Adiponectin levels in myeloma patients after curcumin supplementation: A randomized clinical pilot study

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by reduced circulating adiponectin levels, a condition associated with various diseases such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and plasma dyscrasias. Curcumin has been shown to inhibit adipogenesis and elevate serum adiponectin levels. Notably, limited studies investigating the relationship between adiponectin levels and curcumin supplementation in myeloma patients. This study is to evaluate the efficacy curcumin supplements on increasing the levels of adiponectin in myeloma patients.

Patients with myeloma were randomly to melphalan, prednisone, curcumin (MPC) (n=17) and melphalan with prednisone (MP) (n=16) groups. The MPC group was treated by melphalan 4 mg/m² and prednisone 40 mg/m² for 7 days (MP), and curcumin 8 grams daily for 28 days. The MP group received MP and placebo. Subjects were followed-up every 28 days and a total of four treatment cycles. Hemoglobin, albumin, white blood cell (WBC), platelets, urea, creatinine, calcium, protein M, and adiponectin evaluated before and after treatment. Mann Whitney test or the Independent T-test were used to analysis.

Total subject (24 subjects) completed the treatment. Serum adiponectin levels after four treatment cycles in the MPC group were higher than in the MP group [(mean, 12227.1±5748.3) vs (11365.4±9175.5), P = 0.78].

Supplementing MP regimen with 8000 mg curcumin daily for 28 days increases the serum adiponectin level after four treatment cycles in myeloma patients. This research found that myeloma patients may benefit by taking curcumin supplementation.