Kurkuma en peper tegen borstkanker*
Uit een laboratoriumstudie blijkt dat kurkuma
en zwarte peper een
belangrijke rol kunnen spelen tegen het ontstaan van (borst)kanker. De
belangrijke ingrediënten daarbij zijn curcumine uit kurkuma en piperine uit
zwarte peper, waarbij piperine de werking van kurkuma sterk doet vergroten.
Eerdere studies hebben al het belang laten zien van kurkuma en peper in de
behandeling tegen kanker nu in deze studie is gebleken hoe die twee ingrediënten
te werk gaan, ze pakken de kankerstamcellen aan. Een normale stamcel, overal in
het lichaam zal er voor zorgen dat er net zoveel cellen bijkomen als dat er
doodgaan. Celdeling, differentiatie en celsterfte zijn prachtig in balans. In de
kankerstamcel is dat evenwicht verstoord: er komen meer cellen bij dan er
afsterven.” Als de kankerstamcellen uitgeschakeld kunnen worden heeft kanker
geen mogelijk zich te ontwikkelen. De onderzoekers hebben al een fase 1
onderzoek onder mensen op stapel staan om te kijken bij mensen wat de juiste
dosis is.
Scientists find turmeric and black pepper spices may prevent breast cancer
Seasoning food with turmeric and black pepper can do more than just spice up a
meal. Researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M) Comprehensive Cancer
Center have found that the compounds curcumin, which is derived from turmeric,
and piperine, derived from black pepper, could play an important role in
preventing and even treating breast cancer.
Previous research has already provided evidence that curcumin and piperine may
be potential cancer treatments. However, the new U-M study, published online in
the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, is the first to suggest
exactly how these natural spice compounds could prevent cancer. The research
shows curcumin and piperine target stem cells (unspecialized cells that can give
rise to any type of cell in an organ). This is of major significance because
cancer stem cells comprise the small number of cells inside a tumor that fuel
the growth of malignancies.
Current chemotherapy agents are useless against these cells -- that's why cancer
can recur and spread despite rounds of heavy duty, toxic chemo. But if cancer
stem cells could be eliminated and/or their growth shut down, cancer should be
controlled.
"If we can limit the number of stem cells, we can limit the number of cells
with potential to form tumors," lead author Madhuri Kakarala, M.D., Ph.D.,
a clinical lecturer in internal medicine at the U-M Medical School and a
research investigator at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, said in a statement
to the media. And the new study shows curcumin and piperine work along these
lines. The spice derivatives are able to do what chemo can't -- they limit the
self-renewal of stem cells.
Killing cancer cells with zero toxicity to healthy cells
For the U-M study, the research team applied a solution of curcumin and piperine
to cell cultures at the equivalent of about 20 times the potency of what a
person would take in through diet. Then a series of tests were performed on the
cells to look at markers for breast stem cells and the effect curcumin and
piperine had on the levels of stem cells.
The result? Piperine enhanced the effects of curcumin and the compounds
interrupted the self-renewal process that is the hallmark of stem cells which
initiate cancer. More good news: the compounds had no effect on the normal
process of cell development known as cell differentiation. That means the spice
compounds are not toxic to normal breast tissue.
"Women at high risk of breast cancer right now can choose to take the drugs
tamoxifen or raloxifene for prevention, but most women won't take these drugs
because there is too much toxicity. The concept that dietary compounds can help
is attractive, and curcumin and piperine appear to have very low toxicity,"
Dr. Kakarala stated.
In addition, tamoxifen and raloxifene are designed to target estrogen. But not
all breast cancers are estrogen driven. In fact, the most aggressive and deadly
forms of breast cancer that are more likely to occur in women with strong family
histories of the disease or with a specific genetic susceptibility to breast
cancer are typically not affected by estrogen and tend to be difficult to treat.
But due to the fact curcumin and piperine limit the self-renewal of stem cells,
the spice compounds could impact malignancies whether they are estrogen
sensitive or not.
Dr. Kakarala and colleagues are moving forward on an initial Phase 1 clinical
trial in people to determine the best tolerated dose of curcumin and piperine.
The study is expected to start signing on volunteer research subjects in spring
of 2010. (Februari 2010)
