Phenolic profiles, antioxidant, and antiproliferative activities of turmeric (Curcuma longa)

In this study, the phenolic profiles and bioactivities (antioxidant and antiproliferative activities) of turmeric extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and conventional solvent extraction (CSE) were compared. The results showed that UAE and CSE had significant effects (p<0.05) on phenolic composition, antioxidant activities, and antiproliferative effects. Compared with CSE, UAE can significantly (p<0.05) increase extraction efficiency of phenolic compounds. Turmeric extracts obtained by UAE exhibited stronger antiproliferative effects against a panel of cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB-231, HCT116, HT29, HepG2, HeLa) than that obtained by CSE. In addition, the turmeric extracts can reduce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibit cell migration, induce cell morphological changes and nuclear condensation, and arrest cell cycle at S and G2/M phases. The present findings suggested that ultrasonication can be applied successfully for the extraction of bioactive constituents from turmeric with enhanced biological activities, and the turmeric extracts have antiproliferative effects which may be mediated through ROS modulation and cell cycle arrest. Overall, turmeric extracts can be considered as a potential source of bioactive compounds for the treatment of cancer-related diseases.