Cognitive Supplement Composition for Curcumin Bioavailability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other age-related dementia diseases face challenges such as low bioavailability of curcumin, reduced acetylcholine levels, and inadequate absorption of active ingredients, leading to ineffective prevention and treatment of symptoms.
Innovation Solution
Compositions comprising choline, magnesium, taurine-containing compounds, ashwagandha root, phosphatidylserine, and other ingredients like turmeric root, piperine, and huperzine A are formulated to enhance bioavailability and cognitive function, addressing metabolic and neurological issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If curcumin is administered orally as a dietary supplement, then it provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, but its bioavailability is poor and it is rapidly glucuronidated resulting in low plasma levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses phospholipids (such as phosphatidylcholine) and surfactants as intermediary substances to enhance curcumin absorption. These intermediaries form mixed micelles with curcumin in the gastrointestinal tract, facilitating its transport across the intestinal membrane into the bloodstream, thereby resolving the contradiction between therapeutic effectiveness and bioavailability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite formulation combining curcumin with phospholipids, surfactants, and other adjuvants. This composite material leverages the properties of each component: curcumin provides therapeutic activity while phospholipids and surfactants enhance solubility and absorption, achieving both effectiveness and bioavailability.
2Reliability
If high doses of curcumin are administered to achieve therapeutic effects, then antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity increases, but glucuronidation is accelerated resulting in even lower plasma levels
Solution Approach 1:
Phospholipids and surfactants act as intermediaries that protect curcumin from rapid glucuronidation by forming stable complexes. This mediation allows higher doses of curcumin to be administered while maintaining better plasma levels, as the intermediaries prevent premature metabolic degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The formulation performs preliminary protection of curcumin by pre-complexing it with phospholipids and surfactants before it encounters glucuronidating enzymes in the body. This preliminary action prevents rapid glucuronidation and maintains curcumin bioavailability even at higher therapeutic doses.
3Reliability
If curcumin is used to treat Alzheimer's disease, then it shows affinity for β-amyloid and inhibits plaque formation, but poor absorption prevents adequate brain delivery
Solution Approach 1:
Phospholipids and surfactants serve as intermediaries that facilitate curcumin's delivery to the brain by enhancing gastrointestinal absorption and potentially crossing the blood-brain barrier. This resolves the contradiction between treatment efficacy and delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite delivery system where curcumin is combined with absorption-enhancing phospholipids and surfactants. This composite material maintains curcumin's anti-amyloid properties while adding delivery capabilities through the phospholipid-surfactant matrix.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The compositions improve cognitive function, prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease symptoms by increasing ingredient absorption and modulating brain health, providing energy during exercise, and treating traumatic brain injuries.
Implementation Method 1
Piperine, a botanical extract from the fruits of Piper nigrum (black pepper) and Piper longum, has been determined to increase the bioavailability of curcumin in the body when both curcumin and piperine are taken together.
Implementation Method 2
As an antioxidant, curcumin removes harmful free radicals from the body, thereby protecting the human body, and particularly, the brain, by preventing lipid peroxidation.
Implementation Method 3
Curcumin exhibits an affinity for β-amyloid and both inhibits the aggregation of β-amyloid fragments into plaque formations as well as dissolves existing β-amyloid plaques.
Implementation Method 4
The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin includes inhibiting cyclooxygenase 2, nuclear factor KB-mediated transcription of inflammatory cytokines, and the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase.
Implementation Method 5
Galantamine increases the level of acetylcholine present in the brain by inhibiting the activity of acetylcholinesterase.
Implementation Method 6
Huperzine A, an alkaloid plant extract from the club moss Huperzia serrata, is a nootropic agent that also strongly inhibits the activity of acetylcholinesterase.
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions and methods are described for improving brain health and cognitive function and for preventing and treating Alzheimer's disease and other age-related dementia diseases and conditions for intake as a dietary or nutritional supplement, for example, as a powdered drink mix. Compositions for providing an energy source to the brain during exercise are also described. The composition includes a source of choline, a source of magnesium, at least one taurine-containing composition, a source of ashwagandha root, and phosphatidylserine. The source of choline can be alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine or citicoline and the source of magnesium can be magnesium-L-threonate or magnesium glycinate. The composition can further include at least one of oleic acid, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, curcumin, piperine, galantamine, huperzine-A, a source of vitamin B5, L-tyrosine, and beta-hydroxybutyrate.