Curcumin, thymoquinone, and 3, 3'-diindolylmethane combinations attenuate lung and liver cancers progression

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Nutraceuticals

Background:

• Cancer is a complex disease characterized by abnormal cell proliferation, necessitating research into effective and safe therapies.
• Nutraceuticals are gaining attention for their potential anticancer properties, offering a promising avenue for therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the combined anticancer effects of curcumin (Cur), thymoquinone (TQ), and 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) on lung (A549) and liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines.
• To evaluate the impact of these nutraceutical combinations on cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and angiogenesis.

Main Methods:

• Treatment of A549 and HepG2 cancer cell lines with single and combined Cur, TQ, and DIM.
• Assessment of apoptosis, caspase-3 levels, cell proliferation, migration, colony formation, and cell cycle (S phase).
• Evaluation of tumor weight and angiogenesis using the chorioallantoic membrane model with cancer cell implants.

Main Results:

• Triple (Cur + TQ + DIM) and double combinations significantly increased apoptosis and caspase-3 protein levels.
• Combinations markedly reduced cell proliferation, migration, colony formation, and PI3K/AKT pathway signaling, with S phase arrest.
• Nutraceutical combinations effectively inhibited tumor weight and angiogenesis in preclinical models.

Conclusions:

• Combined Cur, TQ, and DIM demonstrate significant anticancer activity against lung and liver cancer cell lines.
• These nutraceutical combinations suppress cancer progression by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and hindering tumor angiogenesis.
• Further preclinical and clinical studies are warranted to explore the therapeutic potential of these compounds.