Unusual nanoparticles put an end to one of the most dangerous types of cancer.

Neuroblastoma is an insidious form of the nervous system cancer, which affects children more often than other types of cancer. Its resistant types are not susceptible to even radiotherapy, as Eurek Alert notes.
The University of Florida began searching of an effective medicine.
Their attention was attracted by curcumin, a compound in turmeric (spice).
It was already known that it had anti-cancer features. However, curcumin is poorly soluble and unstable. Therefore, scientists focused of developing a method of curcumin handling to cancer cellules. They used curcumin-coated nanoparticles.
The elements are processed of cerium oxide and coated with polysaccharide dextran. These elements were tested on the cellule lines of neuroblastoma. The experiments included tests with particularly resistant cancer cellules. And in all cases, nanoparticles caused the death of cancer cellules, while practically not producing a toxic effect on healthy cellules.

Source: Eurek Alert