Curcumin Inhibits Skin Cancer

HOUSTON--Curcumin inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of skin cancer cells, according to a study published in Cancer (104, 4:879-900?).

Researchers from the University of Texas treated three melanoma cell lines with curcumin. The turmeric compound dose-dependently reduced viability and induced apoptosis in the melanoma cells and down-regulated activities of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), a gene transcription factor involved in the pathogenesis of melanoma, and IKB kinase (IKK), a complex capable of phosphorylating endogenous NF-kB inhibitors.

The researchers concluded curcumin has potent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in melanoma cells, and added these effects were associated with the suppression of NF-kB and IKK activities.