Plant Part Used

CurQnetic™ is an enriched Curcumin extract (95%) from Turmeric root.

Traditional Use

Curcumin is derived from Turmeric, a spice widely used in Indian cooking. Turmeric gives curries their yellow color and distinctive mustard-like taste. In addition to it culinary uses, Turmeric is used in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine system of India, for wound healing and to support liver, joint, and respiratory health.*¹Jacob CV, et al. Bioavailability and activity of a Curcumin formulation CurQnetic™. Unpublished paper.

Phytochemistry

Curcumin is one of three constituents contained within Turmeric called Curcuminoids. The other two are Demethoxycurcumin and Bisdemethoxycurcumin. The most active of all three Curcuminoids, Curcumin gives Turmeric its yellow color and is responsible for most of its therapeutic effects.

Pharmacology

Standard Curcumin has extremely low bioavailability; it is both poorly absorbed and distributed through the body. What little Curcumin is absorbed becomes quickly excreted through a process called glucuronidation. This process happens when glucuronic acid is added to a substance, which aids its swift elimination from the body.

CurQnetic™ solves the bioavailability problem by combining Curcumin with vanillin from vanilla and gingerols from ginger. Because these compounds are structurally similar to Curcumin, they help it bypass the glucuronidation process. A bioavailability study in rats showed that CurQnetic™ had 8 times the absorption of standard Curcumin and stayed in the body 6 times longer — a full 24 hours.

Indications

• Encourages a healthy response to inflammation*
• Supports the health of colon and pancreas cells*
• Improves antioxidant status*
• Protects cellular DNA from free radical damage*
• Helps maintain cholesterol levels already within a healthy range*
• Helps maintain the health and integrity of the intestinal lining*
• Supports joint comfort and promotes joint function*

Research

Inflammation Response

Multiple double-blind human clinical studies have shown that Curcumin promotes a healthy inflammation response.*²Chainani-Wu N, et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2012 May;66(5):752-60.³Khajehdhl P, et al. J Ren Nutr. 2012 Jan;22(1):50-7. Research on CurQnetic™ in rats showed a significant effect in less than 3 hours.*⁴Jacob CV, et al. Bioavailability and activity of a Curcumin formulation CurQnetic™. Unpublished paper.

Colon Health

Human research indicates Curcumin supports the health of colon cells by upregulating P53 expression.*⁵He ZY, et al. Cancer Invest. 2011 Mar;29(3):208-13. Research on CurQnetic™ in mice suggests the ingredient’s increased bioavailability enhances its protective effect on colon cells.*⁶Jacob CV, et al. Bioavailability and activity of a Curcumin formulation CurQnetic™. Unpublished paper.

Antioxidant Protection

Curcumin has potent antioxidant activity, increasing several important antioxidant enzymes, some by as much as 40%.*⁷DiSilvestro RA, et al. Nutr J. 2012 Sep 26;11:79.⁸Kalpravidh RW, et al. Clin Biochem. 2010 Mar;43(4-5):424-9. In one study of an Indian community drinking groundwater tainted by arsenic, supplementation with Curcumin over three months helped maintain the integrity of DNA.*⁹Biswas J, et al. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2010 Jun;29(6):513-24.

Blood Lipid Balance

Human research in susceptible populations suggests Curcumin may help maintain LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides already within healthy limits.*¹⁰Alwi I, et al. Acta Med Indones. 2008 Oct;40(4):201-10.¹¹Adab Z, et al. Phytother Res. 2019 Apr;33(4):1173-1181.¹²Na X, et al. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2013 Sep;57(9):1569-77.

Intestinal Health

One pilot study and a larger, double-blind, placebo-controlled 6-month human clinical trial found Curcumin increased intestinal comfort and protected the structure of the intestinal lining.*¹³Holt PR, Katz S, Kirshoff R. Dig Dis Sci. 2005 Nov;(11):2191-3.¹⁴Hanal H, et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006 Dec;4(12):1502-6.

Joint Health

Curcumin has also been shown effective at supporting joint health, comfort, and function in multiple human clinical trials.*¹⁵Panahi Y, et al. Phytother Res. 2014 Nov;28(11):1625-31.¹⁶Kuptniaratsaikul V, et al. J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Aug;15(8):891-7.¹⁷Madhu K, Chandra K, Saji MJ. Inflammopharamacology. 2013 Apr;21(12):129-36.¹⁸Nakagawa Y, et al. J Orthrop Sci. 2014 Nov;19(6):933-9. One study found a decrease in C-reactive protein in a subgroup with high baseline levels.*¹⁹Belcaro G, et al. Panminerva Med. 2010 Jun;52(2Suppl 1):55-62.

Mechanism of Action

When Curcumin is successfully absorbed and retained, it promotes a healthy inflammation response by modulating the synthesis of eicosanoids (signaling molecules), as well as the activity of transcription factor NF-kB.* It also increases the body’s production of endogenous antioxidants.*

Dosage

Human studies of Curcumin have used doses ranging from 45 mg to 6 g per day.

Safety

Curcumin is derived from Turmeric, a spice that has been widely and safely consumed throughout Asia for thousands of years. Human safety studies indicate it is non-toxic, even at very high doses (up to 12 grams a day). However, doses of 3.6 grams of Turmeric daily may cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort.²⁰Lao CD, et al. BMC Complement Alter Med. 2006;6:10.²¹Sharma RA, et al. Clin Cancer Res. 2004;10(20):6847-54.