Synergistic anti-cancer mechanisms of curcumin and paclitaxel for growth inhibition of human brain tumor stem cells and LN18 and U138MG cells

► Chemoresistant human brain tumor stem cells (HBTSC) in brain tumor can be big hitch. ► Together, curcumin (CCM) and paclitaxel (PTX) kill HBTSC and glioblastoma cells. ► Together, CCM and PTX induced morphological and biochemical features of apoptosis. ► Combination therapy adeptly blocked cell invasion, proliferation, and angiogenesis. ► CCM + PTX showed multiple anti-cancer mechanisms in HBTSC and glioblastoma cells.