SHEET /vs/curcumin-vs-piperine · COMPARISON
Curcumin vs Piperine: what is the difference?
How they differ
from source
These two are usually named together because piperine is added to turmeric supplements to make curcumin usable. Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric, poorly absorbed and rapidly conjugated by the liver and gut wall, so very little of what is swallowed reaches the bloodstream intact. Piperine, the sharp compound in black pepper, inhibits some of the enzymes that perform that conjugation, which is why the two are formulated together. They are otherwise unrelated: curcumin is a phenolic diketone at 368.4 and piperine an alkaloid at 285.34, and piperine carries heat that curcumin does not. Curcumin is also a pH indicator that turns red in alkali, which is what stains a wooden spoon.
Side by side
| Curcumin | Piperine | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C21H20O6 | C17H19NO3 |
| Molecular weight | 368.4 g/mol | 285.34 g/mol |
| Family | Phenolic compounds | Plant alkaloids |
| Everyday group | Plant | Plant |
| Functional groups | Aromatics, Ketones, Phenols, Ethers | Aromatics, Amides, Ethers |
| GHS signal wordThe supplier-filed hazard label, not a statement about ordinary use. | Warning | Danger |
| ScovillePure compound, not a sauce or a pepper. | not recorded | 100,000 SHU |
| Found in | not recorded | Black Pepper |
| CAS number | 458-37-7 | 94-62-2 |
| PubChem CID | 969516 | 638024 |
Common questions
- What is the difference between Curcumin and Piperine?
- These two are usually named together because piperine is added to turmeric supplements to make curcumin usable. Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric, poorly absorbed and rapidly conjugated by the liver and gut wall, so very little of what is swallowed reaches the bloodstream intact. Piperine, the sharp compound in black pepper, inhibits some of the enzymes that perform that conjugation, which is why the two are formulated together.
- Is Curcumin bigger than Piperine?
- Curcumin is the heavier molecule, 368.4 g/mol against 285.34 g/mol for Piperine. Curcumin is C21H20O6 and Piperine is C17H19NO3.