Curcumin (Natural Yellow 3) is a phenolic natural product, an inhibitor of histone acetyltransferase p300/CREB (IC50=25 μM) with specificity. Curcumin has a wide range of pharmacological activities such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

METHODS: Retinoblastoma cells SO-Rb50 and Y79 were treated with Curcumin (10-50 μM) for 24 h. Cell viability was measured by CCK-8.
RESULTS: Curcumin dose-dependently and significantly decreased the cell viability of SO-Rb50 and Y79 cells, with IC50s of 38.4 μM and 34.8 μM, respectively.[1]
METHODS: Mouse colon cancer cells MC38 were treated with Curcumin (5-50 μM) for 48 h. Apoptosis was detected by Flow Cytometry.
RESULTS: Curcumin dose-dependently induced apoptosis in MC38 cells. [2]
METHODS: Human pancreatic cancer cells PANC1 were treated with Curcumin (10-80 μg/mL) for 24 h. The autophagy marker LC3 was detected by Immunofluorescence.
RESULTS: The highest expression level of punctate autophagosomes was found in 40 μg/mL Curcumin-treated cells. [3]

METHODS: To detect the anti-tumor activity in vivo, Curcumin (100-200 mg/kg) was administered by gavage every three days for three weeks to C57BL/6J mice bearing mouse colon cancer tumor MC38.
RESULTS: The average tumor volume and tumor weight of mice in the Curcumin treatment group were significantly reduced, and the tumor volume and tumor weight of the 200 mg/kg treatment group were also significantly lower than those of the 100 mg/kg treatment group. [2]
METHODS: To detect anti-tumor activity in vivo, Curcumin (25-50 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally into BALB/c mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumor EAT once daily for ten days.
RESULTS: The number of EAT cells in the peripheral tissues of the Curcumin 50 mg/kg group was significantly less than that of the tumor control group. [4]

1×104 B16-R cells are cultivated as monolayer culture for 12 hr. They were then incubated in 200 μL of RPMI, 10% FBS containing curcumin at final concentrations from 1–100 μM in 96-multiwell plates for 24-48 hr. After these incubations, cells are washed twice in PBS and 500 μl of fresh culture medium containing MTT (0.3 mg/mL) are added for colorimetric assay. (Only for Reference)