By GREGORY ZELLER //
If you thought turmeric improved your curry, wait until you see what it does for ovarian cancer treatments.
That’s the word out of the New York Institute of Technology’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, where a recent study led by Associate Professor Maria Pino reinforces the “diverse therapeutic benefits” provided by curcumin, a derivative of turmeric, the ginger root relative known best for spicing up traditional Indian dishes.
Outside the pantry, curcumin has been used as an anti-inflammatory and painkiller in Indian and Chinese medicine for thousands of years – and has even gained 21st Century attention as a potential tumor suppressant.
But its wonder-drug potential doesn’t stop there: A paper published this week by Pino and two Pharm.D. candidates in the scientific journal Pharmacy Times highlights the golden compound’s unique potential for boosting ovarian cancer treatments – big news in a country where 20,000 women are diagnosed with the disease every year.
Maria Pino: Ovarian overview.
Pino and pharmacological students Rebecca Mathew and Christine Philipose of St. John’s University, where Pino is an adjunct assistant professor, pored over prior publications on curcumin’s use as an antioxidant and painkiller, and its prowess in managing inflammation.
Their comprehensive review also covered prior studies of curcumin’s ability to limit the growth and spread of cancer cells in animals – including ovarian cancer cells.
While the study doesn’t break much new ground, it does collate a wealth of existing data on the pharmacological benefits of the turmeric derivative – including its powers to “enhance drug cytotoxicity” and reverse drug resistance, all with virtually no side effects.
“Treating ovarian cancer is challenging,” Pino noted. “The standard chemotherapeutic drugs have many adverse effects and … what I found interesting is that there are some studies showing that adding curcumin reduced these adverse drug effects.
“More studies will be needed to see if curcumin can consistently enhance the standard of ovarian cancer treatment,” the researcher added. “And if so, at what dose.”
