ANTITUMORAL ACTIVITY OF CURCUMIN: AN ADIUVANT THERAPEUTIC STRATEGY

Abstract

Curcumin, an active substance contained in an Indian spice called turmeric or curcuma, is well known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In recent times, it was taken into account and studied as an antitumoral molecule, by relying on its interference on several biological mechanisms, such as the inibition of inflammatory mediators, the enhancement of detoxifying enzimes action and processes of cell growth and proliferation. Studies show how the high dosage of curcumin in vitro inhibits colorectal tumor cells, pancreatic tumor cells, lung cancer cells and glioblastoma's cells, interfering in signaling patwhays as WNT/Beta-catenin, NF-KB and P13K/AKT and leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.