Aims:　Glycolytic　enzymes　are　always　greatly　increased　in　cancer　cells.　Whether　metabolic　reprogramming　is　involved　in　curcumin-mediated　inhibition　of　cancer　cell　growth　is　unknown.　Main　methods:　In　this　study,　cell　viability　was　assayed　with　MTS　analysis;　cell　cycle　was　measured　with　flow　cytometry　analysis.　RT-PCR　and　western　blotting　were　used　to　analyse　the　mRNA　and　protein　expression,　respectively.　Key　findings:　Here　we　demonstrated　that　curcumin　inhibited　cancer　cell　growth,　especially　for　Ec109　cells.　Curcumin　induced　cell　cycle　arrest　at　G2/M　phase.　Curcumin　caused　a　significant　down-regulation　of　glycolytic　enzymes　expressions　in　a　dose-dependent　manner.　Our　results　further　indicated　that　the　AMPK　was　required　for　curcumin-mediated　down-regulation　of　glycolytic　enzymes.　AMPK-mediated　down-regulation　of　glycolytic　enzymes　blocked　Ec109　cell　growth.　Significance:　Taken　together,　our　results　revealed　that　the　AMPK-mediated　metabolic　switch　plays　an　important　role　in　esophageal　cancer　cell　growth.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.