Published March 2, 2026 | Version v1
Journal article Open

COMPARATIVE BIOAVAILABILITY OF CURCUMINOIDS FROM CURCUMINQA™ A NOVEL ENERGIZED FORMULATION VERSUS STANDARD CURCUMA EXTRACT IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS: A RANDOMIZED, OPEN-LABEL, TWO-WAY CROSSOVER STUDY

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Chief Research and Development, Hirehal Greenspace Herbs Pvt Ltd., Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
  • 2. Nutrify Today, Nutoday Pvt Ltd., Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

Description

Objective: Curcumin, the active polyphenolic compound from Curcuma longa, exhibits promising anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and therapeutic properties but suffers from poor oral bioavailability due to low solubility and rapid metabolism. Novel formulations aim to enhance their absorption. This present study compared the bioavailability of CurcuminQA™ from Greenspace Herbs versus a standard curcuma extract (standardized to 95% curcuminoids) in healthy volunteers. Methods: This randomized, open-label, two-way crossover study enrolled 65 healthy adults (aged 18-45 years). The participants were given a single oral dose of 500 mg CurcuminQATM and or curcuma extract (standardized to 95% curcuminoids). The study is 1:1 crossover design with a 14-day washout period. In order to mimic real-life scenario, dosing was scheduled without fasting. Collection of plasma samples was done over a period of 24 hours for pharmacokinetic analysis of total curcuminoids with LC-MS. Results: Sixty participants completed the study (5 dropouts due to withdrawal). CurcuminQA™ showed significantly higher bioavailability Cmax ~454 ng/ml, AUC0-∞ ~1233 ng·h/ml and Tmax was reduced for CurcuminQA™ (~1 hour vs. ~2 hours); t1/2 was similar (~4 hours). There were no reports of adverse events apart from mild gastrointestinal discomfort which was comparable between the treatment groups. Conclusion: CurcuminQATM showed more than 20-fold increased bioavailability in comparison to standard curcuma extract, proving its potential for clinical use in conditions requiring increased curcumin dose. By assessing absorption in non-fasting conditions, our study mimics real-life scenario ensuring relevant and practical results.

Files

Comparative Bioavailability of Curcuminoids from Curcuminqa™ A Novel Energized Formulation Versus Standard Curcuma Extract in Healthy Volunteers- A Randomized, Open-Label, Two-Way Crossover Study.pdf

Files (993.6 kB)

Additional details

References

  • 1. Kothaplly S, Alukapally S, Nagula N, Maddela R. Superior Bioavailability of a Novel Curcumin Formulation in Healthy Humans Under Fasting Conditions. Adv Ther, 2022; 39(5): 2128-2138.
  • 2. Kunnumakkara AB, Harsha C, Banik K, et al. Is curcumin bioavailability a problem in humans: lessons from clinical trials. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol, 2019; 15: 705–33.
  • 3. Kroon MAGM, van Laarhoven HWM, Swart EL, van Tellingen O, Kemper EM. A pharmacokinetic study and critical reappraisal of curcumin formulations enhancing bioavailability. iScience, 2025; 28(6): 112575.
  • 4. Hegde M, Girisa S, BharathwajChetty B, Vishwa R, Kunnumakkara AB. Curcumin Formulations for Better Bioavailability: What We Learned from Clinical Trials Thus Far? ACS Omega. 2023; 8(12): 10713-46.
  • 5. Janik M, Hanula M, Khachatryan K, Khachatryan G. Nano-/Microcapsules, Liposomes, and Micelles in Polysaccharide Carriers: Applications in Food Technology. Applied Sciences, 2023; 13(21): 11610.
  • 6. Liu W, Zhai Y, Heng X, Che FY, Chen W, Sun D, Zhai G. Oral bioavailability of curcumin: problems and advancements. J Drug Target, 2016; 24(8): 694-702.
  • 7. Bertoncini-Silva C, Vlad A, Ricciarelli R, Giacomo Fassini P, Suen VMM, Zingg JM. Enhancing the Bioavailability and Bioactivity of Curcumin for Disease Prevention and Treatment. Antioxidants, 2024; 13(3): 331.
  • 8. NutraIngredients.com. 2025. "A physics first approach to botanicals – backed by data for today's consumer." October 20, 2025. Accessed January 19, 2026. https://www.nutraingredients.com/News/Promotional-features/quantum-ayurveda-as-a-physics-first-approach-to-botanicals/
  • 9. Nutraceutical Business Review. 2025. "Ancient principles, fresh outlook: Greenspace takes a quantum approach to Ayurveda." July 9, 2025. Accessed January 19, 2026. https://nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com/greenspace-herbs-quantum-ayurveda/
  • 10. Quantum Ayurveda. 2025 "Green Space Herbs." Accessed 30 Jan. 2026 www.greenspaceherbs.com/research-and-science/quantum-ayurveda/
  • 11. Jamwal R. Bioavailable curcumin formulations: A review of pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteers. J Integr Med, 2018; 16(6): 367-74.
  • 12. Li N, Lou J, Wang L, Zhang W, Jin C, Zhuang X. Comparative Pharmacokinetic Assessment of Curcumin in Rats Following Intratracheal Instillation Versus Oral Administration: Concurrent Detection of Curcumin and Its Conjugates in Plasma by LC-MS/MS. Pharmaceutics, 2024; 16(11): 1459.
  • 13. Dei Cas M, Ghidoni R. Dietary Curcumin: Correlation between Bioavailability and Health Potential. Nutrients, 2019; 11(9): 2147.
  • 14. Radha R, Paul V, Anjum S, Bouakaz A, Pitt WG, Husseini GA. Enhancing Curcumin's therapeutic potential in cancer treatment through ultrasound-mediated liposomal delivery. Sci Rep., 2024; 14(1): 10499.
  • 15. Li Z, Shi M, Li N, Xu R. Application of Functional Biocompatible Nanomaterials to Improve Curcumin Bioavailability. Front Chem, 2020; 8: 589957.
  • 16. Prasad S, Tyagi AK, Aggarwal BB. Recent developments in delivery, bioavailability, absorption and metabolism of curcumin: the golden pigment from golden spice. Cancer Res Treat, 2014; 46(1): 2-18.