Evidence mapPaperPMID 40999987Full record

ArticleMolecular medicine reports2025

Curcumin exerts therapeutic effects on colorectal cancer by inducing pyroptosis through caspase‑1 activation.

Jiajie Zhu, Liangjun Yang, Zheng Fang, Jiabin Chen, Yeqian Wu, Haiyan Liu, Shan Liu, Baoying Fei

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular medicine reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jiajie Zhu *Department of Gastroenterology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China.
Liangjun Yang *Department of Gastroenterology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China.
Zheng FangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China.
Jiabin ChenDepartment of Oncology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China.
Yeqian WuGraduate School, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China.
Haiyan LiuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China.
Shan LiuSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China.
Baoying FeiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, P.R. China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a substantial global health challenge, with current treatments often leading to relapse and metastasis. Curcumin, a natural compound derived from turmeric, has shown promise in cancer therapy; however, its mechanisms in CRC are not fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role of curcumin in inducing pyroptosis, a form of inflammatory cell death, through caspase‑1 activation in CRC cells. Human CRC cell lines (HCT‑116 and SW480) and normal colon epithelial cells (FHC) were treated with curcumin at varying concentrations. Cell viability, migration and invasion were assessed using Cell Counting Kit‑8, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Pyroptosis was evaluated through lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, TUNEL staining and western blot analysis of pyroptosis‑related proteins (caspase‑1, gasdermin D, nucleotide‑binding oligomerization domain‑like receptor protein 3, IL‑1β and IL‑18). The role of caspase‑1 was further examined using the inhibitor VX‑765. Curcumin significantly reduced CRC cell viability, migration and invasion in a dose‑dependent manner. In addition, it induced pyroptosis, as evidenced by cell membrane swelling, increased LDH release and upregulation of pyroptosis‑related proteins. Inhibition of caspase‑1 with VX‑765 attenuated these effects, confirming the role of caspase‑1 in curcumin‑induced pyroptosis. In conclusion, curcumin may exert anti‑CRC effects by inducing caspase‑1‑mediated pyroptosis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent. These findings suggest that curcumin could be integrated into current CRC treatment strategies, particularly in targeting pyroptosis to enhance tumor suppression.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsCaspase 1Colorectal NeoplasmsCurcuminPyroptosisCell Line, TumorCell MovementCell SurvivalEnzyme ActivationGasderminsHCT116 CellsHumansInterleukin-18Interleukin-1betaNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Proteinpara-AminobenzoatesAntineoplastic AgentsCaspase 1CurcuminGasderminsGSDMD protein, humanGSDME protein, humanInterleukin-18Interleukin-1betaNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Proteinpara-AminobenzoatesPhosphate-Binding Proteinscaspase‑1CRCcurcuminpyroptosis

Identifiers

PMID40999987
PMCPMC12498313

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.