Editorial
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Apr 15, 2010; 2(4): 169-176
Published online Apr 15, 2010. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v2.i4.169
Anti-carcinogenic properties of curcumin on colorectal cancer
Jung Park, Chris N Conteas
Jung Park, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, 1526 Edgemont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States
Chris N Conteas, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, 1526 Edgemont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States
Author contributions: Both authors contributed to the writing, journal review and editing for this paper.
Correspondence to: Chris N Conteas, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, 1526 Edgemont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States. chris.n.conteas@kp.org
Telephone: +1-323-7838599 Fax: +1-323-7837056
Received: October 9, 2009
Revised: December 2, 2009
Accepted: December 9, 2009
Published online: April 15, 2010
Abstract

Curcumin has been used in traditional Indian medicine for many centuries for its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties. There has been some promising research concerning curcumin as a safe therapeutic agent for many cancers, colorectal cancer being among them. This has been shown through research in cell cultures, animal models, and humans. At this time, it appears that curcumin’s anti-carcinogenic properties are most likely due to its effects on multiple molecular targets, such as nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and activator protein 1 (AP-1). NF-κB and AP-1 are both major transcription factors that regulate inflammation and thus affect cell proliferation, differentiation and even apoptosis. Curcumin has also been shown to affect a variety of other key players involved in carcinogenesis, such as cyclooxygenase-2, matrix metallopeptidases 2 and 9 and tumor necrosis factor α induced vascular cell adhesion molecule, just to name a few. Although many molecular targets are involved, curcumin has been well tolerated in many studies: doses up to 8 g a day have been confirmed to be safe for humans. In this brief review, we will examine the current studies and literature and touch upon many molecular pathways affected by curcumin, and demonstrate the exciting possibility of curcumin as a chemopreventive agent for colorectal cancer.

Keywords: Chemopreventive; Anti-inflammatory; Anti-carcinogenic; Curcumin; Turmeric; Cancer; Colorectal cancer