From the Research
Relationship between Theracurmin (Curcumin) and Esophageal Cancer
- Theracurmin, a highly bioavailable form of curcumin, has been shown to exhibit potent antitumor effects on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells 1.
- Curcumin has been found to inhibit ESCC cell growth and induce apoptosis through various mechanisms, including the down-regulation of the circNRIP1/miR-532-3p/AKT pathway 2 and the modulation of Notch signaling 3.
- The therapeutic and preventive efficacy of curcumin and its derivatives in esophageal cancer has been explored, with curcumin showing promise as a chemo-adjuvant due to its low toxicity profile and potent anticancer effect 4.
- Network pharmacology and molecular docking studies have revealed the mechanisms of curcumin activity against ESCC, identifying core targets such as CHEK1 and CDK6 and highlighting the importance of the FoxO signaling, cell cycle, and IL-17 signaling pathways in ESCC progression 5.
- Combination treatment with highly bioavailable curcumin and NQO1 inhibitor has been shown to exhibit potent antitumor effects on ESCC, with the NQO1 inhibitor enhancing the antitumor effects of curcumin in ESCC patient-derived xenografts (PDX) tumors 1.
Mechanisms of Curcumin Activity
- Curcumin has been found to inhibit ESCC cell growth and induce apoptosis through the down-regulation of the circNRIP1/miR-532-3p/AKT pathway, with curcumin exposure inhibiting circNRIP1 expression and promoting apoptosis 2.
- Curcumin has also been shown to modulate Notch signaling, with curcumin treatment reducing Notch-1 activation and expression of Jagged-1 and its downstream target Hes-1, leading to inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis 3.
- The FoxO signaling, cell cycle, and IL-17 signaling pathways have been identified as important in ESCC progression, with curcumin targeting these pathways to exhibit its antitumor effects 5.
Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin
- Curcumin has been explored as a therapeutic modality for esophageal cancer due to its low toxicity profile and potent anticancer effect, with highly bioavailable forms of curcumin such as Theracurmin showing promise as a chemo-adjuvant 4, 1.
- Combination treatment with curcumin and other agents, such as NQO1 inhibitors, has been shown to enhance the antitumor effects of curcumin, highlighting the potential for curcumin-based combination therapies in the treatment of esophageal cancer 1.