Curcumin and turmeric attenuate arsenic-induced angiogenesis in ovo

Trivalent arsenic [As(III)] is currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of chronic and acute leukemias. However, As(III) has also demonstrated damaging effects on human health, including development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Further, As(III) is a potent angiogenic agent. In this context, curcumin, an active ingredient in the dietary agent turmeric, has demonstrated potent antiproliferative, antiinflammatory, and antiangiogenic properties. In this report, we have shown that both curcumin and turmeric inhibit expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in HCT-116 human colon cancer cells exposed to As(III). Further, in the chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay model, treatment with low As(III) concentrations results in extensive increase in blood vessel density, which, however, is reduced in the presence of curcumin or turmeric. Collectively, the findings reported here strongly suggest that turmeric and curcumin can dramatically attenuate the process of angiogenesis induced by low As(III) concentrations.