Bioavailability of a Sustained Release Formulation of Curcumin.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Nutraceuticals
• Bioavailability and Formulation Science

Background:

• Curcumin exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.
• Poor oral bioavailability necessitates high doses, leading to side effects and poor compliance.
• Advanced formulations aim to improve curcumin's therapeutic efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the relative bioavailability of MicroActive Curcumin, a sustained-release micronized formulation, against unformulated curcumin powder.
• To assess the tolerability and accumulation of the novel curcumin formulation.

Main Methods:

• Dissolution studies comparing solubility of formulated and unformulated curcumin.
• Single-dose, 12-hour crossover uptake study in 10 healthy volunteers.
• High-dose tolerability and accumulation study in 3 participants.

Main Results:

• Sustained-release curcumin demonstrated significantly greater dissolution over 12 hours.
• MicroActive Curcumin was 9.7 times more bioavailable than unformulated curcumin (P < .001).
• The formulation was well-tolerated, with no adverse effects reported in high-dose studies.

Conclusions:

• Formulating micronized curcumin in a sustained-release matrix significantly improves its absorption.
• The unique plasma demethylated curcuminoid profile may enhance therapeutic effects.
• MicroActive Curcumin offers a well-tolerated, highly bioavailable option for curcumin supplementation.