Clinical Evidence

Curcumin Downregulates NF-κB and Related Genes in Patients with Multiple Myeloma: Results of a Phase I/II Study
Blood 2007 (ASH Annual Meeting Abstracts). Abstract 1177
The role of NF-κB and STAT3 pathway in proliferation/metastasis of various tumor cells is well established. However, the agent who could down regulate the activation of these factors in cancer patients has not been identified.animal models has shown to reduce the levels of oxidative DNA adduct M1G and expression of COX-2 enzyme.

Curcumin has been shown to potently suppress the activation of these transcription factors in cultured cells.
Objective:

To evaluate the clinical safety and biologic effects of Curcumin in multiple myeloma (MM) patients who had asymptomatic, relapsed/refractory, or plateau phase disease.

Study Design:

 A clinical trial with 6 MM patients for 12 weeks was planned. Patients were divided into two groups: Curcumin group (Curcumin administered orally at 2, 4, 6, 8 or 12 g/day in 2 divided doses) and Curcumin+BioPerine® group (Curcumin in combination with BioPerine®,10 mg in 2 divided doses). Blood was collected for PK/PD and PBMCs were examined baseline and during treatment. NF-kB activation status was also measured.

Results:
  • Treatment with Curcumin and BioPerine® was well tolerated, with no significant adverse events.® group
  • Out of the 29 evaluable patients treated , 12 patients continued treatment for more than 12 weeks and 5 (1 patient at 4 g, 2 at 6 g, and 2 at 8 g dose levels) have completed one year of treatment with stable disease
  • Oral administration of Curcumin significantly down regulated the constitutive activation of NF- κB (P<0.0001) and STAT3 (P<0.001), and suppressed COX-2 (P<0.0001) expression in most of the patients at each monthly time point
Conclusion

his study is the first report to indicate that Curcumin, a highly safe agent, is bioavailable and can down regulate NF-κB, STAT3 and COX-2 in MM patients and also suggests a potential therapeutic role that can be further be investigated.