India is home to a diverse range of herbaceous plant species, many of which have medicinal applications. Turmeric is a well-known spice that is used as a dye, flavoring, and has medicinal properties. Turmeric is known as the “queen spice” in India due to its strong taste and golden yellowish shade. Curcuma longa L. is the scientific name for turmeric. It is a member of the Zingiberaceae family. It’s a short-stemmed annual herb with oblong leaves and pyriform rhizomes.
The rhizomes, or stems, are often branched and brownish yellow in colour. Turmeric has been used in weddings for the Haldi ceremony since ancient times since it gives the skin a lustre and shine and helps to preserve its vitality. Turmeric’s health advantages include antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, and other essential medicinal properties.
Turmeric’s Origins
Turmeric is extensively grown in India, including Thailand, Indonesia, China, and Africa trailing closely behind. In India, there are two major forms of commercially produced turmeric: “Alleppey” and “Madras.” “Alleppey-turmeric” is a spice and food colorant imported into the United States.
Turmeric by Other Names-
• Ameshta, Bhadra, hridayavilasini, jwarantika, and suvarnavarna are some of the Sanskrit names for it.
• Haldi is the Hindi name for it.
• Halad is the Marathi word for it.
• It’s known as Indian saffron in English.
• Arisina and Arishina are the Kannada names for it.
• Manjal is the Tamil name for it.
• Pasupu and Haridra are the Telugu names for it.
• It’s called Manjal in Malayalam.
Turmeric’s key chemical constituents-
There are many essential constituents in turmeric rhizomes, and scientists are still trying to work out how important they are to human health. Non-volatiles and volatiles are the two main constituents of high demand and therapeutic significance.
Curcuminoid (which is responsible for the bulk of the colouring properties), Curcumin (of which there are three types: curcumin III (0.3 percent), curcumin II (6%), and curcumin I (94 percent)).
Zingiberene (25%), sesquiterpines (53%), cineol (1%), a-phellandrene (1%), borneol (0.5%), and sabinene (0.5%) are the volatile components (0.6 percent ).
Turmeric’s traditional uses-
• Turmeric is used to cure coughs, anorexia, dysentery, stomach pain, respiratory conditions, and dental problems in households.
• It’s also used to treat bowel problems including liver disease, ulcers, and gas.
• Turmeric and lime macerated rhizomes are used to treat injury-related inflammation and muscle pain.
• A perineal laceration is treated with freshly made turmeric paste to help the wound heal faster after delivery.
• Turmeric paste is an effective antiseptic, which is why it is added to newborn babies’ umbilical cords.
• Turmeric paste is widely used on the skin to treat eye infections, wounds, and bites.
• In the treatment of chickenpox, smallpox, and measles, the mixture of turmeric and neem is very successful (rubella).
Turmeric’s therapeutic properties
• Anticancer preparations are made with turmeric.
• Turmeric and its derivatives can increase cortisone activity in the adrenal glands, which reduces inflammation by lowering histamine levels.
• Turmeric aids in the detoxification of the body and the preservation of the liver.
• Turmeric aids in platelet aggregation reduction, which increases blood supply and defends against atherosclerosis.
Turmeric’s cancer-fighting powers-
• Turmeric has ample empirical evidence to support its antigenic properties.
• Turmeric can help prevent new cancers from emerging as a result of the chemotherapy used to cure the cancer.
• Turmeric has been shown in studies to prevent the unregulated spread (metastasis) of skin cancer by stopping the development of carcinogens from tobacco chewing and smoking.
Turmeric’s health advantages
• An internal injection of turmeric decoction made from fresh rhizomes is used to treat snake bites, vomiting during breastfeeding, and leprosy.
• When added to an injury, turmeric paste may assist in the forming of a critical blood clot.
• On the site of the damage, a turmeric formulation acts as a sanitizer. It also assists in tissue development and wound contraction, as well as starting the skin healing process.
• Any scientific evidence suggests that white adipose tissue and curcumin interact, which helps the body suppress excess fat.
• Turmeric stimulates bile development in the gallbladder, which aids digestion and fat metabolism.
• Turmeric is an effective ingredient for skin base formulations because of its potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects.
• There is insufficient conclusive evidence to suggest that turmeric is useful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Leave a Reply