Turmeric

BOTANICAL NAME:

• Curcuma longa linn

FAMILY:

• Zingiberaceae

SYNONYM(S):

• Curcuma domes tica valeton

URDU NAME:

• Haldi

REGIONAL NAME:

• Bengali: Haldi, Pitrus
• Persian: Darzardi, Zardchubah
• Hindi: Haldi
• Pashto: Curcaman
• Sanskrit: Haldi, Haridra
• Sindhi: Heed
• Arabic: Auruk-e-Safur, Kurkum, Auruk-e-Sabaghin, Auruk-e-Sufr, Zarsud
• Punjabi: Halder, Halja, Haldi
• Chinese: Chiang Huang

UNANI/TIBBI NAME:

• Zardchob

ENGLISH NAME:

• Turmeric 

HABITAT:

• It is cultivated in the NWFP, Haripur Hazara

DESCRIPTION:

• 60cm to 1 m high perennial Herb with a short stem
• Flowers grow in spikes 10-15 cm long with pale green brackets
• Rhizomes are thick, large, ovoid and orange coloured.
• Leaves are tufted very large.

PART USED:

• Roots

TASTE:

• Bitter

TEMPERAMENT:

• Hot 2°, dry 3°

PERIOD OF OCCURRENCE:

• Planted in April-august and the crop is ready for harvesting with in 9-10 months.

PROCEDURE & TIME OF COLLECTION:

• Raw brownish-yellow turmeric is drug up with hand picks; free from adhering dirt and fibrous roots. Broken into pieces and then cured and polished. The process of curing and polishing involves boiling in water till the rhizomes soften, cooling gradually and drying in the open. Dried rhizomes are rubbed on a rough surface to give them colour and polish.

CONSTITUENTS:

• Curcumin
• Curcuminoid
• Essential oil
• Protein
• Fat
• Carbohydrate
• Carotene
• Calcium
• Phosphorous
• Iron
• Sodium

SUBSTITUTES:

• Majitha/madder (rubia cordifolia linn)
• Ambhaldi/mango ginger (curcuma amada roxb)

ACTIONS AND USES IN UNANI SYSTEM OF MEDICINE:

Pharmacological action:

• Carminative
• Maturant
• Diuretic
• Stomachic
• Blood purifier
• Antiseptic
• Anti parasitic
• Tonic

Therapeutic uses:

• Has been found useful in respiratory disease like; bronchitis, bronchial asthma, affections of the liver and jaundice, urinary discharge. Is applied externally to scabies sprain, wounds and bruises

DOSES:

• 1-2 g

CORRECTIVES:

• Turanj/citron (citrus medical inn)
• Lemon juice

 IMPORTANT UNANI FORMULATIONS:

• Hab haldi
• Marham jadwar
• Sunun zard
• Roghan surkh
• Hab narkachur

ASTROLOGY:

• Sun