Turmeric

Parts Usually Used

The root, stem and leaves

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Turmeric is a perennial plant with short stems and tuted leaves. Turmeric powder is obtained from the rhizomes, which are brownish yellow. Rhizomes are ready to be harvested when the leaves turn yellow.

Where Found

Turmeriuc plants are widely cultivated in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Peru, Haiti, and Jamaica. India is by far the largest exporter and India consumes 80% of the world’s turmeric.

Medicinal Properties

In many research studies, turmeric has been shown to be a treatment for such ailments as gastric ulcerations such as in pylorus ligation, indomethacin, reserpine, and hypothermic-restraint stress; the bacteria Helicobacter pylori infection, a group I carcinogen; peptic ulcers; chronic pain; skin diseases; wounds; digestive ailments; liver conditions; irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); rheumatoid arthritis (RA); osteoarthritis (OA); bursitis; diabetes; obesity; neurologic and psychiatric disorders; strains of Staphylococcus aureus; Salmonella paratyphi; Trichophyton gypseum; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Alzheimer’s disease; depression; cardiovascular disease; uveitis; ulcerative proctitis; Crohn’s disease; ulcerative colitis; irritable bowel disease; tropical pancreatitis; peptic ulcer; gastric ulcer; idiopathic orbital inflammatory pseudotumor; oral lichen planus; gastric inflammation; vitiligo; psoriasis; acute coronary syndrome; atherosclerosis; diabetic nephropathy; diabetic microangiopathy; lupus nephritis; renal conditions; acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); β-thalassemia; biliary dyskinesia; Dejerine-Sottas disease; cholecystitis; chronic bacterial prostatitis; hepatic conditions; chronic arsenic exposure; metabolic syndrome; anxiety; hyperlipidemia; exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness; and alcohol intoxication.

Oil of turmeric, distilled from the dried rhizome, shows antiseptic properties. Turmeric has been shown to contain choleretic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pleiotropic, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, pro-apoptotic, chemopreventive, chemotherapeutic, anti-proliferative, wound healing, anti-nociceptive, anti-parasitic, anti-malarial, antifungal, cholesterol-lowering, antifibrotic, antimutagenic, lipotroppic effects, digestive aid, and carminative properties.

Studies have shown that turmeric could possibly reduce the risk for cancer, specifically pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma. It has also been shown to effectively treat some chronic illnesses affecting the eyes, lungs, liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems. According to The Arthritis Foundation, name several studies in which turmeric has reduced inflammation.

This anti-inflammatory ability might reduce the aggravation that people with arthritis feel in their joints. Some research stiudies have shown turmeric to be as effective in treating pain as ibuprofen (Advil). The antioxidant effect of turmeric appears to be so powerful that it may stop your liver from being damaged by toxins. This could be good news for people who take strong drugs for diabetes or other health conditions that might hurt their liver with long-term use.

Curcumin boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor, linked to improved brain function and a lower risk of brain diseases. One of the main drivers of this process is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a type of growth hormone that functions in your brain. Many common brain disorders have been linked to decreased levels of this hormone, including depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

Curcumin can increase brain levels of BDNF. By doing this, it may be effective in delaying or even reversing many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function. It may also improve memory and make you smarter, which seems logical given its effects on BDNF levels. Curcumin may help reverse many steps in the heart disease process. Perhaps the main benefit of curcumin when it comes to heart disease is improving the function of the endothelium, which is the lining of your blood vessels.

It’s well known that endothelial dysfunction is a major driver of heart disease and involves an inability of your endothelium to regulate blood pressure, blood clotting and various other factors. Several studies suggest that curcumin leads to improvements in endothelial function. Curcumin has been studied as a beneficial herb in cancer treatment and been found to affect cancer growth, development and spread at the molecular level.

Studies have shown that it can contribute to the death of cancerous cells and reduce angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors) and metastasis (spread of cancer). A research study found turmeric extracts are as effective as ibuprofen for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. The side effects were similar but with fewer gastrointestinal issues in the turmeric extracts group.

Another study states : “Curcumin delivery system is effective in the management of central serous chorioretinopathy. ” Additional studies show that curcumin helps protect the kidneys: “these studies attribute the protective effect of curcumin in the kidney to the induction of the master regulator of antioxidant response nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2 (Nrf2), inhibition of mitochondrial dysfunction, attenuation of inflammatory response, preservation of antioxidant enzymes and prevention of oxidative stress.

” Numerous research studies have been performed to show the effectiveness of turmeric as a treatment. These include studies for: colorectal cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, lung cancer, cancer lesions, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, uveitis, postoperative inflammation, peptic ulcer, H.

pylori infection, idiopathic orbital inflammatory pseudotumor, vitiligo, psoriasis, Dejerine-Sottas disease, Alzheimer’s disease, acute coronary syndrome, atherosclerosis, diabetes, type 2 diabetic nephropathy, diabetic microangiopathy, lupus nephritis, renal transplantation, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, β-Thalassemia, biliary dyskinesia, gallbladder contraction, recurrent respiratory tract infections, ATT-Induced hepatotoxicity, chronic arsenic exposure, alcohol intoxication and chronic bacterial prostatitis.

Many studies are still ongoing . Link to a complete chart of diseases and conditions that have been studied and the results of turmeric as a treatment. This chart and its references is quite extensive! Here is alink to another chart of research studies on the effectivenes of turmeric as a treatment with human subjects.

Biochemical Information

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric. The main component of the root is a volatile oil, containing turmerone, and there are other coloring agents called curcuminoids in turmeric. Curcuminoids consist of curcumin demethoxycurcumin, 5’-methoxycurcumin, and dihydrocurcumin, which are found to be natural antioxidants (Ruby et al. 1995; Selvam et al. 1995). 6%), extraneous matter ( Kapoor 1990; Kirtikar and Basu 1993 ).

Legends, Myths and Stories

Because of its golden-yellow color, turmeric is sometimes referred to as ‘Indian saffron’. However, its flavor is completely different from saffron, only the color is similar. Turmeric has been used medicinally, as part of the Ayervedic system, for over 4,500 years. Analyses of pots discovered near New Delhi uncovered residue from turmeric, ginger and garlic that dates back as early as 2500 BCE.

Ayurvedic literature contains over 100 different terms for turmeric, including jayanti, meaning “one who is victorious over diseases”, and matrimanika, meaning “as beautiful as moonlight”. Saffron-colored Buddhist robes are dyed with turmeric. The name turmeric is derived from the Latin word terra merita (meritorious earth), referring to the color of ground turmeric. Erode, a city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the world’s largest producer of and the most important trading center for turmeric.

” In Sanskrit, turmeric has at least 53 different names, including anestha (not offered for sacrifice or homa), bhadra (auspicious or lucky), pinga (reddish-brown), pinja (yellow-red powder), bahula (plenty), dhirgharaja (long in appearance), gandhaplashika (which produces good smell), gauri (to make fair), gharshani (to rub), haldi (that draws attention to its bright color), yamini (night), yoshitapriya (beloved of wife), haridra (dear to hari, Lord Krishna), harita (greenish), hemaragi (exhibits golden color), hemaragini (gives the golden color), hridayavilasini (gives delight to heart, charming), jayanti (one that wins over diseases), vairagi (who remains free from desires), varavarnini (which gives fair complexion), jawarantika (which cures fevers), kanchani (exhibits golden color), kaveri (harlot), krimighni or kashpa (killer of worms), kshamata (capability), laxmi (prosperity), mangalprada (who bestows auspiciousness), mangalya (auspicious), mehagni (killer of fat), nisha (night), nishakhya (known as night), nishawa (clears darkness and imparts color), patwaluka (perfumed powder), pavitra (holy), pita (yellow), pitika (which gives yellow color), rabhangavasa (which dissolves fat), ranjani (which gives color), ratrimanika (as beautiful as moonlight), shifa (fibrous root), shobhna (brilliant color), shiva (gracious), shyama (dark colored), soubhagaya (lucky), survana (golden color), survanavara (which exhibits golden color), tamasini (beautiful as night), umavara (Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva), varna datri (enhancer of body complexion), varnini (which gives color), vishagni (killer of poison), and yuvati (young girl).

Turmeric has been used in Asia for thousands of years and is a major part of Ayurveda, Siddha medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, Unani, and the animistic rituals of Austronesian peoples

Uses

Historically, turmeric was widely utilized as a culinary spice, a primary ingredient in curry powders, and a coloring agent for textiles, foods, and pharmaceuticals. It was incorporated into teas in Japan, cosmetic preparations in Thailand, colorants in China, beverages in Korea, and manufactured foodstuffs such as cheeses, mustards, baked goods, and dairy products in the United States and elsewhere.

Cooks also used the torn leaves of the plant to impart flavor without yellow pigmentation, and chemists utilized paper tinted with turmeric tincture as an indicator for alkalinity. In the Ayurvedic medical tradition, practitioners prescribed turmeric as a general tonic, a blood purifier, and an aid to promote appetite and digestion. Ayurvedic texts recommended it for regulating menstruation, expelling intestinal worms, and addressing abdominal distension, gas, jaundice, colic, asthma, allergies, and complaints of the gallbladder and liver.

The fresh rhizome juice was historically applied for various parasitic skin conditions, while the distilled oil was regarded as an antiseptic. Across South Asia, folk traditions employed the rhizome as an antiseptic application for cuts, burns, and bruises. In Pakistan, herbalists administered it for gastrointestinal discomfort and inflammation. In regional folk medicine, it was also directed toward arthritis, eye complaints, and menstrual difficulties.

Culturally, turmeric held sacred significance in Hindu traditions; paste-dyed cords were used in wedding rituals to signify marriage, pastes were applied to brides and grooms for cosmetic and purifying purposes, and whole rhizomes were worn as protective amulets in southern India.

How Sold

Capsules, teas, powders, oils and extracts are some of the turmeric products available commercially.