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The Effect of Curcumin Phytosome on the Treatment of Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

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Pharmacological Properties of Plant-Derived Natural Products and Implications for Human Health

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1308))

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem with increasing prevalence among overweight and obese patients. It is strongly associated with conditions of insulin resistance including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. It has detrimental consequences ranged from simple steatosis to irreversible hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. Curcumin is a dietary polyphenol with potential effect in improving NAFLD. Therefore, the aim of this trial was to examine the effect of curcumin supplementation on various aspects of NAFLD. In this trial, a total number of 80 patients were randomised to receive either curcumin at 250 mg daily or placebo for 2 months. Lipid profiles, hepatic enzymes, anthropometric indices and hepatic fat mass were assessed at the baseline and the end of the trial, and compared within the groups. The grade of hepatic steatosis, and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly reduced in the curcumin group (p = 0.015 and p = 0.007, respectively) compared to the placebo. There was also a significant reduction in high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and anthropometric indices in both groups with no significant differences between the two groups. Low dose phospholipid curcumin supplementation each day for 2 months showed significant reduction in hepatic steatosis and enzymes in patients with NAFLD compared to placebo. Further studies of longer duration and higher dosages are needed to assess its effect on other parameters of NAFLD including cardiovascular risk.

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Acknowledgments

We are thankful for the financial support from the Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Neyshabur, Iran. The authors are grateful for the supports provided by Indena SpA (Milan, Italy) for conducting this study.

Conflict of Interests

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran

    Seyed Reza Mirhafez, Mohsen Azimi-Nezhad, Maryam Dehabeh, Mitra Hariri & Ronika Danesh Naderan

  2. Department of Anesthesia and Operating Room Nursing, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran

    Ali Movahedi

  3. Academic Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK

    Mohammed Abdalla & Thozhukat Sathyapalan

  4. Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Amirhossein Sahebkar

  5. Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Amirhossein Sahebkar

  6. School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Amirhossein Sahebkar

  7. Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute (PMMHRI), Lodz, Poland

    Amirhossein Sahebkar

Authors
  1. Seyed Reza Mirhafez
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  2. Mohsen Azimi-Nezhad
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  3. Maryam Dehabeh
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  4. Mitra Hariri
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  6. Ali Movahedi
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  7. Mohammed Abdalla
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  8. Thozhukat Sathyapalan
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  9. Amirhossein Sahebkar
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Seyed Reza Mirhafez or Amirhossein Sahebkar .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

    George E. Barreto

  2. Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Amirhossein Sahebkar

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Mirhafez, S.R. et al. (2021). The Effect of Curcumin Phytosome on the Treatment of Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. In: Barreto, G.E., Sahebkar, A. (eds) Pharmacological Properties of Plant-Derived Natural Products and Implications for Human Health. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1308. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64872-5_3

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