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Curcumin, the main ingredient in turmeric, is a natural cancer killer—and the list of cancers it can combat keeps on growing. The latest is bone cancer, and the spice could be particularly effective against osteosarcoma, the second most lethal cancer among children.
It stops the cancer growing and promotes healthy bone cells, say researchers who believe it's a real alternative to chemotherapy, especially for small children.
Researchers have been searching for a gentler way to treat the disease, especially after surgery when children are recovering from bone damage while still getting high doses of chemo.
Now a research team from Washington State University believes it has found it in curcumin, which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and bone building qualities. In laboratory tests, they discovered the spice inhibits osteosarcoma cell growth by 96 per cent while, at the same time, promoting healthy cells.
One problem has been getting the curcumin to the right place in the body. Taken orally, it doesn't get absorbed properly and is metabolized and eliminated too quickly before it can be effective. The Washington researchers got around the problem by encasing the spice in fat molecules, which helps it survive its journey through the gut.
(Source: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2019; 11: 17184)
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