5-fluorouracilo; Chemoprevention; Chemotherapy; Clinical trials; Concomitant therapy; Curcuma longa}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Life Sciences}},
  title        = {{Curcuma as an adjuvant in colorectal cancer treatment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120043}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120043}},
  volume       = {{286}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}