Turmeric
CURCUMA LONGA
Indigenous to Southeastern and Eastern Asia, this perennial member of the Zingiberaceae family has been used for thousands of years as a traditional medicine, coloring agent and spice. Currently India accounts for much of its cultivation. It is known as Shati in Sanskrit. Reports of its use as a medicine go as far back as 600 BC in Assyrian herbal accounts and can also be traced to Greek writings from Dioscorides. It has been used to support healthy digestion, promote cardiovascular health, and support the immune system as well as used topically and in the eyes in Ayurvedic medicine. In Western herbal medicine Turmeric is used as an aromatic bitter and for supporting healthy liver function.
What is Turmeric Used For?
Most of the clinical research has been conducted in-vitro and primarily on animal cells using the isolated constituents. Turmeric extracts have shown considerable pharmacological activity, but the exact modes of its actions are not yet fully understood. Most researchers agree that the basic mechanism of action within Turmeric is its potent antioxidant action. Curcuminoids seem to scavenge for damaging particles in the body known as "free-radicals".
Traditional Health Benefits of Turmeric
.svg?width=150&height=150)
Additional Information on this Herb
curcumin (diferuloylmethane), demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, sesquiterpenes, tumerones, and fatty acids, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid.
Rhizomes
1.) Korutla, L. and Kumar, R. Inhibitory effect of curcumin on epidermal growth factor receptor kinase activity in A431 cells. Biochim.Biophys.Acta 12-30-1994;1224(3):597-600.2.) Araujo CC, Leon LL. Biological activities of Curcuma longa L. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2001;96:723-8. 3.) Antony S, Kuttan R, Kuttan G. Immunomodulatory activity of curcumin. Immunol Invest 1999;28:291-303. 4.) Baliga, M. S., Jagetia, G. C., Rao, S. K., and Babu, K. Evaluation of nitric oxide scavenging activity of certain spices in vitro: a preliminary study. Nahrung 2003;47(4):261-264.5.) Song, E. K., Cho, H., Kim, J. S., Kim, N. Y., An, N. H., Kim, J. A., Lee, S. H., and Kim, Y. C. Diarylheptanoids with free radical scavenging and hepatoprotective activity in vitro from Curcuma longa. Planta Med. 2001;67(9):876-877.6.) Chatterjee, S., Variyar, P. S., and Sharma, A. Stability of lipid constituents in radiation processed fenugreek seeds and turmeric: role of phenolic antioxidants. J Agric.Food Chem. 10-14-2009;57(19):9226-9233.7.) Tanaka, K., Kuba, Y., Sasaki, T., Hiwatashi, F., and Komatsu, K. Quantitation of curcuminoids in curcuma rhizome by near-infrared spectroscopic analysis. J Agric.Food Chem. 10-8-2008;56(19):8787-8792.8.) Gupta, S. C., Patchva, S., Koh, W., and Aggarwal, B. B. Discovery of curcumin, a component of golden spice, and its miraculous biological activities. Clin Exp.Pharmacol Physiol 2012;39(3):283-299.
Not for use in excess during pregnancy or lactation. If you have a medical condition or take pharmaceutical drugs please consult your doctor prior to use.
- This information in our Herbal Reference Guide is intended only as a general reference for further exploration, and is not a replacement for professional health advice. This content does not provide dosage information, format recommendations, toxicity levels, or possible interactions with prescription drugs. Accordingly, this information should be used only under the direct supervision of a qualified health practitioner such as a naturopathic physician.
Popular Herbs
Our Herbal Reference Guide lets you enhance your relationship with herbs by giving you a comprehensive profile of each plant.
We're sorry, there were no result found for Popular Herbs.