ADVERTORIAL
The unfolding story of curcumin bioavailability
by Samuel Peters | BHSc ( Naturopathy )
Curcumin is one of the most widely researched herbal medicines and has demonstrated therapeutic benefits for a broad range of conditions . However , the major assumed obstacle for the clinical application of curcumin is poor bioavailability . Low aqueous solubility , poor absorption , and rapid metabolism and elimination are the three primary causes of this . 1 Low oral bioavailability is evidenced in clinical trials showing negligible or undetectable serum plasma curcumin levels after oral consumption . 2 , 3 Various formulations and delivery systems have been developed to enhance the stability and bioavailability of curcumin . These include the use of adjuvants such as piperine , curcumin nanoparticles , curcumin phospholipid complexes , and the use of structural analogues of curcumin such as turmeric oil . 4 , 5
Serum curcumin levels do not predict clinical outcomes
A significant focus within the existing body of turmeric research has been on measuring serum plasma curcumin levels due to the known poor bioavailability . Many industry initiatives focus on bioavailability over efficacy , claiming an increase in plasma curcuminoid concentrations indicates superior efficacy , and numerous technologies have been employed to bypass gastrointestinal metabolism and increase delivery of curcumin to the tissues . Despite this focus , numerous studies utilising concentrated curcuminoid extracts ( including Curcumin C3 Complex ®) have found clinical benefits and positive effects on relevant disease biomarkers at doses deemed insufficient to impact plasma curcumin levels . Based on this emerging clinical data , the efficacy of curcumin may not be entirely due to the parent molecule but may be in part due to its metabolites and degradation products , as well as the other primary curcuminoids . 6 . 7
It is also likely that a significant proportion of curcumin ’ s clinical efficacy arises from its action within the gastrointestinal tract , which elicits beneficial effects in peripheral body systems . 3
to both delivery mechanisms , dosage and raw material . Curcumin C3 Complex ® is a highly purified extract of turmeric with demonstrated biological activity in over 100 published studies . It is standardised to a specific compositional ratio of the three primary curcuminoids : curcumin ( 75-81 %), bisdemethoxycurcumin ( 2.2-6.5 %) and demethoxycurcumin ( 15-19 %). The clinical efficacy of curcumin is thought to be enhanced when administered with the primary curcuminoids , bisdemethoxycurcumin and demethoxycurcumin , exerting a synergistic effect . These curcumin analogs are more stable in physiological conditions , and some research indicates that they display increased potency and antineoplastic activity compared with curcumin . 8 Bisdemethoxycurcumin , in particular , has been shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory , antioxidant , and anti-cancer properties . 8-10 From a clinical perspective , when selecting a curcumin extract , it is therefore important to choose a curcumin preparation which maximally increases these curcuminoids .
Clinical Data
A comparison between clinically relevant doses of Curcumin C3 Complex ® and a commercially available bioavailability enhanced curcumin material demonstrated that there are significant pharmacokinetic differences between the two formulations . 11 While serum curcumin concentrations reached similar levels between the two interventions , the level of other primary curcuminoids were significantly higher in the Curcumin C3 Complex ® group .
This advertisement Curcumin is quality available determines only to ATMS clinical superiority
The clinical efficacy of curcumin relates Accredited Members in accordance with the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code .
Furthermore , gastrointestinal tissue concentrations of the three primary curcuminoids were significantly higher after supplementation with Curcumin C3 Complex ®. Therefore , considering the important therapeutic role of curcumin in the GIT , Curcumin C3 Complex ® has the advantage of not only maximally enhancing GIT curcuminoid concentration but also demonstrates superior systemic bioavailability compared with the bioavailability enhanced preparation .
Clinical summary
Various turmeric preparations on the market typically have shrinking doses of curcumin , based on a higher amount of presumed bioavailability . The available evidence indicates that high quality curcumin extracts such a curcumin C3 Complex ® when given at appropriate doses , maximally increases both serum and gastrointestinal tissue concentrations , which facilitates optimal clinical outcomes .
References available on request
Disclaimer : The views and opinions expressed in these advertorials are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ATMS or its Directors .
236 | vol28 | no4 | JATMS