Curcuma, Turmeric, Jiang Huang 姜黄

Tumeric; Cyperus indicus (Dioscorides)
Jiang Huang (TCM)
Haridra (Ayurveda)

Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1800

Parkinson, Theatrum Botanicum, 1640

Whole Turmeric Root (Adam, 2016)

LONG AND ROUND TURMERIC
Notes on Pharmacognosy, Otto Augustus Wall, 1902

Long and Round Turmeric, Chengdu Medicine Market
(Adam, 2017)

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Botanical name:

Curcuma longa (syn. C. domestica, C. rotunda, C. xanthorrhiza, Amomum curcuma)
Long and Round types were traditionally used.

Parts used:

Root (long and round)

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, dry. Pungent, Bitter
cleansing, attenuating, opening, digesting, discussing

Classifications:

2A APERIENT MEDICINES 2F. PURIFYING
3G. EMMENAGOGUE

Uses:

1. Moves the Blood, Clears Stasis, Eases Pain:

-pain from Cold and Blood stagnation: Chest, Abdominal or Joint pain
-Arthritis, Rheumatism, Headache, Sprains, Fractures
-relaxes and loosens Tendons and Ligaments; used as an aid in Yoga

2. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:

-Dysmenorrhea from coldness and blood stagnation
-given at Childbirth to promote Labor

3. Moves Qi, Opens Obstructions:

-Jaundice and all obstructions of the Gall Bladder
-poor Liver function, Hepatitis, Fatty Liver
-chronic Inflammatory diseases of the Bowels: Colitis, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease
-‘accumulation and stagnation formed in the epigastrium and abdomen’. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

4. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:

-Edema; retention of Urine
-Cystitis; Turbid Urine
-Diabetes (Ayurveda)

5. Clears Cold Phlegm, Stops Cough:

-Chronic Cough, Bronchitis, Bronchial Asthma
-Chronic Rhinitis, Allergic Rhinitis, Sinusitis

6. Clears Wind, Resists Poison:

-Colds, Sore Throat
-Measles, Urticaria, Leprosy
-‘sudden onset of pain of arthralgia due to attack of pathogenic Wind and Cold’. (Da Ming)
–‘disperses invading pathogenic Wind and Heat’ (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

7. Used as a Contraceptive:

-root impregnated with Goat urine was said to make a man sterile if taken
-Turmeric taken for 3 days during menstruation and 3 days after is used as a Contraceptive for women (Ayurveda)

8. Externally:

-externally with Alum is excellent for Sprains, Bruises, Wounds, Black Eyes etc; in India a paste of Turmeric with Lime and Salt, or a paste with Myrrh and Egg White is applied
–Also used to cleanse foul Ulcers.
-As a lotion or paste, it is used to promote scab formation in Chicken Pox Eruptions, Measles, Mumps, Herpes lesions, Leprosy sores, Ringworm and Scabies, as well as for Pimples, Boils, Eczema and Psoriasis and all inflammatory skin diseases.
-Boils and Cysts, Turmeric ashes are applied as a paste with water
-The paste has also been applied to poisonous stings and bites, including those of Leeches
-the fumes of burning Turmeric has been used in Ayurveda as a fumigation for Scorpion bites.
-A decoction is used as a wash for eye disorders including Conjunctivitis, Opthalmia, and festering Eye inflammations

Dose:

Powder: 1–3 grams

Substitutes:

… available in PRO version

Correctives:

… available in PRO version

Main Combinations:

Barberry & Tumeric
Turmeric & Neem (often combined in Ayurveda)

Liver:

Inflammation, Arthritis:

Blood Stagnation, Circulation:

Gynecology:

10. Promotes Menstruation:
i. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
ii. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
iii. Turmeric powder (½ dram), … available in PRO version
iv. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
v. Blood stagnation with pain and clots, Turmeric, … available in PRO version
11. Cervical Dysplasia, Turmeric, … available in PRO version

Clear Heat:

12. Acute Sore Throat, Cold, Flu, Fever, Turmeric, … available in PRO version
13. Pharyngitis, Turmeric, … available in PRO version
14. Dermatitis, Urticaria, Itching:
i. Turmeric, … available in PRO version
ii. Turmeric, … available in PRO version
iii. from Wind-Phlegm, Neem, Turmeric, … available in PRO version
iv. Inflammatory skin conditions, Turmeric, … available in PRO version
v. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
15. Acne, Turmeric with … available in PRO version

Other:

16. Diabetes:
i. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
ii. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
iii. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
iv. Turmeric, … available in PRO version
v. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
vi. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
vii. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
17. Memory loss, poor concentration, speech disorders, Turmeric, … available in PRO version

Externally:

18. Topically for skin inflammation or infection:
i. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
ii. Turmeric, … available in PRO version
19. Hemorrhoids, Turmeric with … available in PRO version
20. Eye disorders:
i. Turmeric with … available in PRO version
ii. Turmeric, … available in PRO version

Major Formula

Turmeric Decoction 4 (Yung ba 4) (Tibetan Medicine)
Emblic 6 (Kyu ru duk pa) (Tibetan Medicine)

Cautions:

1. Not used during Pregnancy (note that it has been used for Bleeding during Pregnancy)
2. High doses aggravate Heat types (Pitta-Bile constitutions)

Drug Interactions:

May potentiate anticoagulant and anti-platelet medication.

Dioscorides mentions an Indian plant as a kind of Cyperus resembling ginger, but having when chewed a yellow colour and bitter taste: probably turmeric was intended. Garcia de Orta (1563), as well as Fragoso (1572), describe turmeric as Crocus indicus. A list of drugs sold in the city of Frankfort about the year 1450, names Curcuma along with zedoary and ginger.

In its native countries, it has from remote times been highly esteemed both as a condiment and a dye-stuff; in Europe, it has always been less appreciated than the allied spices of the ginger tribe. In an inventory of the effects of a Yorkshire tradesman, dated 20th Sept., 1578, we find enumerated—”x. ouncis of turmeracke, x d.” (Pharmacographia, Fluckiger & Hanbury, 1879)