Cancer Therapeutics and Chemoprevention Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA.
Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2012 Jan;13(1):218-28. doi: 10.2174/138920112798868791.
Primary liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is one of the most lethal cancers having worldwide prevalence. Although most HCC cases are reported in the developing countries of Asia and Africa, there has been an alarming increase in HCC cases in Western Europe as well as United States. Chronic liver diseases, viral hepatitis, alcoholism as well as dietary carcinogens, such as aflatoxins and nitrosoamines, contribute to HCC. Liver transplantation as well as surgical resection at best offer limited treatment options. Thus, there exists a critical need to investigate and evaluate possible alternative chemopreventive and therapeutic strategies which may be effective in the control of liver cancer. HCC, most often, develops and progresses in a milieu of oxidative stress and inflammation. Phytochemicals, such as dietary polyphenols endowed with potent antioxidant as well as anti-inflammatory properties, provide a suitable alternative in affording alleviation of HCC. Curcumin, the principal polyphenolic curcuminoid, obtained from the turmeric rhizome Curcuma longa has long been used to cure several chronic ailments, such as neoplastic and neurodegenerative diseases. Studies suggest that curcumin may have antitumor, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. This article reviews the effects of curcumin in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models of HCC with particular emphasis to its antioxidant, apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects as well as involvement in various molecular signaling mechanisms. This review also discusses potential challenges involved in the use of curcumin in HCC, such as bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, drug delivery as well as paucity of clinical studies.
原发性肝癌，又称肝细胞癌（HCC），是一种具有全球普遍性的最致命癌症之一。尽管大多数 HCC 病例发生在亚洲和非洲的发展中国家，但西欧和美国的 HCC 病例也在惊人地增加。慢性肝病、病毒性肝炎、酗酒以及黄曲霉毒素和亚硝胺等饮食性致癌物质，都促成了 HCC 的发生。肝移植和手术切除最多只能提供有限的治疗选择。因此，迫切需要研究和评估可能的替代化学预防和治疗策略，这些策略可能对控制肝癌有效。HCC 通常在氧化应激和炎症的环境中发展和进展。植物化学物质，如具有强大抗氧化和抗炎特性的饮食多酚，为缓解 HCC 提供了一个合适的替代选择。姜黄素是从姜黄根茎 Curcuma longa 中提取的主要多酚类姜黄素，长期以来一直被用于治疗多种慢性疾病，如肿瘤和神经退行性疾病。研究表明，姜黄素可能具有抗肿瘤、抗氧化和抗炎作用。本文综述了姜黄素在 HCC 的临床前体外和体内模型中的作用，特别强调了其抗氧化、凋亡和抗炎作用以及参与各种分子信号机制。本文还讨论了姜黄素在 HCC 中的应用所涉及的潜在挑战，如生物利用度、药代动力学、药物输送以及临床研究的缺乏。
