Scientists today give a new twist to the question of whether a blisteringly strong curry can kill or cure.
Irish researchers say the curry spice, curcumin, is indeed lethal – for cancer cells. Curcumin is found in tumeric.
The laboratory research suggests that curcumin leads cells taken from cancer of the oesophagus – the gullet – to self-destruct.
The findings are reported by the British Journal of Cancer.
Dr Sharon McKenna, of the Cork Cancer Research Centre, University College Cork, said: "These exciting results suggests scientists could develop curcumin as a potential anti-cancer drug to treat oesophageal cancer."
The researchers say curcumin seems to by-pass the cancer cell defences, which prevent it following the natural life-cycle of a cell.
Cancer Research UK said the findings offered a fresh prospect of treatments for oesophageal cancer, which is afflicting growing numbers of people because of obesity and alcohol use.
Dr Lesley Walker, of Cancer Research UK, said: "This is interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in tumeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer.
"Rates of oesophageal cancer rates have gone up by more than a half since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease so finding ways to prevent this disease is important too."
Curcumin indices apoptosis-independent death in oesophageal cancer cells. British Journal of Cancer October 28th 2009
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