Curcuma (Curcuma longa) is a kind of spice used in the preparation of curry. Used for thousand of years by all medicines, actives called curcuminoids with highly powerful antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties have been isolated in the rhizomes of curcuma, as attested by several scientific publications.

Researches on the anti-carcinogenic properties of curcuma conclude that curcumine inhibits the production of cytokines (molecules which induce the inflammatory processes at the cell level). Such researches verify that an inflammatory reaction is often to be found at the origin of the formation and growth of a carcinogenic tumour.

In the prevention and fight against cancer through the nutritional approach, curcuma is recommended mainly for the following cancers:

Colon cancer normally associated with inflammatory processes, as the curcuma inhibits the cyclo-oxygenase-2 and 5-lipo-oxygenase, two enzymes involved in inflammatory processes.

Skin cancer (malignant melanoma), since it blocks a signal of the epidermal growth factor.

Stomach cancer caused by the presence of the bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, responsible for gastric ulcers, since it blocks the NF-kappa B induced by the increase of cytokines.

The totality of clinical studies on curcumine extracted from Curcuma longa, verifies that it can inhibit cancer at any stage of its development: beginning, development and progression.

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, curcumine extracted from curcuma is recommended for people suffering from rheumatisms.

Curcumin has resulted to be very effective in the following cancers: lung, breast and prostate cancer.

Curcumin could also be effective in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that it can be linked to the beta-amyloid protein, which inhibits the formation of senile plaques.