Curcumin—the main component of the spice turmeric—has been used therapeutically since the 1700s, mainly because of its anti-inflammatory effects. However, curcumin is not well absorbed or therapeutically effective when given orally. Joel Friedman, M.D., Ph.D., has shown that dissolving high concentration of curcumin in a biocompatible solvent and adding a component of coconut-oil that promotes skin penetration yields a topical gel that makes curcumin much more bioavailable and therapeutically effective. Recent studies indicate that this transdermal formulation may help in treating the symptoms of sickle cell disease (SCD) and may help against problems associated with aging.

Dr. Friedman, in collaboration with Kalpna Gupta Ph.D., and associates at the University of California-Irvine, tested the curcumin gel on a humanized mouse model of SCD. The gel delivered curcumin to circulating red blood cells and stabilized them while also reducing inflammation, organ damage and easing chronic pain in the animals. The findings suggest that administering transdermal curcumin to people with SCD at an early age could possibly protect them from later developing organ damage and cognitive deficits. The findings were published online on February 13 in PNAS Nexus.

In a study published online on March 15 in GeroScience in collaboration with Derek M. Huffman, Ph.D., and colleagues at CUNY College of Staten Island, Dr. Friedman evaluated how transdermal curcumin affected elderly mice. The researchers found that administering transdermal curcumin for 12 weeks to 20-month-old mice—equivalent to people aged 60 to 65 years—reduced some markers of inflammation and senescence, and improved coordination, stamina, cardiac function and frailty status in the animals. The improvement in clinical signs and reduction in inflammation suggests a possible use for transdermal curcumin in combatting age-related conditions triggered by underling inflammation, including cardiometabolic diseases (e.g., heart disease, stroke and diabetes), dementias, and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Dr. Friedman is professor of microbiology & immunology and of medicine and is the Young Men’s Division Chair in Physiology Emeritus at Einstein. Dr. Huffman, corresponding author of the GeroScience paper, is professor of molecular pharmacology and of medicine, the Lotti and Bernard Benson Faculty Scholar in Alzheimer's Disease at Einstein, co-director of the Einstein Nathan Shock Center, and a member of the National Cancer Institute-designated Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center.