New Clinical Data On Meriva(R) Show Eye Inflammations Reduction

A new clinical study published in Clinical Ophthalmology shows that Meriva®, an Indena proprietary complex of curcumin with soy phosphatidylcholine, can play an important role in the adjunctive therapy of recurrent anterior uveitis (RAU), the most common form of uveitis.

Uveitis is an inflammation involving the interior of the eye that in some cases can lead to blindness. RAU - also termed iritis - symptoms are pain, redness, photophobia, and, to a variable degree, decreased vision.

To evaluate a possible beneficial role of Meriva® for the adjunctive therapy of RAU, 2 tablets of Norflo® (Eye Pharma Co, Italy) containing 600mg of Meriva® each were administered for 12 months to 122 patients diagnosed with RAU for at least two years before the beginning of the trial, and during which they had suffered 1-4 relapses/year. Within the 106 patients who completed the study, only 19 (18%) had relapses. An improvement in symptoms including ocular pain and blurring of vision was also observed, and 86% of patients reported a subjective systemic well-being, progressively developed after 4-6 weeks of treatment. Moreover, the study showed that Meriva® was well tolerated, since 90% of the patients enrolled completed the one year follow up.

Commenting on the results of the study Giovanni Appendino, Indena Scientific Advisor, said "This is the first large and controlled clinical study that demonstrates the efficacy of curcumin in eye relapsing diseases like anterior uveitis. It confirms the important anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin, and the same authors suggest that this could be useful also in other eye inflammatory and degenerative eye pathologies, like dry eye, maculopathy, glaucoma, allergic conjunctivitis, and diabetic retinopathy. Being a long-term study, the results of this study highlight the safety profile of Meriva®".

With over 3000 pre-clinical investigations, Curcumin is one of the best investigated natural products of the whole biomedical literature; these studies have demonstrated its action as a master switch of inflammation. Nevertheless, just like most dietary phenolics, curcumin shows a very poor oral absorption. These problems have now been largely overcome by phospholipid complexation of curcumin that is capitalizing the basic tenets of the Phytosome® strategy to improve the bioavailability by offering an higher stability and oral absorption in comparison with uncomplexed curcumin.

About curcumin

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), the most important spice of the Indian cuisine, and a major ingredient of curry powders. In Asian Medicine, turmeric is used for the treatment of inflammation and joint pain. In Western countries, it is mainly employed as a food additive to color dairy products (cheese and yogurts), margarine and canned food.

About Meriva®

Meriva® is a patented complex of curcumin, a dietary phenolic, with soy phosphatidylcholine. The two compounds form a non-covalent adduct in a 1:2 weight ratio, and two parts of microcrystalline cellulose are then added to improve formulation, with an overall content of curcumin of 20%. Meriva® is already included as an ingredient in food supplements marketed in USA and EU and available over the counter.

About Norflo®

Norflo® is a natural phyto-nutraceutical containing Meriva® (curcumin phospholipid), a product designed to improve bioavailability of curcuminoids which can play an important role as complementary therapy in eye specialists therapeutic protocols. Norflo® tablets disaggregate in few minutes making the absorption at intestinal level particularly effective. Norflo® is indicated for the treatment of chronic or relapsing eye diseases.

Source:
Indena
Eye Pharma Co

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