RESUMO
Apoptotic effects of curcumin (diferuloyl methane) on squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. The present study was conducted in departments of Pathology and Biochemistry, JNMC, AMU, over a period of one and half yrs. Caspase-3 and TNF-alpha assay was performed on monocytes isolated from cervical carcinoma patients and cultured with curcumin; cytosmears and sections from cervical carcinoma tissue cultured with curcumin were prepared for the morphological evidence of apoptosis. Curcumin in the doses of 500 microg/ml increased the caspase-3 levels and decreases the level of TNF-alpha in human cells. Cytosmears and sections from cervical carcinoma tissue cultured with curcumin showed better differentiation and increased number of apoptotic cells as compared to non curcumin controls. Curcumin in a dose of 500 microg/ ml promoted apoptotic preparedness of human cells and induced apoptotic change in cervical carcinoma cells.