Abstract
ABSTRACTCurcumin, the major active component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), is widely used as a spice and food-coloring agent, and also exhibits multiple biological activities. However, as curcumin has poor systemic bioavailability its pharmacology remains to be elucidated. Owing to the high concentration of curcumin in the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration, we hypothesize that it may exert regulative effects on the gut microbiota. We investigated the regulative effects of oral curcumin administration on the gut microbiota of C57BL/6 mice and found that curcumin significantly affected the abundance of several representative families in gut microbial communities, including Prevotellaceae, Bacteroidaceae, and Rikenellaceae. Considering the pathogenic associations between gut microbiota and many diseases, the present findings may help us to interpret the therapeutic benefits of curcumin.
Highlights
Curcumin is a major effective component of dried rhizomes of Curcuma longa and is widely used as a food-coloring pigment and a preservative
Curcumin should possess high in vivo concentrations; as it has been reported to have rather poor systemic bioavailability, its pharmacology remains to be elucidated
Curcumin administration affected the abundance of several representative families in gut microbial communities of C57BL/6 mice, including
Summary
Curcumin is a major effective component of dried rhizomes of Curcuma longa and is widely used as a food-coloring pigment and a preservative. In spite of its therapeutic potential against a wide spectrum of human ailments, curcumin has poor systemic bioavailability, as demonstrated by many clinical studies [1,6,7]. It is rational to infer that curcumin may exert direct regulative effects on the gut microbiota. This may be an important mechanism underlying its therapeutic benefits [13] and could explain the paradox between curcumin’s poor systemic bioavailability and its widely reported pharmacological activities. The current study was designed to explore the regulative effects of oral administration of curcumin on the gut microbiota of mice, to provide deeper insights into the pharmacology of this natural compound
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