What is curcumin?

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    Last Updated: March 26, 2024

    Curcuma longa is a flowering plant of the ginger family best known as turmeric, a spice used in curry. It is a polyphenol with anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to increase the amount of antioxidants that the body produces.[1]

    Curcumin and the curcuminoids found in turmeric can be extracted to produce supplements that have a much higher potency than turmeric. However, orally ingested curcumin is poorly absorbed during digestion,[2][3] so a variety of different formulations have been created to improve its bioavailability.[4][5][6][7]

    References

    1. ^Hewlings SJ, Kalman DSCurcumin: A Review of Its' Effects on Human HealthFoods.(2017 Oct 22)
    2. ^Anand P, Kunnumakkara AB, Newman RA, Aggarwal BBBioavailability of curcumin: problems and promisesMol Pharm.(2007 Nov-Dec)
    3. ^Shoba G, Joy D, Joseph T, Majeed M, Rajendran R, Srinivas PSInfluence of piperine on the pharmacokinetics of curcumin in animals and human volunteersPlanta Med.(1998 May)
    4. ^Jamwal RBioavailable curcumin formulations: A review of pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteersJ Integr Med.(2018 Nov)
    5. ^Jäger R, Lowery RP, Calvanese AV, Joy JM, Purpura M, Wilson JMComparative absorption of curcumin formulationsNutr J.(2014 Jan 24)
    6. ^Yallapu MM, Jaggi M, Chauhan SCCurcumin nanoformulations: a future nanomedicine for cancer.Drug Discov Today.(2012-Jan)
    7. ^Yu H, Huang QImproving the oral bioavailability of curcumin using novel organogel-based nanoemulsions.J Agric Food Chem.(2012-May-30)