title: Chemopreventive potential and safety profile of a Curcuma longa extract in women with cervical low-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether Curcuma longa Linn extract, NBFR-03, can arrest low-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (LSIL) a 12 week intervention study was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of a total of 1473 women undergoing Pap smear screening, 88 cases had LSIL. Only those with persistent LSIL subsequent to antimicrobial therapy, and willing to follow the protocol (N=21), were included for clinical examination, Pap smears, colposcopy, clinical biochemistry, urinalysis and assessment of serum IL-6, being conducted before and after treatment. Standardised NBFR-03 (0.2gm) capsules were administered, twice daily, for 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None progressed to higher grade lesion as assessed by Pap smears and colposcopy. Sixteen cases regressed to atypia, ASCUS or inflammatory pattern; 3 persisted as LSIL, 1 discontinued early because of itching, and 1 did not start. None developed any significant abnormality clinically or biochemically. Micrometry showed a significant reduction in nuclear diameter and nucleocytoplasmic ratio after treatment (p<0.02, and <0.05 respectively). Serum IL-6 levels showed a significant decline (mean 248∓ 156 (SEM) vs 27.7∓ 10.5 (SEM) pg/ ml; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of NBFR-03 for 12 weeks was associated with an arrest or regression of LSIL in Pap smears and colposcopy, with reduction in the circulating IL-6 levels.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Center, Kasturba, India.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Paradkar
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jagtap
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Agashe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soman
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Vaidya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003127:Colposcopy; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005638:Fruit / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D055815:Young Adult; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D010936:Plant Extracts