Akay Natural Ingredients has unveiled research indicating that their trademarked compound, CurQfen (a blend of Curcumin and Fenugreek), could play a role in combatting Alzheimer’s dementia by decelerating its progression.
With the global burden of dementia expected to escalate to 152 million cases by 2050 from its current 50 million, the ailment is no longer an issue limited to older populations. Modern lifestyle habits, including a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol consumption, and stress, have been identified as contributors to its early onset.
Akay Natural Ingredients, a division of the Oterra Group, carried out a double-blinded, placebo-controlled study involving 48 participants, aged 55-75, all diagnosed with moderate dementia. These participants were categorized into three groups, each receiving a different treatment – a placebo, a standard curcumin complex, or CurQfen. This six-month research was set up to compare the efficacy of free curcumin against its standard complex.
What Is CurQfen?
CurQfen, an innovative formulation, encapsulates curcumin within fenugreek dietary fiber. This boosts curcumin’s natural absorption, enables better blood-brain barrier penetration, and offers superior neuroprotective effects compared to a 95% pure standard curcumin complex.
“The exceptional performance of CurQfen, as indicated by prior studies, led to its selection. Previous research showed the need for 37 ng/mL of free curcumin to attain optimal brain functionality, and astonishingly, CurQfen achieves this with just a 250 mg dose," remarked Dr. Chakrapani, the study's lead.
He further added, “Our study's findings were outstanding. Those administered with CurQfen showed notable enhancements in both cognitive and motor functions. This notable difference, in comparison to other groups, strongly suggests CurQfen’s vital role in decelerating dementia progression.”
Distinct biomarkers, such as elevated tau protein levels and decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), are often indicative of Alzheimer's Disease. Remarkably, participants on CurQfen showed a significant reduction in tau proteins and increased BDNF levels.
“These groundbreaking results emphasize the criticality of curcumin in its free form. It not only has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier but also exhibits strong anti-amyloid properties," highlighted Frederik Errebo, Akay's Nutraceuticals Head.
In light of these promising findings, the company plans to initiate a larger Randomised Controlled Trial focusing on dementia. This study saw collaboration between Cochin University of Science and Technology's Center for Neuroscience and the Alzheimer’s and Related Diseases Society of India, Kochi, with research support provided by Akay, India.
