• He study, It has financed by CONICYT, resulted in a safe formula, able to completely avoid the reappearance of the disease and tumor metastasis.

Turmeric, from root of the India, It is recognized in the world of gastronomy by delivering a particular colouring to foods, as well as very distinctive flavor and aroma. Given that consumption has mass for the last time in Chile, is commonly found in grocery stores, fairs and supermarkets, fresh or powdered, and in many Chilean cuisines.

This "I superfood" is characterized by multiple beneficial components for health, Standing out among them Curcumin, active principle responsible for the intense orange/yellow colour and with high therapeutic potential, able to reduce inflammation and evidence for treating and preventing cancer.

21% of deaths in Chile are caused by this disease, that has positioned itself as the second deadliest in the country. It has been determined that a chronic inflammation in our bodies might be the perfect setting for the future emergence of a cancer.

A research team at the University of Chile, also belonging to the Centre for advanced chronic diseases, ACCDiS , featuring CONICYT financing through the funding of centres of research in priority Areas, He designed an anti-cancer treatment based on Curcumin that, After being administered in animal models, He managed to prevent 100% of disease recurrence and metastasis.

Doctor Felipe Oyarzún, the ACCDiS researcher and academic in the Faculty of chemical sciences and pharmaceutical of the University of Chile, defined as a "fragile molecule Curcumin, unstable, photosensitive and insoluble in water". These features are the main limiting, and they do that their therapeutic potential will be considerably decreased, When administered orally and without being properly formulated.

It is important to emphasize that it is a very safe compound, reason for which researchers have decided to apply nanotechnology to eliminate the obstacles that limit its effectiveness. The result obtained after performing experimental tests in laboratory, is a completely soluble formulation, where is the Curcumin protected to prevent its degradation in the body and with a great healing potential.

Doctor Oyarzún says that turn this product into a medicine is a slow and expensive process consisting of several stages. For the moment, an alliance between a Chilean company and the University of Chile will take the benefits of the nanoemulsion a drink that would have a preventive potential for inflammation and cancer prevention. It is expected that this product can reach the domestic market within a period of 3-5 months.

"The goal is that there is a formulation that is available so that people can use it", highlights the researcher. However, not to be a medication even, their potential is limited to the not be able to determine exactly the ideal dose, nor have scientific certainty about how will act in different types of cancer and what type of patients.

"The formula has been worked in animal models and cell lines with the disease. Now, as we know that it is safe (all excipients are approved by the FDA and food use) "we are going to get the drink very soon", explains Oyarzun.

In the process of experimentation was carried out with melanoma, a type of extremely aggressive skin cancer, using an animal model of mouse, It is very similar to a human patient with this disease. One of the most promising aspects of this anti-cancer formula is almost zero toxicity, which would make it a treatment effective and capable of attacking damaged cells without affecting healthy cells, as it is the case currently with chemotherapy.

Source: CONICYT www.explora.CL