Findings from an open-label, randomized phase 2a clinical trial indicated that the combination was association with reductions in drusen volume and improvements in visual acuity, compared to curcumin alone, in people with early and intermediate AMD.
Drusen are small yellow or white deposits of lipids and proteins that accumulate under the retina. Drusen volume is used to assess and monitor AMD progression.
“The RQC formulation was designed to target these intersecting inflammatory and oxidative pathways in age-related degenerative diseases,” wrote the Chicago-based scientists in Translational Vision Science and Technology. “Because curcumin, resveratrol, and quercetin act at complementary points within inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways, combination therapy may provide broader modulation of these processes than individual components alone.
“Given the projected increase in AMD prevalence with population aging, increased longevity, and rising rates of metabolic disease, therapeutic strategies targeting shared inflammatory and oxidative pathways may become increasingly relevant.”
AMD
The macula is a yellow spot of about five millimeters diameter on the retina. As we age, levels of the pigments in the macula decrease naturally, thereby increasing the risk of AMD. The yellow color is due to the content of the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin.
AMD is the leading cause of legal blindness in people over 50, and affects over 10 million Americans, according to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation.
The majority of the research has focused on lutein and zeaxanthin, but the new study suggests that a combination of resveratrol, quercetin, and curcumin may also offer benefits.
Study details
Nicholas Pfahler and Paul Knepper recruited 38 people with early and intermediate AMD to participate in their study. The participants were randomly assigned to receive oral RQC (800 mg per day of curcuminoids, 200 mg per day trans-resveratrol, and 200 mg per day of quercetin) or curcumin (800 mg per day of curcuminoids) for two years.
Results indicated that central drusen volume decreased by 13.4% in the RQC group, compared to a 6.9% increase in the curcumin group.
In addition, visual acuity increased in the combination group, while it decreased in the curcumin-only group. However, the changes between the groups did not reach statistical significance.
“Progression to advanced AMD occurred in 3.7% of participants and 2.3% of eligible eyes in the RQC group,” wrote Pfahler and Knepper.
“These findings support further evaluation of RQC and therapeutic strategies targeting both inflammation and oxidative stress in AMD. Larger randomized trials will be required to confirm these preliminary observations and to determine whether the approach translates into sustained structural and functional benefits,” they concluded.
Source: Translational Vision Science and Technology, 2026, 15(10):50. doi: 10.1167/tvst.15.10.50. “The Effect of Resveratrol, Quercetin, and Curcumin on Drusen Volume in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Randomized Clinical Trial”. Authors: N.M. Pfahler, et al.
