Curcumin is one of the products of plant secondary metabolites, turmeric and ginger. Traditionally, curcumin has been used in medicine in Asia, including Indonesia, to treat wounds, relieve pain and arthritis. Now, the experts found that curcumin can also cure cancer.
Ginger plants exist only in Indonesia. These plants are found in Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and Maluku Selatan. Because of its great potential as future drugs, experts are now focusing on the plant's native Indonesia.
There are a lot of data and literature show that turmeric and ginger has great potential as an anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-immunodeficiency, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and anti-infective.
According to Timothy Moynihan, MD, consultant medical oncologist at the Mayo Clinic, the content of anti-oxidants in curcumin is able to reduce inflammation and swelling. "Curcumin has been studied as a cancer drug because of inflammation are found in cancer patients," he said.
Research shows that anti-oxidants can protect fat turmeric, hemoglobin, and DNA from free radical attack. Anticancer substances contained in turmeric also has a selective toxicity that can destroy cancer cells without harming normal tissue so as to minimize side effects.
Laboratory studies and animal experiments showed that curcumin is able to slow the cancer's spread and growth of tumor cells in blood vessels. "This causes cancer cells to die," added Moynihan. Various research in the laboratory showed that curcumin is effective for preventing cancer of the colon, prostate, and breast cancer.
However, according to Moynihan, a study is being done at an early stage so experts do not recommend this herbal medicine in the treatment or prevention of cancer. Until now, research on curcumin still being conducted by experts.
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