National Toxicology Program

Selected toxicity information from HSDB, one of the National Library of Medicine's databases. ¹

Names (NTP)

• Curcumin
• C.I. NATURAL YELLOW 3
• CURCUMIN (PREVENTION 4)
• 1,7-BIS(4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYPHENYL)-1,6-HEPTADIENE-3,5-DIONE (9CI)
• DIFERULOYLMETHANE
• 1,7-BIS(4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYPHENYL)-1,6-HEPTADIENE-3,5-DIONE (9CI)
• C.I. NATURAL YELLOW 3
• SOUCHET
• CURCUMA
• DIFERULOYLMETHANE
• CURCUMA
• INDIAN SAFFRON
• MERITA EARTH
• YELLOW ROOT
• YELLOW GINGER
• YELLOW GINGER
• INDIAN SAFFRON
• YELLOW ROOT
• MERITA EARTH
• SOUCHET
• Prevention 4 (Curcumin)

Human Toxicity Excerpts

• None found

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Non-Human Toxicity Excerpts

• 100 MG/KG OF CURCUMIN ADMIN ORALLY FOR 6 CONSECUTIVE DAYS PRODUCED GASTRIC ULCERATION IN ALBINO RATS DUE TO REDUCTION IN THE MUCIN CONTENT OF GASTRIC JUICE. [GUPTA ET AL; INDIAN J MED RES 71(MAY) 806 (1980)]**PEER REVIEWED**
  
• Curcumin was found to be negative when tested for mutagenicity using the Salmonella/microsome preincubation assay, using the standard protocol approved by the National Toxicology Program (NTP). Curcumin was tested in as many as 5 Salmonella typhimurium strains (TA1535, TA1537, TA97, TA98, and TA100) in the presence and absence of rat and hamster liver S-9, at doses of 0.001, 0.003, 0.010, 0.033, 0.100, 0.333, 1.000, and 3.333 mg/plate. The highest ineffective dose tested in any S. typhimurium strain was 3.333 mg/plate. Precipitate was observed in many of the cultures at this dose as well as some clearing of the background bacterial lawn. [Mortelmans K et al; Environ Mutagen 8:1-119 (1986)]**QC REVIEWED**
  
• ... CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of these 2 year feed studies, there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of turmeric oleoresin in male F344/N rats administered 2,000, 10,000, or 50,000 ppm. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of turmeric oleoresin in female F344/N rats based on increased incidences of clitoral gland adenomas in the exposed groups. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of turmeric oleoresin in male B6C3F1 mice based on a marginally increased incidence of hepatocellular adenoma at the 10,000 ppm level, and the occurrence of carcinomas of the small intestine in the 2,000 and 10,000 ppm groups. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of turmeric oleoresin in female B6C3F1 mice based on an increased incidence of hepatocellular adenomas in the 10,000 ppm group. /Turmeric Oleoresin, major component 79%-85% curcumin/ [Toxicology & Carcinogenesis Studies of Turmeric Oleoresin (Major Component 79%-85% Curcumin in F344/N Rats and B6C3F1 Mice (Feed Studies). Technical Report Series No. 427 (1993) NIH Publication No. 93-3158 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709]**QC REVIEWED**
  

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Human Toxicity Values

• None found

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Non-Human Toxicity Values

• None found

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Absorption, Distribution and Excretion

• ORAL & IP DOSES OF (3)H-CURCUMIN LED TO FECAL EXCRETION OF MOST OF RADIOACTIVITY. IV & IP DOSES WERE WELL EXCRETED IN BILE OF CANNULATED RATS. [HOLDER ET AL; XENOBIOTICA 8(12) 761 (1978)]**PEER REVIEWED**
  
• WHEN ADMIN ORALLY IN DOSE OF 1 G/KG, CURCUMIN WAS EXCRETED IN FECES TO ABOUT 75%, WHILE NEGLIGIBLE AMT APPEARED IN URINE. MEASUREMENT OF BLOOD PLASMA LEVELS & BILIARY EXCRETION SHOWED THAT CURCUMIN WAS POORLY ABSORBED FROM THE GUT. [WAHLSTROM B, BLENNOW G; ACTA PHARMACOL TOXICOL 43(2) 86 (1978)]**PEER REVIEWED**
  

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Metabolism/Metabolites

• IV & IP DOSES OF (3)H-CURCUMIN EXCRETED IN BILE OF CANNULATED RATS. MAJOR METAB WERE GLUCURONIDES OF TETRAHYDROCURCUMIN & HEXAHYDROCURCUMIN. MINOR METAB WAS DIHYDROFERULIC ACID TOGETHER WITH TRACES OF FERULIC ACID. [HOLDER ET AL; XENOBIOTICA 8(12) 761 (1978)]**PEER REVIEWED**
  

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TSCA Test Submissions

• None found

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Footnotes

¹ Source: the National Library of Medicine's Hazardous Substance Database, 10/28/2007.