Name:	Curcumin
Other Names:	diferuloylmethane, Longvida™
Therapeutic Applications:	Moderate to severe AD
Therapy Types:	Oral plant extract compound
Mechanisms:	Curcumin has pleiotropic neuroprotective effects that include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-amyloid activities.
Development Status:	investigational outside U.S.
FDA Phase:	Phase II/IIa/IIb
Primary Medical Role:	Curcumin exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities (reviewed in Aggarwal et al 2007).
Role in Alzheimer's Disease:	Curcumin has been shown to reduce amyloid plaque and accumulated Aβ in APP transgenic mice and reduces oxidative damage, inflammatory response and cognitive deficits induced by infused Aβ into rat CNS (reviewed in Cole et al 2007). Reviewed extensively by Frautschy and Cole (2010), curcumin has been shown bind and clear Aβ plaques and oligomers in animal models, inhibit tau aggregation, limit inflammatory cytokine production, and protect against oxidative damage. Longvida™ is a solid-lipid curcumin particle formulation that increases bioavailability. Natural curcumin has limited bioavailability and brain permeability due to poor water solubility and rapid metabolism.
Companies:	Verdure Sciences
Notes:	For clinical trials of curcumin on clinicaltrials.gov see Curcumin trials. This entry was updated December 4, 2011.

References

Frautschy SA, Cole GM. Why pleiotropic interventions are needed for Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurobiol. 2010 Jun;41(2-3):392-409. POW link

Aggarwal BB, Sundaram C, Malani N, Ichikawa H. Curcumin: the Indian solid gold. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007;595:1-75. Abstract

Cole GM, Teter B, Frautschy SA. Neuroprotective effects of curcumin. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007;595:197-212. POW link