Abstract:
Medicinal
plants and its use by humans has seen historic significance even before the
advent of Modern medicine and treatment modalities. Plant medicines, and
extracts from them using various techniques has found its origin in different
parts of world and different regions of the world. Modern days research works
are been carried out in research and development departments of various Medical
research centers, and are processed to extract leads (possible candidates for a
molecule), which can be another breakthrough molecule in Medicine Industry. The
present letter to the editor has been written keeping in light the most
valuable plant medicine of all times, The Turmeric. Turmeric in scientific form
is known as Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), and its rhizomes are
cultivated and boiled and dried and grinned to develop medicines and as spice
for various culinary across the world. The present Blog, is an
effort to give a glance of an update in research works carried out on Curcuma
longa L. (Zingiberaceae).
Keywords:
Curcuma longa, Turmeric, 2018 Update, Medicinal Plant, Plant medicines
Turmeric the Wonder and Excellent Drug lead!
Turmeric
(Curcuma
longaI L.), is perennial flowering plant, mainly found in Southeast
Asia, and mainly in India and Africa. It is used as a culinary in foods and as
a pinch of powder for flavoring of foods in India and world over. Modern research
is being carried out mainly by Medical and Pharmaceutical researchers, in order
to find possible evidence of Turmeric as a wonder drug. However, in different
medicinal systems, such as, Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, etc. it still continues to
be used as wonder drug for treatment of various ailments, but mainly focused on
microbial infections or bacterial infections, and mostly it is found to keep
the homeostasis of the body fit against the microbial attack to the body during
various cases such as an injury to one or several parts of the body. [1]
Essential
oils extracted from Curcuma longa L. have
been in use widely across the world for cosmetics & for its medical values.
The main ingredient in Curcuma longa L. is Curcumin (Active
component or phyto –chemical). A research work conducted in India, to find
Hepatoprotective activities in Turmeric, have found evidence through laboratory
research, that extracts from Curcumin longa L. do have hepatoprotective activities in rats
induced by HgCl2 . [2]
Another
study carried out simultaneously in Germany, Palestine, and Israel has found
that active components in Curcuma longa L. have been found effective in
treating Inflammation or inflammatory
conditions, induced by an agent. The research has proved that the plant
turmeric has possible ligands and reasonable lead structures at the hH4R.
[3]
Effective in Impaired
Glucose tolerance. Research work has proved that
Curcumin has effective properties and activity in the treatment of glucose
intolerance and has been found as effective lead agent in the controlled trials
carried out in Netherlands. [4] Hence, from this research, it has
been found that the most dreadable and widespread disease in humans currently,
i.e., Diabetes, can be treated or management of the disease can be carried out
by use of extracts of essential oils or extraction of phytopharmaceuticals from
Turmeric.
Apart
from this modern research has proved at different stages that , Curcuma longa
L. has Anti-oxidant properties, secondly it has properties to treat Arthritis,
and maintaining the overall health or healthy body in humans, means, it is highly
effective in management of proper and accurate Homeostasis of human body as
well as in animals.
Research
must be carried out to bring Turmeric in mainstream Medicine techniques, so
that the advantages possessed in the plant can be reached to the masses at
larger extent.
References
1. Curcumin
for health. [Online]. 2018, June, 12. Available from: http://www.curcuminforhealth.com/history/
2. Joshi, D, et al. Curcuma
longa Linn. extract and curcumin protect CYP 2E1 enzymatic activity against
mercuric chloride-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress: A protective
approach. Journal of Experimental and Toxicological Pathology, 69 (6),
373-382, 2017.
3. Feank, A., et al. From medicinal plant extracts to defined chemical
compounds targeting the histamine H4 receptor: Curcuma longa in the treatment of inflammation. Inflammation
Research, 66(10): 923-929, 2017.
4. Demmers, A., et al. Effects of medicinal food
plants on impaired glucose tolerance: A systematic review of randomized
controlled trials. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 131: 91-106, 2017.
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