Curcumin and liver injury

Curcumin supplements have shown some evidence of benefit in the treatment of osteoarthritis (1).

Curcumin is extracted from the plant turmeric (Curcuma longa)

• content of curcuminoids in turmeric powder is 3.14%, which is used as a spice in cuisines of the Middle East and Indian subcontinent (2) - much higher amounts of curcumin are present in over the counter supplements than is found in turmeric powder (3)

A case report describes a curcumin-induced hepatocellular DILI (drug-induced liver injury) in a 78-year old female admitted with jaundice, with a one-month latency (3)

A systematic review of case reports in Tuscany concluded that "evaluation of Italian cases of Curcuma longa-induced acute hepatitis and the systematic review of literature confirmed the association between Curcuma longa and liver injury.." (4)

Reference:

• Daily JW et al. Efficacy of Turmeric Extracts and Curcumin for Alleviating the Symptoms of Joint Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.J Med Food. 2016 Aug; 19(8):717-29.
• Tayyem RF, Bop DD. Curcumin content of turmeric and curry powders.Nutr Cancer. 2006; 55(2):126-31.
• Imam Z et al. Drug Induced Liver Injury Attributed to a Curcumin Supplement. Case Rep Gastrointestinal Med. 2019; 2019: 6029403.
• Lombardi N et al. Acute liver injury following turmeric use in Tuscany: An analysis of the Italian Phytovigilance database and systematic review of case reports. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2020 Jul 13. doi: 10.1111/bcp.14460