IMPORTANT: This is written by an owner of ME dogs and not a veterinarian or research Doctor. The below is ONLY his view regarding Curcumin and as far as I know, there is not research substantiating this, but is an interesting read. This is not to be used or tried without full discussion with your veterinarian AND without studies to collaborate possible outcome, would only read as informational.

I am on an email list for a research group at M.D. Anderson cancer center here in Houston that does research on the spice curcumin (the active of ingredient of turmeric, a principle ingredient of most curries) in relation to cancer.

I just got an article from them yesterday summarizing recent research with curcumin and colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal problems, like inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

Animal studies show it can help prevent colorectal cancer and make existing colorectal cancer more amenable to standard therapies.

Other studies show it has a positive effect on inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon cancer.

Given that some of the dogs on this list are also dealing with things like inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome, I thought it would be useful to post this information here, as something else to try with bowel related problems.

I wish I had known about this 8 years ago, to try with my old black cat Goblin who eventually died of inflammatory bowel disease (a week before my Emmy came down with MG, ironically – I used his last prednisone tablet as a test on Emmy, and it greatly improved her MG for a few hours, helping verify the diagnosis of MG, before her prescribed medication finally came in, and contradicting the MG test that came late back with a false negative).

The article refers to a number of different studies world wide and has a bit of biochemistry in it, which is pretty technical, but the introduction gives the main points, which I have listed below.

It is a mystery why colon cancer incidence in the United States is among the highest (530 cases per million) when compared with other countries, such as India (30 cases per million).

However, it has been proposed that lifestyle may account for 90% to 95% of all cancers. Curcumin, derived from the spice turmeric (curry powder), is a major component of Indian lifestyle.

This agent has been shown to suppress survival, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis of colon cancer cells through the regulation of various cell signaling pathways and biomarkers, such as nuclear factor-kappa B, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- gamma, early growth response-1, beta-catenin, mitogen-activated protein kinases, cyclin D1, epidermal growth factor receptor, N- acetyltransferase, cyclooxygenase-2, 5-lipoxygenase, GADD153, p53, B- cell lymphoma 2, basal cell lymphoma-extra large, and ceramide.

Animal studies showed that curcumin can protect against various carcinogens mediating colon cancer. Curcumin can also sensitize tumors to chemotherapy and radiation.

Clinical trials suggest that curcumin has activity against familial adenomatous polyposis, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon cancer.

This review discusses the preventive and therapeutic potential of curcumin against colorectal cancer and thus provides “reasoning for seasoning”.