Fig 10(a) : Comparative chemopreventive effects of carotenoids, curcumin and THC against colon cancer (formation of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in mice¹²

Figure 10(b): Comparative chemopreventive effects of carotenoids, curcumin and THC against colon cancer (formation of aberrant crypts (ACs)) in mice¹²

Figure 11: Comparative chemopreventive effects of carotenoids, curcumin and THC against colon cancer (5-bromo-2 2-deoxyuridine incorporation, average of 500 crypts ) in mice¹²

The findings from laboratory experiments that THC is more stable than curcumin in buffer solutions of physiological pH (pH 7.2) and basic pH, as well as in plasma are significant². The authors of this study concluded that this suggests that derivatives such as glucuronated curcumin and THC serve as bioavailable forms of curcumin in vivo. Thus, the biotransformation of curcumin to THC and the stability of THC play important roles in the biological effects of curcumin in the body. THC therefore functions as an efficient antioxidant in biological systems.