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Medicinal Properties in Curcuma Longa L. (Zingiberaceae): A 2018 Update

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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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