Primary Component in Curry Spice Kicks Off Cancer-Killing Mechanisms in Human Saliva

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Sep. 14, 2011) — Curcumin, the main component in the spice turmeric used in curry, suppresses a cell signaling pathway that drives the growth of head and neck cancer, according to a pilot study using human saliva by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The inhibition of the cell signaling pathway also correlated with reduced expression of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, or signaling molecules, in the saliva that promote cancer growth, said Dr. Marilene Wang, a professor of head and neck surgery, senior author of the study and a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher.

"This study shows that curcumin can work in the mouths of patients with head and neck malignancies and reduce activities that promote cancer growth," Wang said. "And it not only affected the cancer by inhibiting a critical cell signaling pathway, it also affected the saliva itself by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines within the saliva."

The study appears Sept. 15 in Clinical Cancer Research, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association of Cancer Research.

more

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913092430.htm

[whathehell]

1. Thom Hartman talked about this spice extending his cancer-stricken dad's life

by five years. His father had cancer and had been given 3 months to live...Thom and his

brother started giving him two curcumin supplements a day and his father lived FIVE years,

which I find rather astounding...Thom said he now takes one a day as a preventative and I

do too...Thanks for this post.

[mopinko]

5. i wish thom had better training in science.

i like the guy, but he seems like he believes anything he hears.

[whathehell]

6. Where do you get that?.....Thom is talking (and acting) on his personal experience which is now,

apparently, being backed up in the scientific community.

[mopinko]

8. i got it from listening to his program and knowing his history.

he thinks anecdotes are evidence. i like him. but he is gullible, imho.

[whathehell]

10. It might be wise to start judging him on a "case by case" basis then, as your remarks

aren't germane to this topic and this "anecdote" isn't an anecdote, it's his life experience,

which happens to join with other cancer patients on this thread

if you bothered to read them.

[mopinko]

11. i judge him with a large, random sample of his works.

data.

[whathehell]

17. I believe the thread shows that may be a flawed strategy.

[laconicsax]

18. He has a degree in homeopathy.

'nuff said.

[whathehell]

19. Whatever.

[laconicsax]

20. Do you believe that someone who believes in magic water is the best informed?

'cuz he doesn't just believe in it, he spent time and money getting a degree in it.

[whathehell]

21. Thom Hartmann has done a LOT of things,

He has has written over twenty books, some on

the New York Times best seller list

and is consistently named the the Number One Progressive

Talker in the country.

Whenever, or for whatever reason he

did a Homeopathy thing I don't know,

but on balance, I'd say he's a credible man.

[FSogol]

2. I remember Ginger spice and Sporty Spice, but not Curry Spice.

Cool article, btw, thanks.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. As a throat cancer survivor, thanks.

[formercia]

4. I was diagnosed with Throat Cancer in 1993

It has gone into remission. I began taking Turmeric a few years ago for my Gut, but I had noticed the inflammation in my throat has almost completely gone. I just put it in my food. My Doctor told me that another one of her patients found that Mustard, which contains Turmeric, helped her as well. I buy it in bulk, which is a lot cheaper than the small containers in the supermarket.

[emilyg]

7. I add it to

a glass of water. How much do you consume per day?

[formercia]

9. Not very much

A gram or so. It seems to work fine in low doses. From what I've read, there are rarely any side-effects and it has a very low toxicity. It does make my tongue yellow, so it tends to leave a coating in the Mouth, which I suspect, has a localized benefit in my case.
I just sprinkle it on my food. It doesn't have a very strong taste, so I hardly notice it.

[emilyg]

12. Thanks.

[bigmonkey]

13. You can put it in gel caps.

That's what I do. I get yellow fingers for part of a day when I make a batch. No yellow tongue.

[grasswire]

14. I looked at gel caps, just for using with turmeric

$9 for a hundred. Is that good?

[bigmonkey]

15. I'll have to check the price I get.

Your price is 9 cents each - I think that's close to what I get.

[Celebration]

16. many thanks to India for fighting

the patents of their traditional plants and medications. Or, we would be paying a lot more for turmeric.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-08/mangalore/29863621_1_tkdl-traditional-knowledge-digital-library-patents

MANGALORE: India's resilience in standing up to attempts by powers that be, to seek patents for turmeric, basmati rice, wheat and all-time favourite snack -- the idli -- has paid off big time, at least for now. Success achieved by the country here has staved off further attempts on its traditional knowledge and this is partially due to efforts by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in initiating Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) project.

TKDL is an Indian digital knowledge repository of traditional knowledge, especially medicinal plants and formulations used in Indian systems of medicine. Indian traditional knowledge dates back a good 10,000-12,000 years and is slowly going away due to non-documentation, said V Prakash, former director of Mysore-based Central Food

Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). TKDL has succeeded in digitizing at least 30% of such knowledge.

Incidentally, CFTRI is one among 19 national science laboratories in India that are on board the TKDL project. In an informal chat with STOI on the sidelines of the 52nd Institute Foundation Day of NITK, where he delivered the NITK Golden Jubilee commemorative lecture, Prakash said the TKDL project is aimed at scientifically documenting India's traditional knowledge base. This database will help put an end to indiscriminate rush to patent items, he said.

[BuddhaGirl]

22. K & R

great info!