Curcumin

About Curcumin

Curcumin is the principal curcuminoid of turmeric, the dried rhizome of Curcuma longa, and is responsible for the bright yellow color of the spice. Chemically it is a diarylheptanoid, and it is used as a food coloring under the code E100. Turmeric has a long history in Ayurvedic medicine and South Asian cooking. In laboratory studies curcumin shows anti inflammatory and antioxidant activity, interacting with signaling molecules such as NF kappa B, COX 2 and TNF alpha, and it has been studied in animal models of cancer, Alzheimer disease and arthritis. Results from human trials are mixed, largely because curcumin has very poor oral bioavailability: it is poorly absorbed, rapidly conjugated by glucuronidation and sulfation in the gut wall and liver, and quickly eliminated. Piperine from black pepper inhibits this conjugation and raises blood levels, as do various specialized formulations. Curcumin has been studied for osteoarthritis pain, depression and endothelial function, with modest and inconsistent findings.