Safety Evaluation of Oleoresin-Based Turmeric Formulation: Assessment of Genotoxicity and Acute and Subchronic Oral Toxicity

Turmeric rhizome (Curcuma longa L.) has been used without concern for safety as a culinary spice and traditional medicine under the ancient Ayurvedic medicinal system of India dating back nearly 4000 years. This preclinical safety evaluation was done to determine the safety of an oleoresin-based turmeric extract (CURCUGEN®). Guidelines from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) directed the assessment of safety for the in vitro and in vivo application of CURCUGEN®. Safety of the herbal medicine was evaluated through the toxicological assessment of acute, oral, and 90-day repeated dosing, genotoxicity, and mutagenicity study. Genotoxicity tests included the in vitro bacterial reverse mutation test, chromosomal aberration test, and in vivo micronucleus test. The single dose of CURCUGEN® administered orally (gavage) to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats resulted in a LD50 of >5000 mg/kg body weight. The subchronic assessment of CURCUGEN®, as administered to SD rats over 90 days resulted in a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 2000 mg/kg body weight/day. CURCUGEN® did not elicit any genotoxic or clastogenic effect in genotoxicity tests. The battery of safety studies carried out demonstrated that CURCUGEN® showed no evidence of general toxicity or genotoxicity.