Jul 12

A new treatise on efficacy of curcuRouge® in COVID-19 patients has been published in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition.

On June 24, 2024, a paper on COVID-19 infection in curcuRouge® has been published in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition.

A summary of the paper is presented below.

[Summary of Results]

In asymptomatic or mildly COVID-19-infected patients, the curcuRouge® (cR) group showed tendencies of

　(1)Lower incidence rate

　(2)Less frequent use of NSAIDs

　(3)Lower body temperature

compared to the placebo group, which indicates curcuRouge® may reduce progression of the symptoms.

[Title]

Efficacy of High- and Low-Dose, Highly Bioavailable Curcumin (curcuRouge®) for Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Prospective Study

[Author]

Atsuhiro Kishimoto, Maki Komiyama, Hiromichi Wada, Noriko Satoh‑Asahara, Hajime Yamakage,Yoichi Ajiro, Hiroki Aoyama, Yasuhiro Katsuura, Atsushi Imaizumi, Tadashi Hashimoto, Yoichi Sunagawa, Tatsuya Morimoto, Masashi Kanai, Hideaki Kakeya and Koji Hasegawa

[Journal Title]

Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition Vol. 43: 93 (2024)

[Abstract]

Introduction

Even after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of mild cases remains high, requiring continuous control. Curcumin, owing to its anti-inflammatory properties, can suppress vital proliferation and cytokine secretion in animal models. We developed a highly absorbable curcumin, curcuRouge® (cR), which is approximately 100 times more orally bioavailable than conventional curcumin. We evaluated the effect of cR on the inhibition of disease progression in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients.

Methods

This study evaluated the effect of 7-day oral intake of curcuRouge® (360 mg twice daily). Patients within 5 days of COVID-19 diagnosis were randomly assigned to a placebo or curcuRouge® group in a double-blind manner.

Results

Primary endpoint events [body temperature (BT)≥37.5℃ and saturation of percutaneous oxygen (SpO2)<96%] were fewer than expected, and the rate of these events was 2.8% in the curcuRouge® group (2/71) and 6.0% in the placebo group (4/67); hazard ratio(HR) = 0.532, 95% confidence interval(CI) 0.097–2.902. Patients receiving curcuRouge® tended to take fewer antipyretic medications than those receiving placebo (HR = 0.716, 95% CI 0.374–1.372). Among patients with a normal range of BT at baseline, the BT change rate was significantly (p = 0.014) lower in the curcuRouge® group (−0.34%) versus placebo (−0.01%).

Conclusion

The relative suppression of event rates and antipyretic medications taken, and significant decrease of subclinical BT support the anti-inflammatory effects of curcuRouge® in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with COVID-19.

View paper

Go to Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition page

[Study Outline]

Type of Study : a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled,

parallel-group study

Patients : Asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 infected patients

Arm : curcuRouge® group = 90mg curcumin-containing capsule

Placebo group = placebo capsule

4 capsules/each, twice a day (morning and evening)

Period of intake : 7 days

Number of patients : curcuRouge® group = 71 patients, Placebo group = 67patients

Major Outcome :

- Disease progression (Body temperature≧37.5℃ or SpO2<96)

- Frequency of NSAIDs medication per patient

- Change of body temperature (BT), SpO2 and blood pressure (Systolic and Diastolic)

between Day 1 and Day 7

Result-1

The curcuRouge group were observed lower relative events of either fever (37.5℃ or more) or low SpO2 (less than 96%) over time than the placebo group. (Placebo group = blue line, curcuRouge® group = orange line)

Result-2

Of the eligible patients, 12 in the curcuRouge® group and 13 in the placebo group took NSAIDs, with less frequency per patient in the curcuRouge® group (2.2±3.2 times) than the one in the placebo group (3.3±3.2 times).

Result-3

For patients who had normal body temperature in Day-1, the percentage change in body temperature from Day-1 to Day-7 was significantly lower in the curcuRouge® group compared to the one in the placebo group (P = 0.014).