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. 2021 Apr 20;151(7):1802–1816. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxab087

TABLE 6.

Pharmacokinetic parameters and relative bioavailabilities of sulfate-conjugated curcumin metabolites (curcumin, THC, and HHC) after consumption of a single dose of the turmeric formulations STE, TEP, PHYT, NOV, and TPG by healthy human participants1

Curcumin sulfate THC sulfate HHC sulfate
STE TEP PHYT NOV TPG STE TEP PHYT NOV TPG STE TEP PHYT NOV TPG
AUC 0–8h, ng·h/mL 250 ± 192 180 ± 117 115 ± 177 365 ± 171 285 ± 226 100 ± 172 99.2 ± 149 30.8 ± 108*,$ 122 ± 188 86.9 ± 134 100 ± 172 99.2 ± 149 30.8 ± 108*,$ 122 ± 188 86.9 ± 134
AUC 0–24h, ng·h/mL 618 ± 290 474 ± 208 291 ± 170 609 ± 314 575 ± 320 317 ± 603 264 ± 442 164 ± 486 296 ± 528 211 ± 489 1370 ± 1150 1230 ± 810# 528 ± 256†,# 2010 ± 859 1830 ± 744*
Cmax, ng/mL 59.6 ± 54.2 42.3 ± 35.4 27.1 ± 34 125 ± 59.7*,$ 63.3 ± 57.6 59.5 ± 74.8 74.2 ± 83.7 24.4 ± 55.8*,$ 62.7 ± 79.3 61.1 ± 75.5 128 ± 100 98.8 ± 54.9# 47.6 ± 27.3†,# 344 ± 163†,# 197 ± 101
AUC 0–8h normalized, ng·h/mL/mg 0.2 ± 0.17 0.2 ± 0.10# 0.8 ± 1.21†,# 7.3 ± 3.40†,$ 3.8 ± 3.05 0.1 ± 0.15 0.1 ± 0.13 0.2 ± 0.74 2.4 ± 3.74 1.2 ± 1.81 0.1 ± 0.15 0.1 ± 0.13 0.2 ± 0.74 2.4 ± 3.74 1.2 ± 1.81
AUC 0–24h normalized, ng·h/mL/mg 0.5 ± 0.25 0.4 ± 0.19# 2.0 ± 1.16†,$ 12.1 ± 6.25 7.7 ± 4.30 0.3 ± 0.53 0.2 ± 0.39 1.1 ± 3.32 5.9 ± 10.5 2.8 ± 6.59 1.2 ± 1.01 1.1 ± 0.72# 3.6 ± 1.75†,# 40.1 ± 17.1†,# 24.6 ± 10.0
Cmax normalized, ng/mL/mg 0.1 ± 0.05 0.0 ± 0.03# 0.2 ± 0.23†,$ 2.5 ± 1.19†,# 0.9 ± 0.78 0.1 ± 0.07 0.1 ± 0.07 0.2 ± 0.38 1.2 ± 1.58 0.8 ± 1.02 0.1 ± 0.09 0.1 ± 0.05# 0.3 ± 0.19†,# 6.9 ± 3.24†,# 2.7 ± 1.36
Tmax, min 347 ± 137 375 ± 101$ 438 ± 220$ 73.0 ± 39.6†,# 286 ± 127 97.0 ± 140 189 ± 361 114 ± 300 174 ± 181 176 ± 279 232 ± 266 200 ± 145 490 ± 407†,# 88.5 ± 57.4†,$ 176 ± 112
Half-life, min 973 ± 987 680 ± 468 1110 ± 1670 602 ± 1340 1420 ± 5340 272 ± 903 98.0 ± 259 0.0 ± 0.00 184 ± 400 195 ± 575 272 ± 903 98.0 ± 259 0.0 ± 0.00 184 ± 400 195 ± 575
Terminal elimination rate constant, ng/h 0.1 ± 0.06 0.1 ± 0.04 0.1 ± 0.08 0.2 ± 0.09 0.1 ± 0.11 0.2 ± 0.38 0.1 ± 0.22 0.0 ± 0.00$ 0.1 ± 0.17 0.3 ± 0.47 0.2 ± 0.38 0.1 ± 0.22 0.0 ± 0.00$ 0.1 ± 0.17 0.3 ± 0.47
Relative bioavailability 0–8h 1.0 ± 0.00 1.1 ± 1.08# 6.1 ± 12.6# 49.2 ± 39.1$ 25.0 ± 24.6 1.0 ± 0.00 1.0 ± 1.17$ 3.4 ± 9.08$ 21.2 ± 30.6 15.9 ± 20.3 1.0 ± 0.00 1.0 ± 1.17$ 3.4 ± 9.08$ 21.2 ± 30.6 15.9 ± 20.3
Relative bioavailability 0–24h 1.0 ± 0.00 0.9 ± 0.60# 4.7 ± 4.38$ 28.7 ± 30.3 16.5 ± 9.86 1.0 ± 0.00 1.6 ± 2.84 13.1 ± 38.3 74.6 ± 125 26.7 ± 48.3 1.0 ± 0.00 1.0 ± 0.57# 3.7 ± 1.91# 45.3 ± 27.4 25.8 ± 12.7
1

Values are means ± SD, n = 30. Size of data sets are available in Supplemental Table 6. *,†Statistically significant compared with the reference STE product: *P < 0.05, P < 0.0001. $,#Statistically significant compared with the TPG product: $P < 0.05, #P < 0.0001. Cmax, peak plasma concentration; HHC, hexahydrocurcumin; NOV, liquid micellar formulation; PHYT, phytosome formulation; STE, standard turmeric extract; TEP, piperine-curcuminoids combination; THC, tetrahydrocurcumin; Tmax, time to maximum concentration; TPG, Turmipure Gold formulation.