A recent study has found that a proprietary water-dispersible turmeric extract has increased pharmacokinetics effects compared to standardized 95% turmeric extracts.
Nutriventia’s branded turmeric extract TurmXTRA 60N was the subject of the new study, published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
Overcoming poor absorption
Turmeric and its active constituent curcumin are poorly absorbed by the body due to curcumin dissolving in fat rather than in water. Because the digestive system is a liquid environment, most of it just ends up being excreted by the body. This poor bioavailability has presented a major challenge to curcumin's clinical efficacy. As a result, formulators have been working to develop curcumin formulations with greater bioavailability and systemic tissue distribution.
“Turmeric is inherently challenging to process, and its therapeutic utility is limited due to the inherent low bioavailability of its active constituents, curcuminoids making efficacious doses extremely large, between 1500mg-1800mg,” said Anand Godbole, assistant vice president of marketing and strategy for Nutriventia.
The study
The randomized, two way crossover, single oral dose, comparative pharmacokinetic study evaluated and compared the pharmacokinetic characteristics of TurmXTRA 60N and standard 95% turmeric extract.
One capsule of TurmXTRA 60N (150 mg curcuminoids) was compared to three capsules of STE95 (500 mg curcuminoids each) in 14 healthy subjects.
Results
The research found that 250mg of TurmXTRA presented the same level of curcuminoids in plasma as compared to the 1575mg of turmeric extract standardized to 95%.
The results suggest that 250mg of TurmXTRA could be bioequivalent to a 1575mg of standardized 95% curcuminoid turmeric extract.
Other key findings
Godbole explained that the research found that while peak plasma levels of free curcumin, total curcuminoids, tetrahydrocurcumin, and demethoxycurcumin were comparable, the maximum serum concentration of total curcumin was higher for TurmXTRA 60N. Additionally, the mean observed exposure was higher for free curcumin with TurmXTRA 60N than with the standard 95% turmeric extract.
The researchers concluded that data showed TurmXTRA 60N has an optimized higher absorption and comparable exposure for free curcumin, total curcumin, and total curcuminoids from a significantly lower dose (10-fold lower) of curcuminoids than turmeric extract standardized to 95%.
“This study is enlightening in that it demonstrates a priority attribute for consumers, that the active compounds are more efficiently available in the body apart from the enhanced convenience of a reduced dose—one pill in place of the three for an efficacious dose,” said Godbole. “As there are many turmeric supplements and functional foods and beverages touting curcuminoid benefits, those containing TurmXTRA 60N can be expected to deliver on label
claims at a substantially lower dose.”
This research marks the second study for TurmXTRA. Earlier this year Nutriventia announced a clinical trial that touted the benefits of TurmXTRA 60N for joint support.
Source: Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
2021 Apr 27;73(6):816-823. doi: 10.1093/jpp/rgab028
“Comparative bioavailability of curcuminoids from a water-dispersible high curcuminoid turmeric extract against a generic turmeric extract: a randomized, cross-over, comparative, pharmacokinetic study”
Authors: S. Thanawala et al.