- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- South Asia
- Sanskrit
- Haridra
- Other names
- Geelwortel
Asia · Herb · № 5
Curcuma longa
Herb · Asia
Turmeric
Curcuma longa
A traditional culinary spice containing curcumin; laboratory findings do not establish a cure for disease.
Safety notes
Supplements differ from food use. Highly bioavailable extracts have been linked to liver injury.
Cautions by tradition (5)
- Herbal medicine worldwide: Can cause skin rash and sensitivity to light.
- Herbs for viral infections: Not with gallbladder problems, bleeding disorders, reflux, hormone-sensitive conditions, infertility or iron deficiency. Serious illnesses such as infections, cancer or hepatitis need a doctor: there is no evidence that this remedy cures them.
- Everyday Ayurveda: Reduce during menstruation.
- Natural skin and hair care: Throw away after a week and make fresh. Turmeric stains skin and textiles yellow.
- Chinese materia medica: Not during pregnancy or without stagnation. With gallstones or jaundice always consult a doctor.
Preparation
Use the ground root in food or prepare it as a warm drink.
Use in traditions
A culinary spice with historical use in South Asian and other traditional systems.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Stimulates digestion, circulation and the airways, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, lowers cholesterol, promotes bile, thins the blood, possibly cancer-preventive; for arthritis and cardiovascular disease.
Preparation and amount
250–1000 mg a day; as a digestive stimulant and for gastrointestinal infections; externally with honey on sprains and bruises; milk decoction to cleanse the skin.
Caution: Can cause skin rash and sensitivity to light.
Ayurvedic materia medica
Attributed effects
Aromatic, stimulating, tonic, carminative, expels worms, purifies the blood; for cough, intermittent fever, oedema, jaundice, liver complaints, urinary diseases; externally on wounds, inflamed joints, ringworm, eczema and itching.
Preparation and amount
Tea 4–8 ml; powder 1–4 g; decoction with coriander and cinnamon; in warm milk for colds; paste (optionally with neem) externally.
Herbs for viral infections
Attributed effects
Curcumin disrupts the replication of viruses; especially for herpes simplex and HIV; further for arthritis, heartburn, liver problems, headache, ringworm, skin complaints.
Preparation and amount
Tablets or as a spice in food; standard 500 mg 4 times a day.
Caution: Not with gallbladder problems, bleeding disorders, reflux, hormone-sensitive conditions, infertility or iron deficiency. Serious illnesses such as infections, cancer or hepatitis need a doctor: there is no evidence that this remedy cures them.
Everyday Ayurveda
Attributed effects
Strengthens immunity, aids digestion, cleansing (against toxins, excess fat and ulcers), purifies the blood (in anaemia), anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and anti-itch, stops bleeding, aids wound healing; improves the complexion, reduces blemishes, acne and wrinkles; for thrush, sore throat and cold sores; drying (helps with weight loss and diabetes); increases menstrual bleeding.
Preparation and amount
In food about ¼ teaspoon per person (e.g. khichadi, dal, spiced milk); as a face wash a pinch with water or milk (optionally with red sandalwood and neem); paste with water on small wounds and bruises; a pinch boiled in water, drink hot for throat complaints; as a mouthwash with water; in face mask and body scrub.
Caution: Reduce during menstruation.
Natural skin and hair care
Attributed effects
Mildly anti-inflammatory; used in skin care for oily or blemished skin.
Preparation and amount
External: dried turmeric goes with other herbs into a cleanser for oily skin (see the recipe).
Caution: Throw away after a week and make fresh. Turmeric stains skin and textiles yellow.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- pungent, bitter, cold (tuber); pungent, bitter, warm (rhizome)
- Meridians
- liver, lung, heart, gallbladder (tuber); liver, spleen (rhizome)
Attributed effects
The tuber (yu jin) moves blood and qi in pain, cools heart and blood in restlessness and confusion from hot phlegm, and cools liver and gallbladder in gallstones and jaundice. The rhizome (jiang huang) is warmer and moves blood and qi in menstrual, chest and abdominal pain from cold and in rheumatic pain, especially in shoulders and arms.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 3–9 g a day, usually in a decoction. Together with coriander and cumin the base of Indian curry.
Combinations
- Tuber with dan shen, xiang fu and chai hu for chest pain from stagnation
- Tuber with calamus for confusion
- Rhizome with qiang huo and fang feng for shoulder pain
Caution: Not during pregnancy or without stagnation. With gallstones or jaundice always consult a doctor.
Folklore and herbal magic
Symbolic meanings from folk use and modern herbal magic. These are handed-down associations, not effects.
Protects the house (root by the front door), purifies sacred spaces, deepens spiritual connection.
Herbal magic and rituals
Attributed effects
In herbal magic associated with purification, blessing and protection.
Preparation and amount
In India turmeric (haldi) is a sacred and festive spice. At the haldi ceremony before a Hindu wedding a turmeric paste is applied to bride and groom for blessing and glowing skin, and turmeric and kumkum belong to temple offerings.
Tags
Sources
- www.nccih.nih.gov
- Michael & Lesley Tierra, Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine, vol. II: Materia Medica and Herbal Resource (1998)
- Penelope Ody, The Complete Medicinal Herbal (1993; 2017)
- L. D. Kapoor, CRC Handbook of Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants (1990)
- Stacey Dugliss-Wesselman & Susan Gregg, Herbal Remedies Made Simple (2018)