Curry's Chemicals Fight Cancer|咖哩的化学物质对抗癌症

by Clare Lear

Does curry hold the key to the next generation of cancer drugs?

Over a decade ago, researchers at the oncology department of the University of Leicester in the UK noticed that out of 500 patients diagnosed with bowel cancer, only two were Asian. This was odd because 20 percent of the city's population was Asian, with most of them coming from the Indian subcontinent. Researchers speculated that the secret of the Asian community's ability to resist cancer lay in the traditional spices used in their cooking, many of which are popularly credited with therapeutic properties. The most likely candidate was the spice turmeric.

Turmeric is a tropical plant that has been used for more than 2,500 years. Its roots have a bitter flavor and are yellowish-orange in color. These are boiled, dried, and then ground into a powder. It is reputed to be good for soothing stomach disorders and digestive problems.

Research yielded a chemical component of turmeric that most likely plays a beneficial role in the anti-cancer properties of curry. A lab study found that the compound begins to kill cancer cells within 24 hours of application. Further research uncovered improved drug response in patients with advanced bowel cancer. Doctors are now considering adding turmeric tablets to current treatments for bowel cancer, which is difficult to treat once it has spread because the side effects of chemotherapy limit how long patients can have treatment. Turmeric might increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy, resulting in lower doses, fewer side effects, and longer treatment time.

    1.     What was odd about the two Asian patients diagnosed with cancer?

(A) Asians usually don't get cancer.

(B) Their cancer was terminal.

(C) It was strange that there were so few when compared to the population.

(D) The doctors had a hard time communicating with them because they didn't speak English.

    2.     What is turmeric used for in cooking?

(A) As a flavor in Indian dishes.

(B) To soothe the stomach after one eats many spicy curries.

(C) To add yellow coloring to food making it more appealing to eat.

(D) As an ingredient to lower people's cholesterol.

    3.     Which of the following is the main idea of the second paragraph?

(A) Background on a famous spice.

(B) The processing of a spice into a drug.

(C) The results from years of studying a drug.

(D) A way to treat cancer by using a spice.

    4.     How long does it take turmeric's compound to kill cancer cells?

(A) 2,500 years

(B) 20 days.

(C) One day.

(D) 24 days.

咖哩的化学物质对抗癌症

咖哩握有新一代抗癌药物的关键吗？

十多年前，英国莱斯特大学的肿瘤科研究人员发现，500例确诊为肠癌的病患中只有两位是亚洲人。这个情况非常奇怪，因为该城市百分之 20 的人口都是亚洲人，他们多是来自于印度次大陆。研究员推测，亚洲人小区有能力抵御癌症的秘诀在于他们在烹调中使用了传统香料，其中许多香料被普遍认为具有治疗的特性。香料当中最有可能的就属姜黄了。

姜黄是一种热带植物，这种植物已经被使用两千五百多年了。该植物的根部有苦味，颜色则是黄橙色。姜黄经过烹煮、晒干，接着被磨成粉末。这种植物据说能舒缓胃病及消化的问题。

研究结果找出了姜黄的某种化学成分，这种化学成分最有可能在咖哩抗癌的特性中起了有益的作用。一项实验室的研究发现，使用后 24 小时内该化合物会开始杀死癌细胞。进一步的研究发现，那些肠癌末期的患者对于药物的反应有所改善。医生正在考虑将姜黄片加入现行肠癌的疗程中，肠癌一旦扩散就难以治疗，因为化疗的副作用会限制病患接受治疗的时间长短。姜黄可能会增加癌细胞对化疗的敏感性，让病患只需使用低剂量的化疗药物、较少的副作用以及获得较长时间的治疗。

答案：  1.  C   2.  A   3.  A   4.  C

美国癌症研究院（AICR）回顾 4500 多份从世界卫生组织、食品农业部，以及本国和国际间的癌症研究，整理出《癌症的食物、营养和预防：一个全球观点》报告，再次呼吁人们，预防癌症其实并不难，只要不抽烟、吃得正确、持续保持身体活动，加上维持适当体重，就可减少 60～70％罹癌机率。每天至少摄取 5 份蔬菜水果，就可以降低 20％癌症风险。

美国环境毒物学博士罗伯特．哈瑟瑞钻研环境毒物学，更深入探讨食物中所含有的诱发或抑制癌症基因的化学物质，建议利用 8 大类蔬果中所含的维生素和天然抗癌物质，达到防癌、抗癌的目的。

这 8大类超级防癌食物包括：洋葱、花椰菜、核桃、燕麦、黄豆、柳橙、蕃茄及胡萝卜等。（数据源：联合新闻网）