An investigation into the antiproliferative effects of curcuma longa water extract on colon and liver cancer cell lines / Mohd Zaem Mohd Nawi

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a member of a tropical plant family which is proven to be a good source of phenolic compounds. The main active ingredient known as curcumin was claimed to have antiproliferative and cytoprotective effects towards many cancerous cell lines. The aims of this study were to determine the in vitro cytotoxicity and cytoprotective activity of the water extract of Curcuma longa on two types of cancerous cell lines, colon and liver cancer cells. For determination of cytoprotective properties, the cancerous cell lines were induced to undergo toxicity with H2O2 and then treated with the extract. The results showed that Curcuma longa extract is safe since the IC50 values were higher than I 000 µg/ml. At the concentration used in this study 500 and 750 µg/ml, Curcuma longa extract showed no cytoprotective effects.