Improved Oral Bioavailability of Curcumin Incorporated Into Micelles

Curcumin, a lipophilic polyphenol derived from the plant curcuma longa possesses numerous health-promoting activities. The oral bioavailability of curcumin is low due to its poor aqueous solubility, limited gastrointestinal absorption, rapid metabolism and excretion. Therefore, we tested, in a randomized crossover study, simultaneous application of phytochemicals and micellar solubilisation, alone and together, as strategies to enhance the absorption of curcumin into the body. Furthermore, we investigated age and sex differences in curcumin pharmacokinetics.