A new clinical study investigated the mechanism of BCM-95, a high-potency turmeric extract in treating pancreatic cancer, with results indicating that BCM-95 could help overcome some cases of chemotherapy resistance.
 
The study, using a mouse model, was conducted by researchers Kazuhiro Yoshida, M.D., et alia at the Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, and published in the July, 2017, issue of Carcinogenesis. In both normal and chemo-resistant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell cultures, the curcumin essential oil complex was tested for its ability to inhibit self-renewal and differentiation, also known as “stemness.” It had been proposed that a curcumin-induced reduction in stemness could resensitize PDAC cell cultures to the commonly prescribed—but often resisted—Gemcitabine chemotherapy regimen.
 
The study demonstrated that BCM-95 turmeric extract was able to re-sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to the effects of Gemcitabine. This was further confirmed by a reduction in tumor size. BCM-95 also prevented hallmark signs of chemotherapy-induced stemness and downregulated several of the genes that drive this process.
 
“One of the challenges with pancreatic cancer is that not only it is a lethal disease, most patients who are treated with chemotherapy often quickly develop resistance to such treatments,” explained Ajay Goel, PhD, researcher at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. “Such chemo-resistance is frequently due to the cancer stem cells that are spared by chemotherapy, as once the chemo is stopped; these cancer stem cells grow and multiply faster to form recurrent cancer. Finding safe, natural and effective compounds that can target cancer stem cells and help overcome chemo-resistance is very important, and this was demonstrated in this study. We provided multiple layers of evidence demonstrating how curcumin affects pancreatic cancer, and showed that cells that have become resistant to the standard of care chemotherapy, such as Gemcitabine, significantly respond to anti-cancer and anti-stem cell properties of a high-absorption curcumin preparation.”
 
BCM-95 is a 100% turmeric-derived, curcuminoid ingredient supported by its extensive research portfolio and commitment to safety and quality. It recently received ‘No Questions’ response from the FDA in regard to these assertions. The unique composition of BCM-95, as 86% curcuminoids complexed with essential oils of turmeric, standardized to 45% Ar-turmerones, is backed by 13 granted and 13 ongoing patents world-wide. Manufactured by Arjuna Natural Extracts Ltd., India, a registered trademark of DolCas Biotech USA, BCM-95 is a trusted, clean curcumin ingredient.
 
“We see a growing demand for BCM-95, not just in the US but also in Europe and Asia Pacific,” notes K G Rao, CEO for Dolcas Biotech. “We are dedicated to conducting further research on the ingredients within this brand as well as increasing production capacity.”