Curcumin
Curcumin (chemically known as Diferuloylmethane) is the main active ingredient of the spice Turmeric (Curcuma Longa or JiangHuang) and is the main ‘curcuminoid’ compound (80% of curcuminoid weight is curcumin) alongside the other three curcuminoids known as demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and cyclocurcumin. Curcuminoids in general are known to exist in the curcuma genus (just in highest amounts in curcuma longa) although they are not exclusive to this plant. Commercially available extracts of ‘curcumin’ may not be wholly curcumin, but a blend consisting of 77% curcumin (17% demethoxycurcumin, 3% bisdemethoxycurcumin, last 3% not classified but assumed to possess a cyclocurcumin content).Curcumin can also be referred to as NCB-02 (a standardized mixture of curcuminoids) or E100 (the code for curcumin in the usage of food coloring).
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Appearance: Orange-Yellow
Odour: Light-Bitter
Mesh: 80
Solubility: Soluble in Ethanol
Content %: Curcumidins 95.0%, 98%
Recommend dosage:
For any systemic purpose (requiring absorption from the intestines), then an oral supplementation of curcumin in the range of 80-500mg would be required assuming an enhancement. Curcumin is poorly absorbed inherently, and one of the following is mandatory:
Pairing curcumin with Black Pepper (piperine)
Curcumin phytosomes complexed with Phosphatidylcholine (Meriva or BCM-95)
Curcumin nanoparticles (THERACUMIN)
Water-soluble curcumin (polyvinyl pyrrolidone)
If one of the above enhancements are not used, then too little curcumin will be absorbed and even doses of up to 4,000mg may be wholly inactive (8-16g would only be slightly active).
If using curcumin for intestinal purposes, then absorption from the intestines into the blood is not necessarily required. Due to this, one can simply use Turmeric at the dose of 2-4g daily or take curcumin supplementation without any of the aforementioned enhancements.