Curcuma and Breast Cancer: A Focus on Cell Signaling Pathways

Abstract

Cancer is a multifaceted disease characterized by deregulated epigenetic, genetic and metabolic signals which affect cellular metabolism and apoptosis. Breast cancer is regarded to be the most common malignancy in the women worldwide. The side effects of chemo-drugs such as non-selectivity, toxicity and resistance urge scientists to find more potent and safer drugs. Natural products from plants provide an extensive array of chemical scaffolds with biosafety profiles, and safer health effects. Curcuma, a genus of family Zingiberaceae, comprises of about 110 species natively distributed as well as cultivated in South Asia, China, Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Peru. This plant is used as a remarkable pharmacological remedy to prevent and cure various pathological disorders including cancer. The chemical constituents of this plant, terpenoids and betaketones, specifically act as the anti-breast cancer agents. Curcuma, the marvel of nature, can be regarded as panacea due to its versatile molecular targets and spacious therapeutic window. Various investigations on the essential oils and dry rhizome conclude that the chemical constituents of this plant e.g., curcumin, germacrone, furanodienone, bisdethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, curcumol, and aromatic turmerone are responsible for its anti-breast cancer potential. These compounds, either as single compound or in combinations with other drugs, are known to arrest cell cycle and induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells by modulating various signaling cascades including NF-κB, STAT3, PI3k/Akt/mTOR and MAPK. This book chapter intends to comprehend the biological and pharmacological mode of action of Curcuma-derived anti-breast cancer compounds in order to update the researchers and scientific community about the pharmaceutical potential of plants belonging to this genus.