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Thalidomide teams-up with turmeric to kill myeloma cells
Chemistry World ^ | 2 July 2013 | Sonja Hampel

Posted on 07/02/2013 8:00:41 PM PDT by neverdem

One of the curcumin–thalidomide hybridsCancer researchers in the US and China have combined the turmeric spice pigment curcumin and the drug thalidomide to create hybrid compounds that can kill multiple myeloma cells.

Multiple myeloma is the second most common type of blood cancer, killing 20% of affected patients each year. The drug thalidomide, banned after causing birth defects when given during pregnancy in the 1950s, was recently rediscovered and approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Thalidomide works by disturbing the microenvironment of tumour cells in bone marrow. However, it disintegrates in the body. Curcumin, a yellow pigment from the common spice turmeric, is also active against cancers, including myeloma, but is limited by its poor water solubility.

Shijun Zhang at Virginia Commonwealth University, US, and colleagues, have synthesised compounds combining structural features from both thalidomide and curcumin. ‘The hybrids have enhanced solubility, and higher toxicity against myeloma cells than curcumin, thalidomide, or a mixture of both,’ explains Zhang, ‘so our design rational is going in the right direction.’ Zhang says the hybrids kill myeloma cells through combined mechanisms of action that include the generation of reactive oxygen species and cell cycle inhibition.

‘The advantage of the hybrid compounds is that they are stabilised, and do not degrade in the body as thalidomide does,’ says William Douglas Figg from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, US, who has conducted numerous studies and clinical trials with thalidomide derivatives. However, from his experience, compounds considered for further trials should be more toxic to myeloma cells.

In the meantime, one of Zhang’s hybrid compounds has shown activity against myeloma and prostate cancer in animal models.

References

K Liu et al, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/c3ob40595h


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alzheimers; cancer; curcumin; health; multiplemyeloma; osteoporosis; prostatecancer; thalidomide; turmeric
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To: neverdem

I remember the thalidomide babies of the 1960s. Abortion got a big push when some woman from the US was pregnant, used thalidomide, then was afraid the child would be deformed.

I remember the magazines then showing this extremely stressed out woman, while mentioning that abortions were not legal in the US.

She later went to Sweden and got her abortion.


21 posted on 07/02/2013 10:07:14 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Sometimes you need 7+ more ammo. LOTS MORE.)
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To: El Gato; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Robert A. Cook, PE; lepton; LadyDoc; jb6; tiamat; PGalt; Dianna; ...
3-drug combination stabilizes new onset of type-2 diabetes

Fat Cells Feel the Cold, Burn Calories for Heat

Drug Appears To Work For Weight-Loss In U-M Study

Microscopic 'Tuning Forks' Could Make the Difference Between Life and Death in the Hospital

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

22 posted on 07/02/2013 10:32:10 PM PDT by neverdem (Register pressure cookers! /s)
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To: gaijin

Thanks for the link.


23 posted on 07/02/2013 10:34:08 PM PDT by neverdem (Register pressure cookers! /s)
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To: neverdem

bflr


24 posted on 07/02/2013 11:08:52 PM PDT by notatard?
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To: gaijin

Thanks, good advice.


25 posted on 07/02/2013 11:58:14 PM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:but sin is a reproach to any people)
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To: neverdem

one of my myeloma patients was put on thalidomide, and that was a couple of years ago, so that’s not exactly new.

It is also used for leprosy patients.

Because of the danger to a fetus, they have to be very careful about using the medicine.


26 posted on 07/02/2013 11:58:24 PM PDT by LadyDoc (liberals only love politically correct poor people)
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To: cookcounty

I always wondered about turmeric. Everyone in my Grandparent’s generation (in my family) lived well into their 90’s. All of them were raised on farms; all of them canned and pickled everything.

I spent quite a bit of time thinking about what they “ate” that might have been significantly different than our usual daily diet. Aside from the obvious fact that the food was not generally highly processed...I came up with “pickled things” most of which contained Turmeric; and cottage cheese...both of which were served at nearly every meal.


27 posted on 07/03/2013 12:13:16 AM PDT by garandgal
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To: mlizzy
Hadn't heard of taking it with coconut oil (thanks!), but take it daily with black pepper. I use an extract from Natural News

I take my tumeric as well as capsicum with two tablespoons of coconut oil. I'm keto adapted, so the coconut oil is like pouring gasoline into a fire and I can feel the cardio nutrition from the capsicum within seconds.

28 posted on 07/03/2013 3:31:24 AM PDT by RobertClark (My shrink just killed himself - he blamed me in his note!)
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To: neverdem

bttt


29 posted on 07/03/2013 6:26:05 AM PDT by GOPJ (... liberal anger - - the privileged wheeze of entitled brats ... Greenfield)
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
"She later went to Sweden and got her abortion."

This needs a "the rest of the story" addendum. "Was" the aborted fetus (aka "baby") actually deformed??

30 posted on 07/03/2013 6:55:43 AM PDT by Wonder Warthog
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To: Wonder Warthog

***This needs a “the rest of the story” addendum. “Was” the aborted fetus (aka “baby”) actually deformed?? ***

According to the Swedish doctor, yes, it was deformed.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/a-never-ending-story/?_r=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherri_Finkbine


31 posted on 07/03/2013 7:01:27 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Sometimes you need 7+ more ammo. LOTS MORE.)
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To: gaijin

I take one capsule of Turmeric daily (about 550 mg) for cancer prevention, primarily skin cancer. I have read that it can help.

Should I take more than that?


32 posted on 07/03/2013 7:37:09 AM PDT by diamond6 (Behold this Heart which has so loved men!" Jesus to St. Margaret Mary)
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To: gaijin

This is a “standardized” vitamin, is that okay?

http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-turmeric-extract-curcumin-c3-complex-with-bioperine-1160-mg-per-serving-60-capsules-1#BVRRWidgetID


33 posted on 07/03/2013 7:48:04 AM PDT by diamond6 (Behold this Heart which has so loved men!" Jesus to St. Margaret Mary)
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To: neverdem

I have been adding turmeric capsules to my diet for about a year
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT!!!!!

you know you are taking enough if you start to crave PEPPER on everything (instead of salt)


34 posted on 07/03/2013 7:51:29 AM PDT by Mr. K (There are lies, damned lies, statistics, and democrat talking points.)
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To: Vendome

ok what is that? it looks delicious


35 posted on 07/03/2013 7:53:01 AM PDT by Mr. K (There are lies, damned lies, statistics, and democrat talking points.)
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To: gaijin

you have to eat ordinary table PEPPER to boost turmeric absorption


36 posted on 07/03/2013 7:54:09 AM PDT by Mr. K (There are lies, damned lies, statistics, and democrat talking points.)
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To: RobertClark

how do you take the coconut oil? I assume not by the spoonful (yuck!)


37 posted on 07/03/2013 7:55:52 AM PDT by Mr. K (There are lies, damned lies, statistics, and democrat talking points.)
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To: gaijin

Are those herbs in supplement form?

Sorry, I’m bombarding you with questions. It’s just that theres been a lot of cancer in my family and I’m trying to “save” the rest of us!


38 posted on 07/03/2013 7:58:16 AM PDT by diamond6 (Behold this Heart which has so loved men!" Jesus to St. Margaret Mary)
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To: RobertClark

That’s awesome, thanks for sharing!!!


39 posted on 07/03/2013 8:02:37 AM PDT by diamond6 (Behold this Heart which has so loved men!" Jesus to St. Margaret Mary)
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To: Mr. K

Tilapia in turmeric


40 posted on 07/03/2013 8:13:53 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
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