A medical spice belonging to the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family. Turmeric is a perennial earthy orange-yellow subterranean stem, erect with sheath leaves and thick fleshy rhizomes.

 

 

 

 

While its scientific name is Curcuma long Linn, it is often referred to as the golden spice, spice of life or herb of the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

Commercially, turmeric can be sold in its whole form as a dried rhizome. in a powdered form, oil, or oleoresin.

Its constituents include its volatile (3-7%) and non-volatile compounds (curcuminoid 1-6%, dietary fiber 2-7%. mineral matter 3-7%, protein 6-8%. moisture 6-13% fat 5-10% and carbohydrates 60-70%) It contains niacin's riboflavin, thiamine, and ascorbic acids. It also contains numerous phytochemicals like monoterpenes and triterpenes. sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, steroids. fatty acids, saccharides, alkaloids and phenolic compounds.

 

The habitat and agro-climatic conditions influence the quality and quantity of the turmeric.

Out of its 300 active components, The major active ingredient of turmeric is CURCUMIN.

It was discovered two centuries ago by Vogel and Pelletier when they isolated a yellow coloring matter and named it Curcumin.

 

 

 

 

 

The major curcuminoids that are together termed as the curcuminoid complex include desmethoxycurcumin. bisdemethoxycurcumin, and cyclocurcumin

6000 studies have been published on PubMed since the first scientific study they did in 1937 using curcumin as a medicine.

The habitat and agro-climatic conditions influence the quality and quantity of the turmeric

 

 

HEALTH BENEFITS OF TURMERIC

Turmeric or rather Curcumin has been used therapeutically for thousands of years in traditional Asian (Indian Ayurveda and Chinese). One reason for its medicinal value has been its low toxicity. Curcumin can be consumed up to 10g a day without any side effects.

It has been used as an:

ANTIOXIDANT, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANTI-CANCER, ANTI-MALARIAL, ANTI-MICROBIAL, ANTI-PROTOZOAL, ANTI-AGING, ANTI-SPASMODIC, ANTI-PARASITIC., ANTI-FIBROGENIC, ANTI-VENOM, ANTI-ANGIOGENIC AGENT, ANTI-PROLIFERATIVE, ANTI-APOPTOTIC

It can be:
IMMUNOMODULATORY, RENOPROTECTIVE, HEPAPROTECTIVE, HYPOGLYCAEMIC

 

 It has been known to help prevent inflammatory diseases including:

IBD
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Rheumatoid Arthritis
ALLERGIC RHINITIS
BEHCER'S DISEASE
PSORIASIS
CHRONIC GASTRITIS
KIDNEY DISEASE
CHRONIC PROSTATITIS
GINGIVITIS
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES