Health benefit, which medical conditions can curcumin help?
Many human trials are needed before we can know with certainty how to best use curcumin in medicine. But one thing is certain: most doctors are not aware of the potential medicinal benefits of curcumin and turmeric. There is ongoing research regarding the role of this herbal extract for its use in Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, inflammatory conditions, and several types of cancer. One concern is that it is poorly absorbed and most of it stays in the gastrointestinal tract which makes it ideal as a treatment for GI conditions. Some claim that absorption into the bloodstream is improved significantly when this supplement is used in combination with a black pepper extract called piperine, also known by the brand name Bioperine. I am awaiting results of further studies to determine if these claims are true.

Advance Physician Formulas, Curcumin Turmeric, 500 mg, 60 Capsules
Buy Curcumin and Turmeric supplement, 500 mg each pill
Joint Power Rx for healthy joints as we age
Curcumin extract is one of the major antioxidant extracts found in the spice turmeric. Through its antioxidant mechanisms, it supports colon health, exert neuroprotective activity and help maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.
Because joint pain is so debilitating, glucosamine and chondroitin alone are not enough. This powerful formula has glucosamine sulfate (from shellfish), chondroitin sulfate, MSM, CMO complex, boswellia serrata extract, turmeric and curcumin, cat's claw extract, devil's claw extract, grape seed extract, and sea cucumber.

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Buy Curcumin / turmeric supplement and/or Joint Power Rx

Dosage, how much to take: Depending on the medical reason, one can take one capsule a few times a week or up to 6 capsules a day as long as your health care provider is aware you are taking a large dose.
Q. Is this product enteric coated?
   A. It is not. I have have not yet seen human studies that compare the effectiveness of enteric coated to regular gelatin capsules. If those selling enteric coated pills have such studies, I  would be glad to review them.

Benefits, medical uses

Allergic rhinitis
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016. Effect of curcumin on nasal symptoms and airflow in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. This pilot study provides evidence of curcumin of improving nasal airflow and modulating immune response in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Alzheimer's disease benefit, reducing plaque, reducing the risk for cognitive decline
Curry, curcumin, and turmeric may be helpful in Alzheimer's disease.

In laboratory studies, curcumin inhibits amyloid formation. Amyloids are insoluble fibrous protein aggregates that clump in the brain cells of Alzheimer's patients. Whether such supplements help reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's disease or help improve this condition is not known at this time.

Advances in Nutrition 2018. Can Curcumin Counteract Cognitive Decline? Clinical Trial Evidence and Rationale for Combining ω-3 Fatty Acids with Curcumin. Several animal and epidemiologic studies on the effect of curcumin supplementation on cognition show promising results but the research is still too early.

Curcumin structure-function, bioavailability, and efficacy in models of neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's disease.
J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2008.
We examined the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or anti-amyloidogenic effects of dietary curcumin and tetrahydrocurcumin, either administered chronically to aged  mice or acutely to lipopolysaccharide-injected wild-type mice. Despite dramatically higher drug plasma levels after tetrahydrocurcumin compared with curcumin gavage, resulting brain levels of parent compounds were similar. Only curcumin was effective in reducing amyloid plaque burden, insoluble beta-amyloid peptide, and carbonyls.

Curcumin inhibits formation of Abeta oligomers and fibrils and binds plaques and reduces amyloid in vivo.
J Biol Chemistry. 2004.
Our data suggest that low dose curcumin effectively disaggregates as well as prevents fibril and oligomer formation, supporting the rationale for its use in clinical trials preventing or treating Alzheimer's disease.

Anti-inflammatory, works to reduce inflammation in the body
Curcumin prevents interleukins from promoting inflammation.

Q. I found the following quote on your site: "Curcumin prevents interleukins from promoting inflammation.” Does this mean that curcumin does not actually lower cytokines in the blood but, instead, that levels of cytokines remain high but are just prevented from binding/causing inflammation? I would like to think that blood levels of cytokines are actually reduced, as my Il-1b are >88 fold over normal and I have horrific joint pain that I’m trying to naturally treat. But This quote sounds as if curcumin acts in the manner that antihistamines do (eg., antihistamines do not reduce histamines but simply prevent them from binding to receptors). Is it true that curcumin is not absorbable (and thus nearly useless) without black pepper? All the studies I’ve seen seem to indicate this. Does curcumin increase histamine or serotonin (or any of their precursors)? My levels of these are already high, so I cannot take anything that would increase these. Can curcumin cause diuresis? Some supplements that I took caused diuresis so badly that my electrolytes were imbalanced and it affected my heart.
   A. I still need to see several more years of research on the exact way that curcumin acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. The inflammatory process is very complicated and I still do not have a full understanding on how this natural supplement influences all the chemical inflammatory factors in the body. I do not think black pepper is necessary for it to absorb or function.

Arsenic damage to DNA, reversal
Curcumin protects DNA damage in a chronically arsenic-exposed population of West Bengal.
Hum Exp Toxicol. 2010.
Groundwater arsenic contamination has been a health hazard for West Bengal, India. Oxidative stress to DNA is recognized as an underlying mechanism of arsenic carcinogenicity. This field trial in Chakdah block of West Bengal evaluated the role of curcumin against the genotoxic effects of arsenic induced oxidative stress. Antioxidant enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and non-enzymatic glutathione were analyzed. The blood samples of the endemic regions showed severe DNA damage with increased levels of ROS and lipid peroxidation. The antioxidants were found with depleted activity. Three months curcumin intervention reduced the DNA damage, retarded ROS generation and lipid peroxidation and raised the level of antioxidant activity.

Colon polyposis
Combination treatment with curcumin and quercetin of adenomas in familial adenomatous polyposis.
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006.
Familialadenomatous polyposis is an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by the development of hundreds of colorectal adenomas and eventual colorectal cancer. Regression of adenomas in this syndrome occurs with the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, but these compounds can have considerable side effects. Five familialadenomatous polyposis patients with prior colectomy (4 with retained rectum and 1 with an ileal anal pouch) received curcumin 480 mg and quercetin 20 mg orally 3 times a day. All 5 patients had a decreased polyp number and size from baseline after a mean of 6 months of treatment with this combination.

Cancer prevention or treatment
Curcumin has the capacity of interact with multiple molecular targets affecting the many processes in cancer formation. Curcumin, in mice, interferes with the spread of breast cancer tumor cells to the lungs. Administration suppressed two proteins that tumor cells use to keep themselves immortal. Studies evaluating the role of curcumin and cancer continue to advance at a fast rate.

Curcumin has many beneficial pharmacological effects which includes, but are not limited with, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antiangiogenic, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease, and antidiabetic activities. Most importantly curcumin possesses immense anti tumor effect. It prevents tumor invasion and metastasis in a number of animal models, including models of lung, liver, stomach, colon, breast, esophageal cancer etc.

Curcumin inhibits the STAT3 and NF-κB signaling pathways, which play key-roles in cancer development and progression. Also, inhibition of Sp-1 and its housekeeping gene expressions may serve as an important hypothesis to prevent cancer formation, migration, and invasion. Recent data have suggested that curcumin may act by suppressing the Sp-1 activation and its downstream genes, including ADEM10, calmodulin, EPHB2, HDAC4, and SEPP1 in a concentration-dependent manner in colorectal cancer cell lines; these results are consistent with other studies, which have reported that curcumin could suppress the Sp-1 activity in bladder cancer and could decrease DNA binding activity of Sp-1 in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells.

Nutr Cancer. 2010. Curcumin, the golden spice from Indian saffron, is a chemosensitizer and radiosensitizer for tumors and chemoprotector and radioprotector for normal organs. Curcumin can sensitize tumors to different chemotherapeutic agents including doxorubicin, 5-FU, paclitaxel, vincristine, melphalan, butyrate, cisplatin, celecoxib, vinorelbine, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, etoposide, sulfinosine, thalidomide, and bortezomib. Chemosensitization has been seen in cancers of the breast, colon, pancreas, gastric, liver, blood, lung, prostate, bladder, cervix, ovary, head and neck, and brain and in multiple myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma. This herb can sensitize tumors to gamma radiation including glioma, neuroblastoma, cervical carcinoma, epidermal carcinoma, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. It downregulates various growth regulatory pathways and specific genetic targets including genes for NF-κB, STAT3, COX2, Akt, antiapoptotic proteins, growth factor receptors, and multidrug-resistance proteins.

Q. I have been taking turmeric daily for my osteoarthritis but I keep reading more and more about Curcumin and its benefits. Is it beneficial to just take Curcumin or are there additional benefits to taking turmeric as a whole. I understand that Curcumin is a part of the turmeric plant but now confused which one is more important to take and if one would be better suited for arthritis and/or cancer.
   A. This is a good question. Although curcumin is the main active ingredient that has been studied the most, there may be other substances in turmeric that are helpful for cancer prevention, therefore it may be a good idea to take both.

Brain tumor
Q. My 24 year old son has recently finished radiation with low dose oral chemotherapy (with temador) for a brain tumor. He is currently getting 5 days on and 23 days off of oral Temador. He is also taking curcumin. How many capsules and how often should he take that supplement? Should he continue taking it even while he is not taking the oral chemotherapy?
    A. We really wish we could give an informed opinion, but it is difficult to know how curcumin is influencing the cancer, if any, how many mg would be effective if it does work, what the interaction are with the chemotherapy, etc.... Hardly any human trials are available with curcumin and cancer, so it is extremely difficult to make any suggestions. We truly wish your son a healthy recovery.

Bladder cancer
Curcumin may be of benefit in reducing the risk or improving the prognosis of those with bladder cancer.

Zhong Yao Cai. 2004. The effect of curcumin on bladder cancer cell line EJ in vitro. Curcumin can suppress the growth, induce apoptosis of bladder cancer EJ cell in vitro. Its mechanism is related with down-regulations of the expressions of NF-kappaB and Cyclin D1. Curcumin has great potential for the treatment of bladder cancer.

Oncol Rep. 2006. Induction of G2/M arrest and inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 activity by curcumin in human bladder cancer T24 cells. Our observations suggest that curcumin may have therapeutic potential for bladder cancer patients.

Breast cancer
Curcumin helped stop the spread of breast cancer tumor cells to the lungs of mice. Tests have already started in people, too, said Bharat Aggarwal of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Earlier research showed that curcumin can help prevent tumors from forming in the laboratory. For their study, Bharat Aggarwal injected mice with human breast cancer cells -- a batch of cells grown from a patient whose cancer had spread to the lungs. The resulting tumors were allowed to grow, and then surgically removed, to simulate a mastectomy. Then the mice either got no additional treatment; curcumin alone; the cancer drug paclitaxel, which is sold under the brand name Taxol; or curcumin plus Taxol. Half the mice in the curcumin -only group and 22 percent of those in the curcumin plus Taxol group had evidence of breast cancer that had spread to the lungs. But 75 percent of animals that got Taxol alone and 95 percent of those that got no treatment developed lung tumors. Earlier studies suggest that people who eat diets rich in turmeric have lower rates of breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer.

Colon cancer
Consumption of the putative chemopreventive agent curcumin by cancer patients: assessment of levels in the colorectum and their pharmacodynamic consequences.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005.
Patients with colorectal cancer ingested curcumin capsules (3,600, 1,800, or 450 mg daily) for 7 days. Biopsy samples of normal and malignant colorectal tissue, respectively, were obtained at diagnosis and at 6 to 7 hours after the last dose. Blood was taken 1 hour after the last dose of the herbal extract. The concentrations of curcumin in normal and malignant colorectal tissue of patients receiving 3,600 mg of curcumin were 12 and 7 nmol/ gram, respectively. Curcumin sulfate and glucuronide were identified in the tissue of these patients. Trace levels of curcumin were found in the peripheral circulation. The results suggest that a daily dose of 3.6 g achieves pharmacologically efficacious levels in the colorectum with negligible distribution outside the gut.

Phase I clinical trial of oral curcumin: biomarkers of systemic activity and compliance.
Clin Cancer Res. 2004.
Curcumin exhibits anticancer activity in rodents and in humans. Its efficacy appears to be related to induction of glutathione S-transferase enzymes, inhibition of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE2) production, or suppression of oxidative DNA adduct (M(1)G) formation. Fifteen patients with advanced colorectal cancer refractory to standard chemotherapies consumed capsules compatible with curcumin doses between 0.45 and 3.6 g daily for up to 4 months. Levels of curcumin and its metabolites in plasma, urine, and feces were analyzed. Three biomarkers of the potential activity were translated from preclinical models and measured in patient blood leukocytes: glutathione S-transferase activity, levels of M(1)G, and PGE(2) production induced ex vivo. Dose-limiting toxicity was not observed. A daily dose of 3.6 g engendered 62% decrease in inducible PGE2 production in blood samples taken 1 hour after dose.

Leukemia
Turmeric and green tea: a recipe for the treatment of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Clin Cancer Res. 2009.
Two naturally occurring compounds, curcumin, the active ingredient in the spice turmeric, and the green tea extract epigallocatechin-3-gallate, have marked effects on the apoptotic machinery in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. These results provide a preclinical foundation for future clinical use of these compounds in this disease.

Curcumin inhibits the multiplication of leukemia cells in laboratory studies.

Lichen Planus
Q. I have been attending the dental hospital in Walers U.K. under Prof. Lewis for a Lichenoid infection on my tongue. Dr. Lewis, in desperation, to try and find some relief for my condition which was not responding well to other treatment, had seen your web site on curcumin and asked me to give it a try. I ordered curcumin and I have religiously taken two capsuls a day for three months and I am so pleased with the results. Although the condition has not completely gone, it is 100 times better than it was and Prof. Lewis is really enthused with the results, and has said that I may be one of the first to try such curcumin treatment over here in the U.K.!! You can't imagine how much it means to me to be almost free from pain and able to start eating foods which are acidy and spicy, in moderation. I know that the Lichenoid infection condition has no complete cure, but at least there is hope on the horizon for the many sufferers of this unpleasant condition. Thank you so much, I will continue to take the curcumin capsules long term. Regards. P>S> I don't mind my name being used if you think this is worthy of your website. Judith Pearce.
   A. Thanks! Please keep us updated. Can you tell us the actual name of the skin condition?
      Q. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my email, it was much appreciated, as I know how busy you must be. The medical name for my complaint in Lichen Planus, My tongue is very sore with blisters and lesions which subside at times and other times are very inflamed and extremely sore leaving me virtually unable to eat, or at best a diet of bland sandwiches!! I do find that the curcumin helps very much indeed and I would urge anyone who wants to try it, to do so and persevere over a period of three months to see the best results. I will keep you posted regarding my progress. The other advantage also of the curcumin, is that you can take it long term without having to have a "rest" period once a week. Regards, Judith.
         A. One case history does not prove anything. Curcumin may have been the herb that helped your lichen planus, and we eagerly await other reports from those with lichen planus to see if your response was an isolated case or whether in fact curcumin is helpful for lichen planus. If we do get several reports of such help, then perhaps a dermatologist or researcher may wish to investigate its role in this skin condition.

Testimonial received 2018
Just finished reading your google post on curcumin. I have suffered for years with a rash that has beed identified as lichen planus. No one has been able to offer much in the way of a cure or even to prevent itching. Several years ago I began taking eight tumeric capsules a day. The rash disappeared but did reappear after a time in a different location. I now take a curcumin capsule once a day and even though I have a small area of itchy, scaly rash, it is something I can live with.

Melanoma influence, skin cancer
Curcumin interferes with the growth of melanoma cells. Tests in laboratory dishes show that curcumin made melanoma skin cancer cells more likely to self-destruct in a process known as apoptosis.

Curcumin -induced antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects in melanoma cells are associated with suppression of IkappaB kinase and nuclear factor kappaB activity.

Prostate cancer
Phytoestrogens in common herbs regulate prostate cancer cell growth in vitro.
Nutr Cancer. 2004.
Seven phytoestrogens found in common herbal products were screened for estrogen receptor binding and growth inhibition of androgen-insensitive (PC-3) and androgen-sensitive human prostate tumor cells. In a competitive 3H-estradiol ligand binding assay using mouse uterine cytosol, 2.5 M quercetin, baicalein, genistein, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and curcumin displaced > 85% of estradiol binding, whereas apigenin and resveratrol displaced > 40%. From growth inhibition studies in LNCaP cells, apigenin and curcumin were the most potent inhibitors of cell growth, and EGCG and baicalein were the least potent. In PC-3 cells, curcumin was the most potent inhibitor of cell growth, and EGCG was the least potent. In both cell lines, significant arrest of the cell cycle in S phase was induced by resveratrol and EGCG and in G2M phase by quercetin, baicalein, apigenin, genistein, and curcumin. Induction of apoptosis was induced by all of the 7 compounds in the 2 cell lines.

Eye conditions
Q. Please tell me if you believe turmeric (whose active ingredient is curcumin) is capable of slowing down retinitis pigmentosa.
   A. As of 2015 I have not seen such studies, so I do not know.

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2013. Curcumin, a potential therapeutic candidate for retinal diseases. Curcumin, the major extraction of turmeric, has been widely used in many countries for centuries both as a spice and as a medicine. In the last decade, researchers have found the beneficial effects on multiple disorders are due to its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties, as well as its novel function as an inhibitor of histone aectyltransferases. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made on studying the beneficial effects of curcumin on multiple retinal diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration

Cataract
Antioxidant effect of curcumin in selenium induced cataract of Wistar rats.
Indian J Exp Biol. 2004.
Wistar rat pups treated with curcumin before being administered with selenium showed no opacities in the lens. The lipid peroxidation, xanthine oxidase enzyme levels in the lenses of curcumin and selenium co-treated animals were significantly less when compared to selenium treated animals. Curcumin co-treatment seems to prevent oxidative damage and found to delay the development of cataract.

Hypertension, blood pressure
Is curcumin capable of raising blood pressure and does it have an influence on those who have mild to moderate hypertension?
    We have not seen any studies that would indicate it to raise blood pressure or that it should not be taken by those who have hypertension.

Inflammatory bowel disease
Curcumin therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: a pilot study.
Dig Dis Sci. 2005.
A pure curcumin preparation was administered in an open label study to five patients with ulcerative proctitis and five with Crohn's disease. All proctitis patients improved, with reductions in concomitant medications in four, and four of five Crohn's disease patients had lowered Crohn's disease activity index scores and sedimentation rates.

Kidney health
Renoprotective effect of the antioxidant curcumin: Recent findings. J.Redox Biol. 2013 Sep 17.

Liver health
Drs. A. Baghdasaryan and Michael Trauner of the Gastroenterology and Hepatology division at the Medical University Graz in Austria found that feeding curcumin to mice reduced the types of inflammation that can cause liver cell damage, blockage and scarring. A. Baghdasaryan, Michael Trauner and their team wanted to find out if curcumin could delay the damage caused by progressive inflammatory liver disease, including two conditions called primary sclerosing cholangitis and primary biliary cirrhosis. Both of these conditions, which can be initiated by genetic faults or autoimmune disease, cause the liver's plumbing system of bile ducts to become inflamed, scarred, and blocked. This can lead to major tissue damage and irreversible and ultimately fatal liver cirrhosis. Tissue and blood samples from mice with chronic liver inflammation were tested before and after adding curcumin to their diet for four or eight weeks. The spiced diet significantly reduced bile duct blockage and curbed liver cell damage and scarring by interfering with chemical signalling pathways involved in inflammation.

Curcumin improves sclerosing cholangitis in Mdr2-/- mice by inhibition of cholangiocyte inflammatory response and portal myofibroblast proliferation.
Gut. 2010.

Q. My father has primary amyloidosis and it has affected both his liver as well as the digestive system. Have you known of turmeric and curcumin to improve liver function. I respect the work that you do.
    A. I am not aware yet of the specific effect curcumin capsules have on liver health in humans.

Lupus
Oral Supplementation of Turmeric Decreases Proteinuria, Hematuria, and Systolic Blood Pressure in Patients Suffering from Relapsing or Refractory Lupus Nephritis: A Randomized and Placebo-controlled Study. J Renal Nutrition. 2011.
In this study we investigated effects of oral curcumin supplementation on patients suffering from relapsing or refractory lupus nephritis. With each meal, each patient in the trial group received 1 capsule for 3 months, which contained 500 mg turmeric, of which 22 mg was the active ingredient curcumin (3 capsules daily). The control group received 3 capsules (1 with each meal) for the same period, which contained starch and were identical in color and size to capsules given to patients in the trial group. A significant decrease in proteinuria was found. Also, systolic blood pressure and hematuria were found to decrease significantly. Short-term turmeric supplementation can decrease proteinuria, hematuria, and systolic blood pressure in patients suffering from relapsing or refractory lupus nephritis and can be used as an adjuvant safe therapy for such patients.

Prostate gland and PSA level
Combined inhibitory effects of soy isoflavones and curcumin on the production of prostate-specific antigen.
Prostate. 2010.
Sustained chronic inflammation in the prostate promotes prostate carcinogenesis. Since an elevated level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) per se reflects the presence of inflammation in the prostate, intervention to improve the PSA value might potentially have beneficial effects for the prevention of the development of prostate cancer. Isoflavones and curcumin have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Our results indicated that together they could modulate serum PSA levels. Curcumin presumably synergizes with isoflavones to suppress PSA production in prostate cells through the anti-androgen effects.

Psoriasis
Biochimie. 2016 . Curcumin shows excellent therapeutic effect on psoriasis in mouse model. Curcumin, with high efficacy and safety, has a great potential to treat psoriasis.

Tendonitis
As an anti-inflammatory compound, it may help reduce the pain from tendonitis.

Ulcerative colitis
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015. Curcumin in Combination With Mesalamine Induces Remission in Patients With Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Colitis in a Randomized Controlled Trial. We investigated curcumin in inducing remission in patients with active mild-to-moderate UC. We performed a multicenter randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 50 mesalamine-treated patients with active mild-to-moderate UC who did not respond to an additional 2 weeks of the maximum dose of mesalamine oral and topical therapy. Patients were randomly assigned to groups who were given curcumin capsules 3 g/day or an identical placebo for 1 month, with continued mesalamine. Addition of curcumin to mesalamine therapy was superior to the combination of placebo and mesalamine in inducing clinical and endoscopic remission in patients with mild-to-moderate active UC, producing no apparent adverse effects. Curcumin may be a safe and promising agent for treatment of UC.

Review
Biofactors. Feb 2013. Curcumin, a component of turmeric: from farm to pharmacy. Traditionally, this polyphenol has been used in Asian countries to treat such human ailments as acne, psoriasis, dermatitis, and rash. Recent studies have indicated that curcumin can target newly identified signaling pathways including those associated with microRNA, cancer stem cells, and autophagy. Extensive research from preclinical and clinical studies has delineated the molecular basis for the pharmaceutical uses of this polyphenol against cancer, pulmonary diseases, neurological diseases, liver diseases, metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and numerous other chronic diseases. Multiple studies have indicated the safety and efficacy of curcumin in numerous animals including rodents, monkeys, horses, rabbits, and cats and have provided a solid basis for evaluating its safety and efficacy in humans. To date, more than 65 human clinical trials of curcumin, which included more than 1000 patients, have been completed, and as many as 35 clinical trials are underway. Curcumin is now used as a supplement in several countries including the United States, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, Turkey, South Africa, Nepal, and Pakistan. In this review, we provide evidence for the pharmaceutical uses for various diseases.

Curcumin side effects, toxicity, danger, safety, drug interactions
No apparent curcumin side effects have been reported in the medical literature thus far in humans when reasonable amounts are used. Increased body temperature on high doses may be a possible curcumin side effect on high doses.

Anticancer Res. 2001. Phase I clinical trial of curcumin, a chemopreventive agent, in patients with high-risk or pre-malignant lesions. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) has been demonstrated to inhibit carcinogenesis of murine skin, stomach, intestine and liver. This prospective phase-I study evaluated these issues of curcumin in patients with one of the following five high-risk conditions: 1) recently resected urinary bladder cancer; 2) arsenic Bowen's disease of the skin; 3) uterine cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN); 4) oral leucoplakia; and 5) intestinal metaplasia of the stomach. Curcumin was taken orally for 3 months. Biopsy of the lesion sites was done immediately before and 3 months after starting curcumin treament. The starting dose was 500 mg/day. If no toxicity > or = grade II was noted in at least 3 successive patients, the dose was then escalated to another level in the order of 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, 8,000, and 12,000 mg/day. There was no treatment-related toxicity up to 8,000 mg/day. Beyond 8,000 mg/day, the bulky volume of the drug was unacceptable to the patients. The serum concentration of curcumin usually peaked at 1 to 2 hours after oral intake of crucumin and gradually declined within 12 hours. One of 4 patients with CIN and 1 of 7 patients with oral leucoplakia proceeded to develop frank malignancies in spite of curcumin treatment. In contrast, histologic improvement of precancerous lesions was seen in 1 out of 2 patients with recently resected bladder cancer, 2 out of 7 patients of oral leucoplakia, 1 out of 6 patients of intestinal metaplasia of the stomach, I out of 4 patients with CIN and 2 out of 6 patients with Bowen's disease. This study demonstrated that curcumin is not toxic to humans up to 8,000 mg/day when taken by mouth for 3 months.

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006. Dose escalation of a curcuminoid formulation. A study performed at the University of Michigan showed no curcumin toxicity at doses up to 6 grams.

J Agric Food Chem. 2016. Overdose Intake of Curcumin Initiates the Unbalanced State of Bodies. The 90-day subchronic toxicity of curcumin in rats, its general observation, clinical biochemistry, pathology were evaluated. The results showed that curcumin induced liver injury through the generation of the overexpression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and the decreased the levels of antioxidant enzyme SOD and detoxified enzyme GST. Overdose or long-term intake of curcumin could initiate the unbalanced state of bodies through oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic disorders, which induces liver injury. Intermittent administration of curcumin is necessary in our daily lives.

Q. Can you take Curcumin if you are on blood thinner like aspirin or Plavix, and if so how much can I take if I buy the capsules or use the ground spice. Labels do not say if you are on blood thinners or medicines don't take this or that if so if you are on a low dose of blood thinner please. I am on a lot of medicines but I am trying to make my health better by eating right.
   A. It is difficult to predict, much depends on dosage and your diet and how you react to the dose of the anticoagulant.

Q. Are there any interactions with Curcuma longa and escitalopram, clozapine, amisulpride?
   A. We are not aware of any studies regarding interactions with escitalopram, clozapine, and amisulpride.

Emails
Q. I have been attending the dental hospital in Walers U.K. under Prof. Lewis for a Lichenoid infection on my tongue. Dr. Lewis, in desperation, to try and find some relief for my condition which was not responding well to other treatment, had seen your web site on curcumin and asked me to give it a try. I ordered curcumin and I have religiously taken two capsuls a day for three months and I am so pleased with the results. Although the condition has not completely gone, it is 100 times better than it was and Prof. Lewis is really enthused with the results, and has said that I may be one of the first to try such curcumin treatment over here in the U.K.!! You can't imagine how much it means to me to be almost free from pain and able to start eating foods which are acidy and spicy, in moderation. I know that the Lichenoid infection condition has no complete cure, but at least there is hope on the horizon for the many sufferers of this unpleasant condition. Thank you so much, I will continue to take the curcumin capsules long term. Regards. P>S> I don't mind my name being used if you think this is worthy of your website. Judith Pearce.
   A. Thanks! Please keep us updated. Can you tell us the actual name of the skin condition?
      Q. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my email, it was much appreciated, as I know how busy you must be. The medical name for my complaint in Lichen Planus, My tongue is very sore with blisters and lesions which subside at times and other times are very inflamed and extremely sore leaving me virtually unable to eat, or at best a diet of bland sandwiches!! I do find that the curcumin helps very much indeed and I would urge anyone who wants to try it, to do so and persevere over a period of three months to see the best results. I will keep you posted regarding my progress. The other advantage also of the curcumin, is that you can take it long term without having to have a "rest" period once a week. Regards, Judith.
         A. One case history does not prove anything. Curcumin may have been the herb that helped your lichen planus, and we eagerly await other reports from those with lichen planus to see if your response was an isolated case or whether in fact curcumin is helpful for lichen planus. If we do get several reports of such help, then perhaps a dermatologist or researcher may wish to investigate its role in this skin condition.

Testimonial received 2018
Just finished reading your google post on curcumin. I have suffered for years with a rash that has beed identified as lichen planus. No one has been able to offer much in the way of a cure or even to prevent itching. Several years ago I began taking eight tumeric capsules a day. The rash disappeared but did reappear after a time in a different location. I now take a curcumin capsule once a day and even though I have a small area of itchy, scaly rash, it is something I can live with. I have created a moisturizer by mixing a capsule of astaxanthin in coconut oil to eliminate itching. It would be great to have studies of these treatments.

Would appreciate knowing if there is research information on the effect of curcumin on testosterone in men. Is it known to interfere -by raising, or lowering testosterone? or does it have no effect whatsoever.
    We have not seen any research on the influence of curcumin on testosterone levels.

I've been taking your Curcurmin Turmeric supplement for retinal hemorrhaging due to presumed ocular histoplasmosis, and have had excellent results. Prior to taking it, for over 18 months I was having to have monthly injections of Avastin bevacizumab for fluid and bleeding in my left eye. Since taking the supplement, my retina specialist has stopped the injections, first telling me to come back in two months, and now giving me four months before my next appointment. He told me to keep doing what you are doing. It is wonderful! Just wanted your research department to know.

I saw that you are a vet and have been doing some studies with horses. What is the typical dose for horses and are there any studies I might be able to get a couple of mine into. The last I read for humans was that the top dose given so far was 12g, but I never found any dosage given in any of the equine studies, just the results.
   Actually I am not a veterinarian. I did a Medline search and did not find studies using curcumin in horses.

I have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic and would like to see how this product will affect my blood sugar. I read an article on another site that indicated that if curcumin does not have an enteric coating that the supplement will not be absorbed into the blood stream readily. Does your supplement have an enteric coating? Or is an enteric coating necessary for absorption?
   This product is not enteric coated. We have not seen any studies as of 2016 that such coating enhances absorption.

Can curcumin be an alternative to Plavix since it has these properties, if so how many mgs per day in general is a normal dose?
   A. Some herbs have blood thinning potential but they are not as directly potent as the medications, such as Plavix. However, much depends why the Plavix is being used, the dosage, the severity of the medical condition treated, etc. No easy answers can be provided.

Different extracts on the market, there are many
Sabinsa has Curcumin C3 Complex brand

Other products sold online
California Gold Nutrition, Curcumin C3 Complex, 500 mg, 120 Veggie Capsules
Doctor's Best, Curcumin Phytosome, With Meriva, 500 mg, 180
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