Bioavailability of Curcumin: Problems and Promises

Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 2007 papers

Abstract

Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from dietary spice turmeric, possesses diverse pharmacologic effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities. Phase I clinical trials have shown that curcumin is safe even at high doses (12 g/day) in humans but exhibit poor bioavailability. Major reasons contributing to the low plasma and tissue levels of curcumin appear to be due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid systemic elimination. To improve the bioavailability of curcumin, numerous approaches have been undertaken. These approaches involve, first, the use of adjuvant like piperine that interferes with glucuronidation; second, the use of liposomal curcumin; third, curcumin nanoparticles; fourth, the use of curcumin phospholipid complex; and fifth, the use of structural analogues of curcumin (e.g., EF-24). The latter has been reported to have a rapid absorption with a peak plasma half-life. Despite the lower bioavailability, therapeutic efficacy of curcumin against various human diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, arthritis, neurological diseases and Crohn's disease, has been documented. Enhanced bioavailability of curcumin in the near future is likely to bring this promising natural product to the forefront of therapeutic agents for treatment of human disease.

Related Papers

• → Effect of interfacial composition on uptake of curcumin–piperine mixtures in oil in water emulsions by Caco-2 cells(2014)41 cited
• → Methods Used for Enhancing the Bioavailability of Oral Curcumin in Randomized Controlled Trials: A Meta-Research Study(2022)17 cited
• → A Unifying Perspective in Blunting the Limited Oral Bioavailability of Curcumin: A Succinct Look(2022)10 cited
• → Spectroscopic studies on the molecular interactions of curcumin and piperine(2020)8 cited
• Formulation Development Of Curcumin-Piperine Solid Dispersion Via Hot-Melt Extrusion To Enhance Solubility And Bioavailability Of Curcumin(2020)