Key words

IJNM

Indian Journal of Nuclear Medicine

0972-3919

Society of Nuclear Medicine, India

ijnm-22-4-080

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Biological Evaluation of Radioiodinated Curcumin as a Tumor Targeting Agent

Kumar

Subramanian

Samuel

Venkatesh

Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India.

122007

224

Key wordscurcuminradio-iodinationI-125

Background

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a non-nutritive food chemical present in Turmeric (Curcuma longa). It has been consumed in India through the diet as a spice at a rate of up to 100mg/day since several centuries. There are extensive reports in the literature of the potential role of Curcumin as an anti carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory agent¹. There are reports that it specifically binds to the membrane of cytoplasmic organelle. Hence it offers promise as a starting molecule towards development of novel radiolabeled diagnostic/therapeutic agents for cancer.

Aims

To label curcumin with radioactive iodine and assess the suitability of labeled derivatives for use in cancer nuclear medicine.

Methods and Results

Curcumin was labeled with ¹²⁵I by iodogen method. The labeling yield was ~75%. The labeled product was extracted in chloroform, dried and dissolved in Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO). Purity and stability was assessed using paper chromatography and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The product was found to be stable in DMSO for more than 15 days at 2 to 8C. In-vitro cell uptake was carried out in murine melanoma and lymphoma cell lines. Up to 10% of in vitro uptake was found (at 2 hours incubation, 37C with ~5x10⁵ cells), which is encouraging.

Conclusion

Further studies planned include assessment of effect of labeled curcumin on cancer cell viability with the introduction of therapeutic isotope ¹³¹I.

ReferencesAggarwal

Bharat B.

Kumar

Anushree

Aggarwal

Manoj S.

Shishodia

Shishir

. 2005. ”Curcumin derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa): A spice for all seasons.”. Phytopharmaceuticals in Cancer Chemoprevention, 349–387.

Biological Evaluation of Radioiodinated Curcumin as a Tumor Targeting Agent

Keywords