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.
K Liu et al, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2013, DOI: 10.1039/c3ob40595h
Let’s hope they are onto something BIG!
Good post, u can’t PATENT straight-up curcumin, so they ligate it to this fancy stuff, so they can make big bucks.
Be aware that absorption of curcumin is very low —good to eat something really fatty in order to boost (typically low) absorption —cocunut oil, curry, whatevah.
Also add piperine or bioperine.
Cheap as hell, and effective.
Wow. This sounds like they may be on to something here.
Ok, this is cool.
They could have done this years ago, but the Thalidomide angle made them too yellow.
Be aware that absorption of curcumin is very low —good to eat something really fatty in order to boost (typically low) absorption —cocunut oil, curry, whatevah.Hadn't heard of taking it with coconut oil (thanks!), but take it daily with black pepper. I use an extract from Natural News (a little more costly, but I think the stuff is great): http://store.naturalnews.com/Natural-Attitude-Turmeric-liquid-extract-2-fl-oz_p_125.html. (It helps with memory/thinking.)
Also add piperine or bioperine.
Be careful with those if you are taking medications at the same time. Can result in unintended hyper-absorption of prescription drugs as well.
BMFL
Another one is Boswellia Serrata —Frankensence to Bible-reading folks.
I chew it with bubble-gum.
Cheap as heck, and its the medicine we’ll have in 8 years, or so.
I usually use herbco.com —it’s wholesale.
http://www.herbco.com/c-364-frankincense.aspx
Well what do you know...Thalidomide causes defects in cancer cells and drives curcumin into them and they die...
I wonder if liposomal curcumin could be effective w/o the Thalidomide...
Liposomal vitamin C is easy to make at home and easily administered orally...it is as much as ten times more effective than IV-C against cancer.
Another one is Boswellia Serrata —Frankensence to Bible-reading folks.Yep! The stuff is awesome. Thanks for the link. We have purchased the essential oil from Young Living or Rocky Mountain Oils (little cheaper from RM, but not sure if the same quality). The stuff from YL has stopped fits of rage in seconds flat. Never seen anything like it!
The vitamin docs all say tumeric is often an effective anti-cancer substance.
And also an alzheimer's preventative. I find it's a brain stimulant, take it daily in organic form...from Organic India, a pricey but very reputable brand.
Turmeric can kill cancer cells without needing thalidomide. It is a natural anti-cancer compound, among other things beneficial.
Of course, if you want to prescribe a DRUG and CHARGE LOTS OF MONEY FOR IT, pair it up with thalidomide.
I actually don’t see why they banned thalidomide.
There are two forms of thalidomide, a left handed chiral and a right handed chiral. One is safe, the other is the one that causes birth defects. Why they simply didn’t allow the one form that didn’t cause birth defects to remain the one to prescribe is kind of an over-reaction.
“...tumeric is often an effective anti-cancer substance...”
Yes, agreed. But why do you live in Cook County?
That wuz my 1st thought.
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