Curcumin/resveratrol boost FOLFOX efficacy

Researchers from the USA-based Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute presented findings at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in San Diego showing that adding curcumin or resveratrol to conventional chemotherapy could be effective in preventing the growth of chemoresistant colon cancer cells.

Curcumin, from the ginger family, is in the Indian curry spice turmeric and resveratrol is produced naturally by plants and is found in the skin of red grapes and in peanuts. Karmanos researchers investigated whether the addition of these non-toxic substances to a chemotherapy regimen of leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) would decrease the survival of colon cancer cells. Studies confirmed that both are effective and inhibit the growth of new colon cancer cells, with curcumin appearing to be superior, the scientists noted.