Revamped Akay Bioactives graces nutraceuticals scene touting botanical blend against dementia

18 Oct 2023 --- With the launch of its new brand, Akay Bioactives, the Oterra Group debuts its renewed business outlook along with its CurQfen supplement that stunts the progression of Alzheimer’s dementia. The curcumin-fenugreek blend alters the biomarkers responsible for the advancement of the disease, particularly brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which plays a role in cognition and neuronal survival.

Low levels of BDNF lead to memory loss and other cognitive deficits. Nutrition Insight speaks with Dr. Baby Chakrapani, principal investigator of the clinical trial featuring CurQfen. “Our spotlight product, CurQfen, delivers curcumin without synthetic additives or carriers. The challenge in human application stems from curcumin’s poor bioavailability, leading to rapid metabolism into less effective forms.”

“Our research and development team developed CurQfen to overcome this hurdle. The technology of FenuMat efficiently delivers free curcumin to the bloodstream and the brain, which is crucial for its efficacy in brain health and cognitive support. Free curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier, exerting anti-amyloid potential.”

Bioactive-free curcumin
The clinical trial into the properties of CurQfen was conducted by a team of researchers from the Center for Neuroscience at Cochin University of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s and Related Diseases Society of India, with research and development support from Akay Bioactives.

The CurQfen formulation is a patented curcumin-galactomannan complex, using self-emulsifying hydrogel delivery by encapsulating curcumin in fenugreek-mucilage or galactomannan soluble dietary fiber. This creates enhanced bioavailability of free curcuminoids, improved blood-brain-barrier (BBB) permeability, heightened brain bioavailability and improved neuroprotective effects.

“Enhanced BBB permeability denotes the improved ability of substances, like drugs or nutrients, to effectively pass through the BBB and enter brain tissue. The BBB acts as a protective shield by lining the brain’s blood vessels with tightly packed cells, safeguarding the brain from harmful substances circulating in the bloodstream,” explains Chakrapani.CurQfen improves the blood-brain barrier and slows the progression of memory loss.

“While vital for brain health, this barrier can hinder beneficial compounds from reaching the brain. CurQfen plays a pivotal role here by offering high bioavailability of free curcumin, resulting in improved BBB permeability and increased brain bioavailability, which can help improve brain health and support cognition later in life.” 

Compared to standard curcumin complexes, which are prone to rapid transformation, CurQfen offers high levels of bioactive-free curcumin. It delivers curcumin effortlessly to cells, tissues and the brain. Sachets were chosen as the delivery method, as swallowing tablets, capsules and even gummies pose potential risks to dementia patients.

“CurQfen uses a self-emulsifying hydrogel technology using fenugreek water-soluble fibers enhancing the solubility, stability and membrane permeability of curcuminoids and other natural bioactives,” he says.

The Fenumat technology employs a gel-phase dispersion method to uniformly infuse active molecules like curcuminoids into conformationally restricted 3D pockets within the galactomannan hydrogel network. In addition, FenuMat is free from synthetic agents like polysorbate, silica or emulsifiers.

Blending herbs to stave off dementia
According to Akay Bioactives, around 152 million people are expected to get Alzheimer’s disease by 2050, three times the amount today. Lifestyle aspects such as sedentary behavior, smoking, alcoholism and stress are linked to the early onset of the disease.

The study involved 48 participants aged 55–75 with moderate dementia to analyze the effects of CurQfen on cognitive well-being. Participants were split into three groups, each taking a different supplement — placebo, unformulated standard curcumin complex and CurQfen.

“The noticeable positive impact has encouraged us to invest further in research. We aim to unlock its potential for society, especially in addressing the alarming concerns related to cognition and memory decline, preserving brain health for the best quality of life,” says Chakrapani.

Meanwhile, the Oterra Group launched Akay Bioactives, its new brand for clinically substantiated actives, specialty actives and botanical extracts for the health and nutrition industry.

The Oterra Group completed its acquisition of Akay Natural Ingredients in October 2022. The newly formed Akay Bioactives integrates Akay’s Spiceuticals business and the Oterra Group’s NutriPhy business into one portfolio.

Delivering on dosageThe Oterra Group has revamped its nutraceuticals division and incorporated various business units into one portfolio, Akay Bioactives.
Achieving adequate bioavailability of free curcumin involves addressing the challenges of poor solubility, in vivo instability, limited bloodstream absorption and rapid conversion to less active forms like glucuronides and sulfates. 

“The FenuMat formulation technology tackles these issues by transforming curcumin into soluble mucoadhesive microparticles to enhance membrane permeability absorption while reducing biotransformation, including intestinal and hepatic glucuronidation,” Chakrapani notes.

“It’s a naturally sourced product, devoid of emulsifiers, synthetic agents and silica, and is available with organic certification. It requires a low daily dosage of 250 to 400 mg, even for joint health. These claims are substantiated by a decade of rigorous biochemical, molecular biology, and clinical research, supported by numerous high-impact journal publications.”

Chakrapani explains that curcumin complexes extracted from turmeric rhizomes employ solvents such as ethyl acetate and ethanol, yielding a 95% curcuminoids profile of 72-80% curcumin, 12-15% demethoxy curcumin and 2–5% bisdemetoxy curcumin..  

“However, upon consumption, it rapidly transforms into less effective curcumin glucuronides and sulfates, with over 80% undergoing this process. These transformed compounds lack the desired health benefits such as anti-inflammatory and joint pain management effects.”

CurQfen ensures prolonged delivery of bioactive free curcuminoids, preventing the conversion into glucuronides and sulfates, allowing the curcumin to reach cells and tissues and preserving its health-giving properties.

Participants who received CurQfen demonstrated significant improvements in cognitive and locomotive functions. These advancements were assessed using the validated MMSE (mini-mental state examination) and GLFS-25 (geriatric locomotive functional scale) questionnaires and stood out compared to those who received standard curcumin complexes or placebos. 

The researchers further explored biochemical markers to investigate CurQfen’s efficacy. The biomarkers include abnormal elevation in tau protein phosphorylation, aggregation and accumulation of amyloid β42 and β40 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Study participants who received CurQfen experienced reductions in tau-proteins and Aβ42 levels and considerably enhanced BDNF. 

By Inga de Jong