Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol, Paracetamol) is the number one cause of acute liver failure in the USA, Canada, and UK. Exceeding 3,250 mg to 3,900 mg (depending on the type and strength) per day can cause liver harm. Acute liver failure can happen after one very large dose of acetaminophen, or after higher than recommended doses every day for several days.
Curcumin, a major bioactive compound in turmeric herb, is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, which helps protect tissues and organs. Curcumin is well-recognized for its hepatoprotective activity, which was emphasized using different in vivo hepatic injury and hepatic carcinoma models such as alcohol-induced hepatic fibrosis, aflatoxin-induced liver injury heavy metals-induced liver damage, and paracetamol (Para) induced liver toxicity. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L., Lamiaceae) is a medicinal and aromatic plant widely spread in the Mediterranean region, but is now cultivated all over the world. Traditionally, it has been used as a stimulant and mild analgesic and has been prescribed for headaches, poor blood circulation, inflammatory diseases, and physical and mental fatigue. Rosemary essential oil retains numerous health benefits and therapeutic effects. The oil relieved dyspepsia and mild spasms of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), as well as relieving minor peripheral circulatory disorders. Furthermore, several pharmacological activities can be attributed to the oil components such as antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. The hepatoprotective effects of Rosemary essential oil are well documented and have been observed in different experimental models of liver injury.
Recently, researchers evaluated the activity of curcumin supplement and rosemary CT 1,8-cineole essential oil alone and in combination in a preclinical model of acute liver injury caused by acetaminophen. What the researchers found was that ingesting rosemary essential oil with curcumin not only increased the bioavailability of curcumin, it produced a synergistic activity that protected the liver better than either natural product alone.