Turmeric relative's compound may slow colon cancer development
Truong VL, Rarison RHG, Song EJ, Nam YD, Hong YS
Medicinal Plants
The turmeric growing in your herb garden has a lesser-known cousin, Curcuma comosa, whose rhizome compounds are showing the same kind of gut-protective promise that made turmeric famous, a reminder that the Curcuma genus holds far more medicinal chemistry than the one species most people grow.
Curcuma comosa is a rhizome plant related to turmeric, and scientists pulled a specific compound from it called DPH. In mice with gut inflammation, this compound calmed the swelling, protected the lining of the intestine, and even slowed the progression toward colon cancer. It seems to work by turning down inflammatory signals, boosting the body's natural antioxidant defenses, and helping restore a healthier mix of gut bacteria.
Key Findings
DPH (1,7-diphenyl-(4E,6E)-4,6-heptadien-3-one), isolated from Curcuma comosa ethanol extract, reduced colitis severity and delayed colitis-associated colorectal tumor formation in experimental models
The compound appears to act through the TLR4/MAPK/NF-kB/STAT3 signaling pathway, lowering proinflammatory cytokine expression
Treatment upregulated phase II antioxidant enzymes and tight junction proteins while partially improving gut microbial composition and metabolite profiles
chevron_right Technical Summary
A compound from turmeric's cousin plant, Curcuma comosa, calmed gut inflammation and slowed the progression from colitis to colon cancer in lab studies, working by quieting inflammatory signals, boosting the body's own antioxidant defenses, and improving gut bacteria balance.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Diarylheptanoid Phytoestrogen from Curcuma comosa Attenuates Colitis and Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer by Inhibiting Inflammation and Oxidative Stress and Modulating Gut Microbiota.
Diarylheptanoids are bioactive compounds primarily found in the rhizomes of Curcuma species and are traditionally used to treat inflammatory conditions. This study investigated the chemopreventive ...
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