Omega-3 fatty acids improve curcuminoid bioavailability, say scientists

Curcuminoids are natural polyphenols with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties but have low solubility in water and low bioavailability.

Synthetic formulas circumvent these barriers however they can provoke renal and liver toxicity when taken alongside other medications, which is driving demand for natural alternatives.

The current study, funded by Biodroga Nutraceuticals, examined the effects of curcuminoids with omega-3 fatty acids (OM3) esterified in monoglycerides (MAG) and found significant plasma concentrations after a single dose that were comparable to two other supplements, but without serious adverse effects.

MAG-OM3 also improved gastrointestinal absorption, thus lowering the risk of GI side-effects and may potentially reduce inflammation associated with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, they write in Nutrients​.

“MAGs are directly absorbed by enterocytes without needing to be hydrolysed by pancreatic lipases, which leads to a pre-digested form compared to triglycerides and therefore facilitate the absorption and lowers risk of any gastrointestinal side effects. For patients with malabsorption disorder, this could represent a significant benefit,” ​they say.

“To lower inflammation, our study suggested that curcumin and omega-3s could be part on a nutritional intervention for IBD patients.”​

Study design​

The 24-hour study involved sixteen male and 15 female recruits aged 18 to 50 years. Participants administered three different curcuminoid formulations, developed by Biodroga Nutraceuticals, to examine the effects on plasma curcuminoid concentrations.

The formulas comprised 400mg of curcuminoids powder extract, 400mg curcuminoids in rice oil, and 400mg curcuminoids with 1g MAG-OM3 and were tested in a random order with a minimum of seven-day washout period between treatments.

Blood samples were collected at baseline, on an hourly basis (up to six hours after administration), and at 8, 10 and 24 hours postprandial. Analyses were carried out using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS).

Fasting blood samples determined baseline fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, cholesterol high density lipoproteins (HDL-C), cholesterol low density lipoproteins (LDL-C), and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c).

Pharmacokinetic response​

The authors report that plasma curcuminoid pharmacokinetics and observed increases at 24-hours were higher with MAG-OM3 than with rice oil. In addition, data from baseline to six hours postprandial revealed levels of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bis-demethoxycurcumin (BDMC) were at least 40% higher.

“MAGs have a glycerol that is hydrophilic and a fatty acid that is hydrophobic which hence make it amphipathic, a characteristic that can improve curcuminoids emulsification,” ​they explain.​

Moreover, OM3 may augment the anti-inflammatory response of curcuminoids as both compounds are cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors and help reduce the proliferation of pro-inflammatory mediators (prostaglandins).

“OM3 such as EPA and DHA are also implicated in the arachidonic acid pathway as direct competitor for the synthesis of anti-inflammatory mediators by the COX-2 pathway,” ​they add.

Time-lapse concentrations​

Maximum concentrations of total plasma curcuminoids (between 11.0-17.7 ng/mL) for all three formulations was achieved four hours after single dose intake. Meanwhile, plasma concentrations of curcumin, DMC, and BDMC maxed-out at five, four, and one hour(s) respectively, and MAG-OM3 delivered higher concentrations at the one-hour marker, compared to the powder formula.

Curcuminoid powder did, however, deliver higher concentrations than expected and compared to other studies, possibly due to the presence of excipients like maltodextrin, known to enhance solubility.

At the 24-hour follow-up, plasma curcuminoid concentrations had more or less returned to baseline levels (under 2.52 ng/mL), no matter the formulation.

Results support the hypothesis that “MAG-OM3 are good carriers of curcuminoids in the early phase of the postprandial transit, hence delivering these compounds at a faster rate than other formulations,”​ the authors assert.

Study limitations were the single-dose design and narrow protocol that excluded product efficacy and pharmacodynamics, limiting its application for the general population.

Source: Nutrients​

Published online, December 16, 2022: http://doi.org/10.3390/nu14245347​

‘Comparative Pharmacokinetic of Curcuminoids Formulations with an Omega-3 Fatty Acids Monoglyceride Carrier: A Randomized Cross-Over Triple-Blind Study’​

Authors: Ester Cisneros Aguilera, Annick Vachon and Mélanie Plourde