Pharmacognostic Studies on Curcuma Longa

The turmeric (Curcuma longa) plant, a perennial herb belonging to the ginger family, is cultivated extensively in south and southeast tropical Asia. The rhizome of this plant is also referred to as the “root” and is the most useful part of the plant for culinary and medicinal purposes. The most active component of turmeric is curcumin, which makes up 2 to 5% of the spice. The characteristic yellow color of turmeric is due to the curcuminoids. Curcumin is an orange–yellow crystalline powder practically insoluble in water. Turmeric is used as a dietary spice, coloring agent in foods and textiles, and a treatment for a wide variety of ailments. It is widely used in traditional Indian medicine to cure biliary disorders, anorexia, cough, diabetic wounds, hepatic disorders, rheumatism, and sinusitis. Turmeric paste in slaked lime is a popular home remedy for the treatment of inflammation and wounds. For centuries, curcumin has been consumed as a dietary spice at doses up to 100 mg/d. Extensive investigation over the last five decades has indicated that curcumin reduces blood cholesterol, prevents LDL oxidation, inhibits platelet aggregation, suppresses thrombosis and myocardial infarction (MI), suppresses symptoms associated with type II diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), and Alzheimer’s disease, inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication, enhances wound healing, protects from liver injury, increases bile secretion, protects from cataract formation, and protects from pulmonary toxicity and fibrosis, is an anti-leishmaniasis and an antiatherosclerotic. Additionally, there is extensive literature that suggests that curcumin has potential in the prevention and treatment of a variety of other diseases.