Bacteria in Turmeric Roots Found to Have Strong Anti-Cancer Potential
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- BRIN and UGM researchers have discovered anti-cancer-producing bacteria in turmeric soil, which show potent effects against breast cancer cells with minimal toxicity.
- A team from BRIN found actinomycetes bacteria around turmeric roots capable of producing anti-cancer compounds, offering a promising alternative for natural drug development.
- Indonesian scientists report a breakthrough discovery of beneficial microbes in turmeric soil that display strong potential as future anti-cancer medicines.
A research team from the Center for Research on Medicinal Raw Materials and Traditional Medicines at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has discovered actinomycetes bacteria living in the rhizosphere—the soil surrounding the roots—of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.).
These bacteria have shown the potential to produce anti-cancer compounds effective against breast cancer cells, displaying remarkably low toxicity to normal cells.
Aniska Novita Sari, representing the research team, revealed that in vitro tests demonstrated one isolate, TC-ARCL7, exhibited exceptionally strong anti-cancer activity with an IC50 value of just 0.2 µg/ml—significantly lower than those of common chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin, pure curcumin, or ethanol extracts of turmeric.
“This finding shows that anti-cancer potential does not always originate directly from medicinal plants themselves. Microbes living around them may also possess similar bioactive properties, offering new opportunities for further drug development,” Aniska said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.
The researcher added that the isolate also demonstrated very low toxicity toward normal cells (Vero), suggesting a high selectivity index.
Aniska explained that the study is in its early stages, with a long path ahead. She and her team are committed to continuing the research, including purification of active compounds, optimization of metabolite production, and preclinical testing before developing these microbial derivatives as safe and effective anti-cancer drug candidates for public benefit.
“This approach could become an alternative in developing natural-based medicines that are both cost-efficient and sustainable in production,” she said.
The discovery is a result of a collaborative study between BRIN researchers and the Faculty of Biology at Gadjah Mada University (UGM). The research team successfully isolated seven actinomycetes strains from turmeric plantation soil in Karanganyar, Central Java, and tested their anti-cancer potential in vitro against T47D breast cancer cells.
The findings were published in the Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, Vol. 15 No. 3 (DOI: 10.7324/JAPS.2025.218990).
Indonesianpost.com | Antara
