Curcumin vs Piperine: what is the difference?
Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric and piperine the bite of black pepper; piperine is paired with curcumin because it helps curcumin get absorbed.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Each molecule's own drawing, as its page shows it. The common core, 9 of 27 atoms, is too small to align on.
Side by side
| Curcumin | Piperine | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 368.4 g/molC21H20O6 | 285.34 g/molC17H19NO3 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 2 | 0 |
| HeatCalculated SHU from capsaicinoid content (HPLC) | Not recorded | 100,000 SHU |
| Pure compound, not a sauce or a pepper. | ||
| Where each turns upEditorial MoleculeFinder food and product lists | Not on our lists |
|
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Phenolic compounds | Plant alkaloids |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Plant | Plant |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Aromatics, Ketones, Phenols, Ethers | Aromatics, Amides, Ethers |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA via PubChem | Warning | Danger |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- HeatcomputedSHU from capsaicinoid content (HPLC)
- Where each turns upfrom sourceMoleculeFinder food and product listsEach amount is an editorial figure from our lists, not a measurement of any one product. Each mark is set by hand on the list, never inferred.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 969516 (Curcumin) and 638024 (Piperine).
In more detail
That pairing is the reason the two are usually named together. 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.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Curcumin and Piperine?
- Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric and piperine the bite of black pepper; piperine is paired with curcumin because it helps curcumin get absorbed.
- 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.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.