NutriStack
Mesalamine and Turmeric/Curcumin, a synergy.
Curcumin has randomized-trial and meta-analysis evidence as an adjunct to mesalamine in mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis. Higher-dose curcumin added to optimized mesalamine improved clinical and endoscopic remission in one trial, while low-dose curcumin was not effective in another. Benefits depend on dose, formulation, adherence, and disease severity.
One pair, every claim cited. The two substances, the type, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
Same shape as the other 1,729 pairs in the public database.
From the interaction database
What the row says.
Every entry follows the same shape: what is happening, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
At a glance
- Substances
- Mesalamine and Turmeric/Curcumin
- Pair type
- Synergy
- Evidence (highest tier)
- Moderate
- Source citations
- 3 sources
- Stack Score effect
- +2 to your Stack Score (per scored synergy row).
- Scope
- Supplement × Prescription
- Last verified
- May 30, 2026
Synergy · Moderate evidence
Synergy
What is happening. Curcumin has randomized-trial and meta-analysis evidence as an adjunct to mesalamine in mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis. Higher-dose curcumin added to optimized mesalamine improved clinical and endoscopic remission in one trial, while low-dose curcumin was not effective in another. Benefits depend on dose, formulation, adherence, and disease severity.
Mechanism. Mesalamine acts topically in the colonic mucosa to reduce prostaglandin and leukotriene-mediated inflammation. Curcumin adds anti-inflammatory effects through NF-kappaB, cytokine, oxidative-stress, and epithelial-barrier pathways.
Recommendation. Do not replace mesalamine with curcumin. If adding curcumin, use it consistently and keep your mesalamine dose unchanged unless your gastroenterologist changes it. Stop and seek care for worsening bleeding, fever, severe pain, or dehydration.
Sources (3)
- Lang A, Salomon N, Wu JC, et al. Curcumin in Combination With Mesalamine Induces Remission in Patients With Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Colitis in a Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2015;13(8):1444-1449.e1. PMID 25724700
- Zheng T, Wang X, Chen Z, He A, Zheng Z, Liu G. Efficacy of adjuvant curcumin therapy in ulcerative colitis: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;35(5):722-729. PMID 31696975
- Grammatikopoulou MG, Gkiouras K, Theodoridis X, Asteriou E, Forbes A, Bogdanos DP. Oral Adjuvant Curcumin Therapy for Attaining Clinical Remission in Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2018;10(11):1737. PMID 30424514
Stack Score
How this pair moves the number.
Effect on the composite score
If both Mesalamine and Turmeric/Curcumin are in the same stack, this pair applies +2 to your Stack Score (per scored synergy row).
The full algorithm, the clamping rules, and four worked stacks are documented at /methodology/stack-score.
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