Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat cancers such as testicular, ovarian, and bladder cancer. While effective, it is known for several side effects, including peripheral neuropathy, which can cause numbness, tingling, and reduced nerve function.
Curcumin—the primary active compound in turmeric—has shown neuroprotective properties in earlier laboratory studies. To explore these effects further, researchers conducted a rat study published in Experimental Neurobiology (2015 Jun;24(2):139–145).
Study Overview
-
Rats received cisplatin injections (2 mg/kg) twice weekly for five weeks.
-
They were divided into two groups:
-
Curcumin group: received 200 mg/kg per day of curcumin
-
Control group: no curcumin
-
Findings
Rats given curcumin showed:
-
Less peripheral neuropathy
-
Better sciatic nerve conduction
-
Less neuronal atrophy in the L4 dorsal root ganglia
These results suggest that curcumin may help reduce nerve damage from cisplatin—but only in animal models. More research, including human clinical trials, is needed before drawing any conclusions about curcumin’s role in people undergoing chemotherapy.
