Philadelphia, PA--Curcumin is "a promising candidate as an effective anticancer drug to be used alone or in combination with other drugs" due to its affects on different signaling pathways and molecular targets involved in the development of several cancers. That's the conclusion of experts from the Sbarro Health Research Organization and the Sbarro Institute for Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research at Temple University in Philadelphia and the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry-National Research Council (ICB-CNR) of Italy, who discuss the anticancer potential of curcumin in aresearch reviewpublished in the journalNutrients.

According to a press release on the review, the authors--Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and Director of the Sbarro Health Research Organization and the Sbarro Institute for Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research, and Dr. Giuseppina Tommonaro of the ICB-CNR--collected studies exploring the anticancer potential of curcumin against the most widespread cancers and also describing the molecular mechanisms of action. Their review covers breast cancer, lung cancer, Hematological tumors, cancer of the digestive system and more.

The authors conclude: "Natural organisms (e.g., plants, bacteria, fungi) provide many active molecules with a potential application in medicine for the management of many diseases (neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, inflammation, cancers). Curcumin, a polyphenol extracted from the rhizomes ofCurcuma longa,belong to the most promising group of bioactive natural compounds, especially in the treatment of several cancer types."
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Drs. Giordano and Tommonaro add that side effects (such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, and yellow stool) are an issue, and also point to poor bioavailability as a concern that "limit its efficacy in diseases treatment." They note that further studies and clinical trials in humans are needed.

Read the full reviewhere.