TURMERIC - TUMERIC - HALDI CURCUMA LONGA
(LARGE - 14 oz)
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia.
It needs temperatures between 20 and 30 deg. C. and a considerable
amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for
their rhizomes, and re-seeded from some of those rhizomes in the
following season.
It is also often misspelled (or pronounced) as tumeric. It is also known as kunyit or haldi in some Asian countries[1].
Its rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian cuisine,
In Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties and many in India use it as a readily available antiseptic for cuts, burns and bruises. Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine say it has fluoride which is thought to be essential for teeth. It is also used as an antibacterial agent.
It is taken in some Asian countries as a dietary supplement, which allegedly helps with stomach problems and other ailments. It is popular as a tea in Okinawa, Japan. It is currently being investigated for possible benefits in Alzheimer's disease, cancer and liver disorders.
Turmeric, under the name Avea, is becoming popular] to treat depression.
It is only in recent years that Western scientists have increasingly recognised the medicinal properties
of turmeric. According to a 2005 article in the Wall Street Journal
titled, "Common Indian Spice Stirs Hope," research activity into curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is exploding. National Institutes of Health has four clinical trials underway to study curcumin treatment for pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, Alzheimer's, and colorectal cancer.
Another 2004 study conducted at Yale University involved oral administration of curcumin to mice homozygous for the most common allele implicated in cystic fibrosis. Treatment with curcumin restored physiologically-relevant levels of protein function.
Anti-tumoral effects against melanoma cells have been demonstrated.
Curry Pharmaceuticals, based in North Carolina, is studying the use of a curcumin cream for psoriasis
treatment. Another company is already selling a cream based on curcumin
called "Psoria-Gold," which shows anecdotal promise of treating the
disease.
A recent study involving mice has shown that turmeric slows the spread of Breast Cancer into lungs and other body parts. Turmeric also enhances the effect of taxol in reducing metastasis of breast cancer.
Curcumin is thought to be a powerful antinociceptive (pain-relieving) agent. In the November 2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism,
a study was published that showed the effectiveness of turmeric in the
reduction of joint inflammation, and recommended clinical trials as a
possible treatment for the alleviation of arthritis symptoms. It is
thought to work as a natural inhibitor of the cox-2 enzyme, and has been shown effective in animal models for neuropathic pain secondary to diabetes, among others.
Cosmetics
Turmeric is currently used in the formulation of some sunscreens.
Turmeric paste is used by some Indian women to keep them free of
superfluous hair. Turmeric paste is applied to bride and groom before
marriage in some places of India, Bangladesh,
and Pakistan, where it is believed turmeric gives glow to skin and
keeps some harmful bacteria away from the body. It also acts as an
excellent anti-scarring agent when mixed with milk and applied on
skin.The Government of Thailand is funding a project to extract and
isolate tetrahydrocurcuminoids (THC) from turmeric. THCs (not to be
confused with tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC) are colorless compounds that might have antioxidant
and skin-lightening properties and might be used to treat skin
inflammations, making these compounds useful in cosmetics formulations.
Dye
Turmeric makes a poor fabric dye
as it is not very light fast (the degree to which a dye resists fading
due to light exposure). However, turmeric is commonly used in Indian
clothing, such as a sari.
Gardening
Turmeric
can also be used to deter ants. The exact reasons why turmeric repels
ants is unknown, but anecdotal evidence suggests it works.
Medicine
|