Curcumin IV Therapy

This page covers Curcumin IV Therapy and explains its benefits. IV League provides mobile IV Therapy for Curcumin.

Curcumin is the active ingredient in the traditional herbal remedy and dietary spice turmeric (Curcuma longa). Curcuma longa has been used for centuries in traditional Asian medicine, and nowadays, it is widely adopted in international cuisine as a dietary spice.

Curcumin has a surprisingly wide range of beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity.

Turmeric is an Indian rhizomatous herbal plant (Curcuma longa) of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) with well-known medical benefits. The name Curcuma is derived from the Arabic word “turmeric” which means yellow.

The medicinal benefits of turmeric could be attributed to the presence of active principles called curcuminoids. Curcumin, demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) are collectively known as curcuminoids. These yellow-colored curcuminoids are isolated from Curcuma longa L. (turmeric) rhizomes.

BENEFITS OF CURCUMIN IV

It triggers antioxidant activities. It also has the potential to act as a catalyst in the production of one of the most important antioxidants known as Glutathione
It is anti-inflammatory
It is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal.
It increases the rate of healing of wounds.
It helps in healthy aging.
Curcumin is used for Cancer treatment.

HISTORY AND TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL USE

Turmeric is a plant known for its medicinal use, dating back to 4000 years ago in the Vedic culture in India, where it was used as a culinary spice and had some religious significance.

The turmeric plant had been described as a treatment for inflammatory diseases in Ayurveda, the Indian system of holistic medicine which uses mainly plant-based drugs or formulations to treat various ailments. Although the turmeric plant is known for thousands of years, the use of curcumin as a plant drug has been emphasized by modern medicine in the few last decades.

Curcumin was first isolated in 1815 by Vogel and Pelletier. It was crystallized by Daube and finally, its structure was elucidated in 1910 by Lampe and co-workers

Curcumin has been used mainly in three main areas for more than 2000 years: food, cosmetics, and medicine.

As a food ingredient curcumin has been used mainly as a spice, to provide characteristic yellow color and flavor to the curry. It has been also used as a coloring agent in cheese and butter.
Cosmetic: Curcumin is used in combination with other plant extracts to manufacture herbal cosmetics which reduce skin oxidative stress and improve its appearance.
Medicine: In Ayurvedic medicine, curcumin has been used to treat different respiratory conditions as well as for liver disorders, anorexia, rheumatism, diabetes, runny nose, cough, and sinusitis. In Chinese medicine, it is used in diseases related to abdominal pain. In ancient Hindu medicine, it was used to treat sprains and swelling, probably as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Curcumin IV MOLECULAR STRUCTURE

Curcumin is a symmetric molecule, also known as diferuloylmethane. IUPAC name of this compound is (1E-6E)-1, 7-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy phenyl)-1, 6- heptadiene-3, 5-dione. The chemical formula of curcumin is C₂₁H₂₀O₆ and the molecular mass is 368.385g/mole.

The structure of curcumin contains three chemical entities: two oxy-substituted aryl moieties containing ortho-methoxy phenolic OH– groups, connected through a seven-carbon chain consisting of an α, β unsaturated β-diketone moiety. Curcumin is the most abundantly occurring natural analog of tumeric at 60%-70%, followed by demethoxycurcumin (DMC; 20%-30%) in which one methoxy group is absent, then bisdemethoxycurcumin(BDMC; 10%-15%) in which the methoxy group is absent

MECHANISM OF ACTION

Curcumin as a signaling molecule

The pleiotropic activities of curcumin are likely linked to its ability to influence multiple signaling pathways. Among the signaling pathways affected by curcumin are key survival pathways regulated by NF-κB as well as cytoprotective pathways dependent on Nrf2.

Curcumin Inhibits Transcription Factors

Curcumin is a potent inhibitor of the activation of various transcription factors including nuclear factor-kB (NF-KB), activated protein-l (AP-l), signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-g (PPAR-g), and B-catenin. These transcription factors regulate the expression of genes that contribute to tumorigenesis, inflammation, cell survival, cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis. Curcumin modulates numerous targets including the transcription factor NF-κB and NF-κB-regulated gene products such as cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), cyclin D1, adhesion molecules, MMPs, inducible nitric oxide synthase, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and TNF. NF-κB plays a critical role in signal transduction pathways involved in chronic and acute inflammatory diseases and various cancers

NF-KB: This is one of the key transcription factors responsive to curcumin; many of the observed biological effects of curcumin involve processes that are NF-KB dependent. For example, curcumin is capable of inhibiting the survival and proliferation of diverse human tumor cell lines (myeloid leukemia, B non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL), embryonic kidney) by suppressing NF-KB-regulated gene products.
STAT proteins: They have a ubiquitous role in tumorigenesis; curcumin concretely inhibits STAT3 activation in human multiple myeloma and Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg lymphoma cells. This protein is involved in the dysregulation of cell growth, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to apoptosis.
AP-l: This is a transcription factor that is frequently associated with the activation of NF-KB. Curcumin has been shown to inhibit the activation of AP-l induced by tumor promoters.
Response Element-Binding Protein. Along with histone acetyltransferases (HAT), have been implicated in cancer cell growth and survival. It has been proved that curcumin is a selective HAT inhibitor in vitro and in vivo.
Nrf-2. Its activation initiates the transcription of genes coding for detoxifying enzymes and cytoprotective proteins. In a study of renal epithelial cells, Curcumin stimulates the expression of Nrf-2 in a concentration and time-dependent manner.

Curcumin IV Down-regulates the Expression of p53

p53 is a tumor suppressor and transcription factor. It plays an important role as a regulator of many cellular processes, including cell signal transduction, cellular response to DNA damage, genomic stability, cell cycle control, and apoptosis.

Curcumin is a potent inhibitor of p53. In this molecular target, the role of curcumin is complex, it has been shown that curcumin can inhibit p53 in immature B cell lymphoma mouse cell lines, a colon cancer cell line, and myeloid leukemia cells. On the contrary, other experiments show the induction of p53 by curcumin. Therefore, it should take into account the different activities of curcumin in different types of cancer.

Curcumin IV Suppress the Action of the Tumor Necrosis Factor

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a cytokine that mediates tumor initiation, promotion, and metastasis. Its effects as pro-inflammation are mediated by its capacity to activate NF-KB, promoting the expression of inflammatory genes such as COX-2, LOX-2, cell adhesion molecules, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. In a study of the role of Curcumin in mantle cell lymphoma cell lines, curcumin was seen to inhibit the expression of both TNF mRNA and TNF protein.

Inflammatory Enzymes

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a form of prostaglandin H synthase regulated by mitogens, tumor promoters, cytokines, and growth factors. Curcumin exerts significant Cox-2-inhibiting activity through the suppression of NF-kB.
Lipoxygenases (LOX). The family of lipoxygenases is responsible for several inflammatory processes such as asthma or allergy. Curcumin inhibits the activity of some LOX lisoenzymes and inhibits the release of compounds by LOX which promote inflammatory responses.

Cyclin

Cyclin D1 is a rate-limiting factor in the progression of cells through the first gap (G1) phase of the cell cycle. Therefore, the loss of its regulation is a risk factor for cancer development. Curcumin down-regulates the expression of cyclin D1 at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.

Curcumin IV Downregulates Adhesion Molecules Expression

Cell adhesion molecules are transmembrane proteins that are required for the binding of cells to other cells or other extracellular molecules. In cancer metastasis expression of these molecules is a critical and essential process. Curcumin can inhibit the cell adhesion process by modifying cell receptor binding. In a study by Kumar et al., curcumin could block the cell surface expression of adhesion molecules in endothelial cells treated with tumor necrosis factor.

THERAPEUTIC USES OF CURCUMIN IV Therapy

1. ANTI-VIRAL AGENT

It has been demonstrated that curcumin has a wide range of antiviral activities. curcumin can impede viral replication and prevent injuries caused by several virus infectious diseases; in particular, RNA virus infections. In vitro and in vivo results have shown that curcumin effectively moderates infections and symptoms caused by the hepatitis virus, influenza virus, adenovirus, coxsackie virus, Human norovirus (HuNoV), Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, EB virus and Herpes simplex 1 (HSV-1).

The combination of curcumin with viral coat proteins, virus-specific enzymes, or RNA polymerase can affect and abolish virus replication, infection, and damage to cells. Current research results show that turmeric can inhibit SARS and COVID-19 infections via molecular binding and currently curcumin is also applied in a clinical trial on COVID-19 infection.

2. ANTI-BACTERIAL EFFECT

Curcumin has been shown to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Curcumin has antibacterial effects on both gram-positive and -negative bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Helicobacter pylori, etc., which often cause human infectious diseases. In clinical studies for sepsis treatment, i.e. systemic bacterial infections, curcumin can act on PI3K/AKT, NFκB, TNF-α, and TGF-β1 pathways to attenuate the toxicity of LPS on sepsis and curcumin also exerts the protective role in the lungs, liver, and kidneys while reducing the sequelae of tissue fibrosis after sepsis

3. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY

Curcumin inhibits and regulates tissue production and secretions of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, such as interleukin-4, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Conversely, curcumin can increase anti-inflammatory cytokine production, such as IL-10 and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sCAM-1). In preclinical studies, curcumin can reduce the degree of inflammation of animal skin and prevent or reduce the respiratory tract inflammation caused by viral or bacterial infections.

Curcumin treatment improves pain symptoms caused by osteoarthritis and tissue inflammation and delays the degradation of articular cartilage, which improves the mobility and quality of life in the patient.

The anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin improves the status of rheumatoid arthritis. psoriasis, tropical pancreatitis, post-operative inflammation, chronic anterior uveitis, and orbital inflammatory pseudo-tumors

4. ANTI-OXIDANT

Curcumin has a powerful antioxidant capacity that is higher than that of vitamin C and vitamin E. Curcumin serves as a free radical scavenger in the body and also promotes endogenous antioxidant glutathione (GSH) synthesis to protect cells or tissues from free radical injury. In vitro cell and animal experiments also show that curcumin can enhance the activity of superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and increase GSH levels in cells and serum as well.

In preclinical studies and clinical trials, when the body organs or tissues become ischemia due to the temporary interruption of blood circulation, such as stroke, myocardial infarction, surgery, or transplantation, etc. After restoring blood flow, those ischemic reperfusion tissues often produce excessive free radicals and cause oxidative stress and injury. Administration of curcumin can scavenge free radicals; thereby, reducing the damage of free radicals to tissue cells, which also reduces damage caused by excessive inflammation of tissues.

5. ANTI-CANCER

One-fifth of the deaths worldwide annually are caused by various types of cancers. Cancer is a result of successive genetic and epigenetic alterations resulting in apoptosis, uncontrolled cell proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Anticancer activity of curcumin has been extensively investigated recently, and significant improvements in gastrointestinal, melanoma, genitourinary, breast, and lung cancers have been seen Many studies pointed out anticancer activities of curcumin alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of cancer and its cancer-related complications.

In clinical application, curcumin is used as an adjuvant or supplement for chemotherapy or nuclear therapy in clinical tumor treatments to reduce postoperative adverse reactions.

6. ANTI-ARTHRITIS

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that is characterized by hyperplasia of the synovial fibroblasts. Curcumin is known to possess potent anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties. Curcumin treatment was carried out on patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and compared with the diclofenac sodium reference group.

Interestingly, the curcumin group showed the highest percentage of improvement in overall rheumatoid arthritis scores and these scores were significantly better than the patients in the diclofenac sodium group. More importantly, the curcumin group was found to be safe and did not relate to any adverse events compared to the diclofenac sodium group. It is believed that curcumin’s antioxidant, antiproliferative, antiinflammatory, and immunosuppressive activities are shared in the improvement of symptoms in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

7. ANTI-DEMENTIA EFFECT

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is known as a progressive disorder that causes brain neuron degeneration and loss. It is the most common cause of dementia as well. Many studies have shown that the accumulation of β-amyloid in the brain and tau protein hyperphosphorylation are the main pathogenic factors and symptoms of AD. Inflammation is involved in the pathophysiology of AD, and multiple inflammatory processes are implicated in its risk and progression.

Recent studies have indicated that curcumin treatment can promote the decomposition of β-amyloid in brain tissues and prevent the aberrant production and accumulation of β-amyloid, which reduces the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein and effectively prevents the degeneration and injury of brain neurons. There are multiple risk factors involved in the pathophysiology of AD, such as genetic factors, oxidative stress, head trauma, inflammation, infection, poor circulation, etc.

Curcumin has protective effects against several risk factors of neurodegeneration and is used in the treatment of AD as well. In vivo studies show the beneficial effects of curcumin on cognition in a dose-dependent manner that higher dosages is more effective as compared to lower dosages. Based on the preclinical findings, curcumin can help stabilize/prevent cognitive decline in AD.

8. ANTI-CHOLESTEROL EFFECT

Clinical studies have observed that a daily administration of curcumin (500 mg) for seven days to healthy subjects led to a significant 33% decrease in serum lipid peroxides, a 29% increase in serum HDL cholesterol, and a nearly l2% decrease in total serum cholesterol.

Moreover, in patients with arteriosclerosis curcumin was capable to reduce LDL levels and increase HDL values

9. WOUND- HEALING ACTIVITY

Curcumin significantly recovered main aspects of wound repair including re-epithelization, neovascularization, collagen synthesis, granulation tissue formation. It also potentially inhibited growth of the burn bacterial flora including Pseudomonas aeruginosa as predominant bacteria among experimental isolations during 14 days’ treatment.

The mechanisms of action of wound healing effect of curcumin include: immunohistochemical localization of transforming growth factor-β1 and modulating collagen and decreasing reactive oxygen species.

IV CURCUMIN VS ORAL CURCUMIN

In general, IV curcumin therapy provides a direct and faster effect compared to curcumin taken as a dietary supplement. Through an IV drip, it can easily bypass the digestive system and be directly absorbed into the bloodstream. With oral administration, it takes longer to take effect as it is poorly absorbed and metabolized in the liver and intestine.