Curcumin

[Hepatitis Researcher]

Curcumin is an available substance that has serious potential to prevent or treat liver fibrosis. Oral administration in humans suffer from the limited bioavailibility of regular curcumin preparations. Combinations with biopterin have been shown to enhance curcumin absorption, but only to a limited degree. New curcumin formulations have appeared on the supplement market that claim a very substantially enhanced absorption/bioavailibility. I have not yet found proof of these claims in the peer reviiewed literature, which however does not necessarily mean that this claims have no merit.
Curcumin is a substance that is worth discussing with your treating hepatologist. Not during tx, since it has a clear antiinflammatory effectiveness/mechanism that is likely to counteract some of the immunestimulating effects of IFN. Below are two examples of recent abstracts re its antifibrotic potential.

[dperry10]

I am 6 weeks post treatment of 48 weeks, Geno 1a.  I had UND at week 12 and 23.  I have not had another PCR since.   Dr would not order till 6 mos post.   Now I called to make appt for f/u and he is gone.   Is there anything that I could or should be taking in the meantime, that I would benefit from.  I have mild fibrosis from Bx and am 2/2.  This was my 2nd round of tx.. I found out in 93 that the blood received after hemorage in surgery in 84 was tainted with HepC.  I started tx then in 93, and was on Interferon , 3 mil units a week,   would take it 3 times a week.  I was slow to respond, and at end of  6 mos, levels were normal.   I thought I was good to go.. then after several rechecks it must have gone up at some point & doc wanted to send me to Shands for Trial.  I did not want to go thru what I had delt with the prev 6 mos.. So I said I will take my chances.  Of course they did not know much about HEPC back then.      I just want to make sure that I reach SVR this time.  I do not want to go thru tx again.  I do not think I could handle it.  I lost a total of 107 lbs while on tx and have lost 4 more since.   That part was a blessing.    I just need to know if there is something I should be doing in the meantime, until I see the Sr GI where I go, or let the PCP order the labs and cc copies to me , so I can tell where I am   , then find another doctor if need be ? I am at a total loss. Here I am finally done, and don't even know where I am.   Any info you can give would be very much appreciated.  

Happy New Year.

[Hepatitis Researcher]

Curcumin and resveratrol are the top of the pyramid, Chances are they will work well together. But first is weight / lifestyle/diet see above, eubiosis, the other hepatoprotective/indirectly antifibrotic hopefuls and then the potent antiinflammatory Curc/Resvera. Slow introduction, periodic LFT checks and ideally liver fibrosis measurements are the prudent thing to do. In a year or so that will tell you if this is indeed a way to delay/halt/reverse fibrosis in your very personal liver.

[sfbaygirl]

It sure sounds like both are good together.  Sounds good, huh?  Let me know what you think.  Now that we are off of tx, some of these antifibrotics sound good for us, unlike Alina. I trust HR with my life, and have. He's the real deal.  Now I just want to know where I buy this stuff!  I think Gauf has some good sites.....

[orphanedhawk]

One question in refernce to your commen t”Curcumin holds a high position in such a regimen, roughly equal - from our curent point of view - to resveratrol.”
Do you therefore recommend using both resveratol and curcumin, or just the curcumin?
      Thanks ,     OH

[sfbaygirl]

Thanks for the kind words and the info. I am really glad I am in good care now. I had to complain to the ins. co about the GI I had before. Of course, he fired me!!  No sweat, I am glad.  I will ask him about this!

[Hepatitis Researcher]

Sorry to hear all the misfortunes you have to go through. Some hepatologists, like the leading one at UCSF start using some of the liverprotective means like  eg phosphatidylcholine, particularly for patients not cor current  on tx consideration. I am glad you are in this type of care now and hope they will use some of these means to your advantage.