Curcumin
500 Mg Curcumin with 5 Mg Piperine
Curcumin — Has Biological and Medicinal Properties*
“All evidences accumulated so far clearly indicate that curcumin protects against cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, the major ailments in the West. This natural remedy has also shown preventive as well as therapeutic effects against Alzheimer’s disease, MS, cataract formation, AIDS and drug-induced nonspecific toxicity in the heart, lungs, and kidneys. Further testing of curcumin in humans is underway to confirm these observations. A clinical development plan for using curcumin to treat cancer was recently described by the NCI. Studies also show that in countries such as India, where curcumin is consumed on a regular basis, the profile of cancer incidence is very different to those regions that do not, such as in The West. How curcumin produces its therapeutic effects is not fully understood, but they are probably mediated in part through the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of curcumin. It is quite likely that curcumin mediates its effects through other mechanisms as well. Over a dozen different cellular proteins and enzymes have been identified to which curcumin binds. High- throughput ligand-interacting technology and microarray technology have begun to reveal more molecular targets and genes affected by curcumin.”
This extract is taken from Curcumin — Biological and Medicinal Properties. Authors: – Bharat B. Aggarwal, Indra D. Bhatt, Haruyo Ichikawa, Kwang Seok Ahn, Gautam Sethi, Santosh K. Sandur, Chitra Natarajan, Navindra Seeram, and Shishir Shishodia. July 2006. (With permission)
The following is an extract of an interview with Bharat B. Aggarwal, PhD, who is Professor and chief of the Cytokine Research Section at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where he currently holds the Ransom Horne, Jr., Endowed Professorship in Cancer Research. He has published more than 500 original articles in peer-reviewed journals. It was published ©2009 Natural Medicine Journal 1(4), December 2009.
Q: Is it true that there are absorption issues with curcumin and that the dosage needs to be high to produce a therapeutic affect?
A: I think there is a bit of a misconception regarding the absorption and dosage of curcumin. Remember, curcumin is a dietary agent, not a drug. It should not be tested as a drug because if dosages reach the drug level, it could become toxic. We have found that curcumin is circulated quickly and is taken up by tissues very quickly. Within 10 to 20 minutes it is already in the brain. When it is tested as a drug, researchers are looking for curcumin in serum but they don’t find it because it has already been taken up by tissues. In 2008, Marczylo and colleagues demonstrated that very little curcumin was found in plasma and urine in rats after they were given curcumin; however, curcumin was found in intestinal mucosa, as well as liver, kidney, and heart tissue.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins reported that as little as 500 mg of curcumin per day resulted in a 60 percent reduction in polyps, whereas Celebrex at the same dose, which is very cardiotoxic, only resulted in less than 30 percent reduction in polyps as shown by physicians at M.D. Anderson. If bioavailability were an issue, we would not see these results. We have cancer patients at M.D. Anderson who are just on curcumin. They don’t have to be given chemotherapy or radiation, just curcumin alone, and we are witnessing significant results. There are more than 1,000 patients on curcumin right now at M.D. Anderson. Absorption of curcumin is not as big of an issue as people may think.
Turmeric has been used historically as a component of Indian Ayurvedic medicine since 1900 BC to treat a wide variety of ailments. Now research has identified curcumin as responsible for most of the biological activity of turmeric. In vitro studies have suggested a wide range of potential therapeutic or preventive effects associated with curcumin. Numerous clinical trials in humans are studying the effect of curcumin on various diseases including multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, cancer, psoriasis, and Alzheimer’s disease, among a number of other problems.
The medicinal properties of curcumin obtained from Curcuma longa L. is reported to be the cause of poor bioavailability due to its rapid metabolism in the liver and intestinal wall. In studies, the effect of combining piperine, a known inhibitor of hepatic and intestinal glucuronidation, was evaluated on the bioavailability of curcumin on healthy human volunteers. When curcumin was given alone to these volunteers after a dose of 2 g curcumin alone, serum levels were either undetectable or very low, due to its rapid absorption by the brain and body. Concomitant administration of piperine 20 mg produced much higher concentrations. The increase in bioavailability was 2000%. The study shows that in the dosages used, piperine enhances the serum concentration, extent of absorption and bioavailability of curcumin in humans with no adverse effects.
Studies suggest that curcumin may have anti-tumor, antioxidant, antiarthritic, anti-amyloid, anti-ischemic and anti-inflammatory properties. Anti-inflammatory properties may be due to inhibition of eicosanoid biosynthesis. In addition it may be effective in treating malaria, prevention of cervical cancer, and may interfere with the replication of the HIV virus. In HIV, it appears to act by interfering with P300/CREB-binding protein (CBP). It also prevents liver damage. A 2008 study at Michigan State University showed that low concentrations of curcumin interfere with Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) replication. This effect was shown to be independent of effect on histone acetyltransferase activities of p300/CBP. A previous (1999) study performed at University of Cincinnati indicated that curcumin is significantly associated with protection from infection by HSV-2 in intravaginal infections.
Curcumin acts as a free radical scavenger and antioxidant, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage. Curcuminoids induce glutathione S-transferase and are potent inhibitors of cytochrome P450.
A 2004 UCLA-Veterans Affairs study suggests that curcumin might inhibit the accumulation of destructive beta-amyloid in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients and also break up existing plaques associated with the disease.
There is also circumstantial evidence that curcumin improves mental functions; a survey of 1010 Asian people who ate yellow curry and were between the ages of 60 and 93 showed that those who ate the sauce “once every six months” or more had higher MMSE results than those who did not.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that curcumin, amongst only a few other things such as high impact exercise, learning, bright light, and antidepressant usage, has a positive effect on neurogenesis in the hippocampus and concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), reductions in both of which are associated with stress, depression, and anxiety.
Many pre-clinical studies suggest that curcumin may be useful for the prevention and treatment of several diseases.
The Anticarcinogenic effects of curcumin are being shown on an increasing and almost daily rate!
Its potential anticancer effects stem from its ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells without cytotoxic effects on healthy cells. Curcumin can interfere with the activity of the transcription factor NF-κB, which has been linked to a number of inflammatory diseases such as cancer.
A 2009 study suggests that curcumin may inhibit mTOR complex I via a novel mechanism.
Another 2009 study on curcumin effects on cancer states that curcumin “modulates growth of tumor cells through regulation of multiple cell signaling pathways including cell proliferation pathway (cyclin D1, c-myc), cell survival pathway (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, cFLIP, XIAP, c-IAP1), caspase activation pathway (caspase-8, 3, 9), tumor suppressor pathway death receptor pathway (DR4, DR5), mitochondrial pathways, and protein kinase pathway (JNK, Akt, and AMPK)”.
Curcumin has recently been shown to have phyto-estrogenic activity that might contribute to anti-breast cancer activity. In the murine model of breast cancer metastasis, Curcumin inhibits the formation of lung metastases probably through the NF-kappa-B dependent regulation of pro-tumorigenic inflammatory cytokines.
We at Home Cures have had experience of our Curcumin + Piperine being effective, in conjunction with Serrapeptase, in the control of fibromyalgia, also known as MS or ME.
Available in 50, 100 or 200 capsules.
Suggested Intake: – Therpeutic: 900 – 1800 mg per day. Clinical tests have used 2,600 mg per day. Home Cures recommends that you start low, perhaps 1 or 2 capsules a day, to acclimatise to the Curcumin + Piperine, for the first week or so. When you are happy with this intake, the quantity may be raised as required. Do not exceed the recommended dose.
Curcumin + Piperine is not suitable for people who suffer from gallstones, blocked bile ducts, or who take blood thinning medication. Please consult your medical practitioner in such cases prior to taking Curcumin+.
* Independent research extracts published with permission.
John Osborne is a self-trained Naturopath with over 35 years of experience. Of an engineering formation, he looks at the root causes of people’s problems to discover the “why” rather than the “visible”. Using all forms of a natural approach, John includes phototherapy, homeopathy and aromatherapy among the means of aiding people to find a solution to their problems. John is not a doctor, so cannot diagnose, but works with the leading authorities in the world on the natural ways to cure serious illness.. His advice is given free and he is readily contactable via his website Remede Naturel.
