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[Alteration of Middle English termeryte, from Old French terre-merite, saffron, from Medieval Latin terra merita : Latin terra, earth + Latin merita, feminine past participle of merēre, to deserve.]
Good news in the fight against
"Curcumin found in the spice turmeric and a key compound in yellow curry inhibits melanoma cell growth and stimulates tumor cell death..."
Link: Curcumin in curry fights against melanoma
Posted July 13, 2005.
See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words. 
A dye or a spice obtained from the plant Curcuma longa, which belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). It is a stout perennial with short stem, tufted leaves, and short, thick rhizomes which contain the colorful condiment. As a natural dye, turmeric is orange-red or reddish brown, but it changes color in the presence of acids or bases. As a spice, turmeric has a decidedly musky odor and a pungent, bitter taste. It is an important item in curry and is used to flavor and color butter, cheese, pickles, and other food. See also Spice and flavoring; Zingiberales.
Dried rhizome of Curcuma longa (ginger family), grown in India and south Asia. It is deep yellow and used both as condiment and food colour; used in curry powder and in prepared mustard. Its pigment is used as a dye under the name curcumin or Indian saffron.
[TER-muh-rihk] Used in cooking since 600 b.c., turmeric is the root of a tropical plant related to ginger. Though native to the Orient, this spice is now also cultivated in India and the Caribbean. It has a bitter, pungent flavor and an intense yellow-orange color. In Biblical times, turmeric was often used to make perfume, a comment on its rather exotic fragrance. Today it's used mainly to add both flavor and color to food. Turmeric is very popular in East Indian cooking and is almost always used in curry preparations. It's also a primary ingredient in mustard and is what gives American-style prepared mustard its bright yellow color. Powdered turmeric is widely available in supermarkets. As with all spices, it should be stored in a cool, dark place for no more than 6 months. See also spices.
Description
Turmeric is a member of the Curcuma botanical group, which is part of the ginger family of herbs, the Zingiberaceae. Its botanical name is Curcuma longa. Turmeric is widely grown both as a kitchen spice and for its medicinal uses. Two closely related plants, Curcuma petolata and Curcuma roscoeana, are natives of Cambodia and are grown for their decorative foliage and blossoms. All curcumas are perennial plants native to southern Asia. They grow in warm, humid climates and thrive only in temperatures above 60°F (29.8°C). India, Sri Lanka, the East Indies, Fiji, and Queensland (Australia) all have climates that are conducive to growing turmeric.
The turmeric plant is identifiable by both its characteristic tuberous root and the leaves that extend upward from erect, thick stems arising from the root. Turmeric root is actually a fleshy oblong tuber 2–3 in (5–10 cm) in length, and close to 1 in (2.54 cm) wide. It is tapered at each end, and its exterior can be yellow, tan, or olive-green in color. The interior of the root is hard, firm, and either orange-brown or deeply rust-colored, with transverse resinous parallel rings. M. Grieve, in A Modern Herbal, states that the root is dense and breaks into a powder that is lemon yellow in color. Turmeric root has a fragrant aroma and a somewhat bitter, peppery, biting taste reminiscent of ginger. When eaten, it colors the saliva yellow and leaves a warm sensation in the mouth.
The root contains a bitter volatile oil, brown coloring matter, gum, starch, calcium chloride, woody fiber and a yellowish coloring material that is known as cucurmin. In addition to the root, the turmeric plant produces rhizomes, which are underground stems growing parallel to the ground that produce roots below and new shoots from their upper surface. Turmeric rhizomes have also been used for medicinal purposes. The plant's leaves are divided, lance-shaped and narrower at each end. They are close to 2 ft (61 cm), lustrous and deep green. The flowers arise from those leaves, and are a pale yellow color, growing in groupings of three to five.
General Use
Powdered turmeric root is perhaps best known as a popular spice, frequntly used in Eastern cooking. It is an ingredient of curry powders, and is also used to give mustard its characteristic color. It is sometimes used as a substitute for saffron. The addition of turmeric to such oils as olive or sesame oil extends their shelf life due to its antioxidant properties. In addition, some orange and lemon drinks are now colored with turmeric, which is considered safer than artificial colorings derived from coal tar.
The powdered root of turmeric has been used for making a deep yellow dye for fabrics for hundreds of years, though it does not produce an enduring color-fast tint. It is also used as a coloring for medicines at times. A less familiar use of turmeric is in chemistry, in the making of papers to test for alkaline solutions. White paper soaked in a tincture of turmeric turns reddish-brown and dries to a violet color when an alkaline solution is added.
Though its use in Western herbal medicine has declined over the years, turmeric has long been used and continues in use in Eastern medicine, both Oriental herbal medicine and Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine from India. R.C. Srimal, in Turmeric: A Brief Review of Medicinal Properties, describes the herb as having the ability to protect the liver against toxic substances, especially such heavy metals as lead; to prevent the formation of gallstones or decrease the size of stones already formed; and to increase the flow of bile.
Some studies have demonstrated that turmeric exhibits anti-inflammatory properties that are useful in the treatment of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Alcohol extracts of turmeric have been found to reduce blood sugar, which could eventually affect the treatment of diabetes. In addiion, clinical trials in China have demonstrated that simply using turmeric as a food seasoning can reduce serum cholesterol levels. The World Health Organization has recommended the use of this spice.
A substance known as a lipopolysaccharide isolated from the turmeric root has shown a capacity to stimulate and increase the activity of the immune system. In addition, research has shown turmeric to be effective in destroying gram-positive salmonella bacteria in vitro. Turmeric also demonstrates antifungal properties.
Turmeric has long been used as an Eastern folk remedy for eye discharges and as a cooling, soothing skin lotion. In Chinese herbal medicine, under the name of jiang huang, the turmeric rhizome is used in many different formulas as an anti-inflammatory pain reliever, especially for shoulder pain. It is believed to invigorate and improve the movement of blood and stimulate menstruation. The turmeric tuber, which is called yu jin in Chinese medicine, also has many important uses. It is given for jaundice, pain in the liver area, agitation, and insomnia.
The cucurmin found in turmeric is being studied as a possible treatment to prevent cancer. Cucurmin appears to lower the rate of genetic mutations in experimental animals. It has also been shown to induce apoptosis, or cell self-destruction, in leukemia cells. In addition, recent studies done on tissue samples from the human digestive tract indicate that cucurmin may help to prevent colon cancer.
Preparations
Turmeric root is cleaned, boiled, and dried in the oven before being powdered. This pulverized root can then be dissolved in either water or alcohol. It is usually dissolved in boiling alcohol and filtered to make a medicinal tincture.
In India and Pakistan, turmeric is dissolved in water for use as an eyewash, and in milk to make a soothing skin lotion.
Precautions
Practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine advise against using turmeric during pregnancy.
Side Effects
Like other anti-inflammatory agents, turmeric has been found to contribute to the formation of stomach ulcers.
Resources
Books
Grieve, M., and C. F. Leyel. A Modern Herbal: The Medical, Culinary, Costmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folklore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs and Trees With All of Their Modern Scientific Uses. New York: Barnes and Noble Publishing, 1992.
Molony, David, and Ming Ming Pan Molony. The American Association of Oriental Medicine's Complete Guide to Chinese Herbal Medicine. New York: Berkley Publishing, 1999.
Phillips, Ellen, and C. Colston Burrell. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, Inc., 1993.
Srimal, R. C. Turmeric: A Brief Overview of Medicinal Properties. London: Filoterapia, 1997.
Periodicals
Anto, R. J., A. Mukhopadhyay, K. Denning, and B. B. Aggarwal. "Curcumin (Diferuloylmethane) Induces Apoptosis Through Activation of Caspase-8, BID Cleavage and Cytochrome C Release: Its Suppression by Ectopic Expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl." Carcinogenesis 23 (January 2002): 143-150.
Ireson, C. R., D. J. Jones, S. Orr, et al. "Metabolism of the Cancer Chemopreventive Agent Curcumin in Human and Rat Intestine." Cancer Epidemiology and Biomarkers 11 (January 2002): 105-111.
Shukla, Y., A. Arora, and P. Taneja. "Antimutagenic Potential of Curcumin on Chromosomal Aberrations in Wistar Rats." Mutation Research 25 (March 2002): 197-202.
[Article by: Joan Schonbeck; Rebecca J. Frey, PhD]
For more information on turmeric, visit Britannica.com.
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 Curcuma longa
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| Curcuma longa Linnaeus |
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia. It needs temperatures between 20 and 30 deg. C. and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and re-seeded from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
It is also often misspelled (or pronounced) as tumeric. It sometimes also known as kunyit or haldi in some Asian countries[1].
Its rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are
ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in
Sangli, a town in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra, is the largest and most important trading centre for turmeric in Asia or perhaps in the entire world.[citation needed]
Turmeric has found application in canned beverages, baked products, dairy products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, biscuits, popcorn-color, sweets, cake icings, cereals, sauces, gelatins, etc. It is a significant ingredient in most commercial curry powders.
Turmeric (coded as E100 when used as a food additive) is used to protect food products from sunlight. The oleoresin is used for oil-containing products. The curcumin/polysorbate solution or curcumin powder dissolved in alcohol is used for water containing products. Over-coloring, such as in pickles, relishes and mustard, is sometimes used to compensate for fading.
In combination with annatto (E160b), turmeric has been used to color cheeses, yogurt, dry mixes, salad dressings, winter butter and margarine. Turmeric is also used to give a yellow color to some prepared mustards, canned chicken broths and other foods (often as a much cheaper replacement for saffron).
Turmeric is widely used as a spice in Indian and other South Asian cooking. Momos (Nepali meat dumplings), a traditional dish in South Asia, are spiced with turmeric.
In the Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties and many in India use it as a readily available antiseptic for cuts and burns. Whenever there is a cut or a bruise, the home remedy is to reach for turmeric powder. Ayurvedic doctors say it has fluoride which is thought to be essential for teeth. It is also used as an antibacterial agent.
It is taken in some Asian countries as a dietary supplement, which allegedly helps with stomach problems and other ailments. It is popular as a tea in Okinawa, Japan. It is currently being investigated for possible benefits in Alzheimer's disease, cancer and liver disorders.
Turmeric, under the name Avea, is becoming popular to treat depression.
It is only in recent years that Western scientists have increasingly recognised the medicinal properties of turmeric. According to a 2005 article in the Wall Street Journal titled, "Common Indian Spice Stirs Hope," research activity into curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is exploding. Two hundred and fifty-six curcumin papers were published in the past year according to a search of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Supplement sales have increased 35% from 2004, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health has four clinical trials underway to study curcumin treatment for pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, Alzheimer's, and colorectal cancer.
A 2004 UCLA-Veterans Affairs study involving genetically altered mice suggests that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, might inhibit the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients and also break up existing plaques. "Curcumin has been used for thousands of years as a safe anti-inflammatory in a variety of ailments as part of Indian traditional medicine," Gregory Cole, Professor of medicine and neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA said.
Another 2004 study conducted at Yale University involved oral administration of curcumin to mice homozygous for the most common allele implicated in cystic fibrosis. Treatment with curcumin restored physiologically-relevant levels of protein function. [1]
Anti-tumoral effects against melanoma cells have been demonstrated [2].
Curry Pharmaceuticals, based in North Carolina, is studying the use of a curcumin cream for psoriasis treatment. Another company is already selling a cream based on curcumin called "Psoria-Gold," which shows anecdotal promise of treating the disease.
A recent study involving mice has shown that turmeric slows the spread of breast cancer into lungs and other body parts. Turmeric also enhances the effect of taxol in reducing metastasis of breast cancer [3].
Curcumin is thought to be a powerful antinociceptive (pain-relieving) agent. In the November 2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a study was published that showed the effectiveness of turmeric in the reduction of joint inflammation, and recommended clinical trials as a possible treatment for the alleviation of arthritis symptoms.[4] It is thought to work as a natural inhibitor of the cox-2 enzyme, and has been shown effective in animal models for neuropathic pain secondary to diabetes, among others.[2]
Turmeric is currently used in the formulation of some sunscreens. Turmeric paste is used by some Indian women to keep them free of superfluous hair. Turmeric paste is applied to bride and groom before marriage in some places of India and Pakistan, where it is believed turmeric gives glow to skin and keeps some harmful bacteria away from the body. It also acts as an excellent anti-scarring agent when mixed with milk and applied on skin[citation needed].
The Government of Thailand is funding a project to extract and isolate tetrahydrocurcuminoids (THC) from turmeric. THCs (not to be confused with tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC) are colorless compounds that might have antioxidant and skin lightening properties and might be used to treat skin inflammations, making these compounds useful in cosmetics formulations.
Turmeric makes a poor fabric dye as it is not very lightfast (the degree to which a dye resists fading due to light exposure).
Turmeric can also be used to deter ants. The exact reasons why turmeric repels ants is unknown, but anecdotal evidence suggests it works. [5]
Turmeric contains up to 5% essential oils and up to 3% curcumin, a polyphenol. It is the active substance of turmeric and it is also known as C.I. 75300, or Natural Yellow 3. The systematic chemical name is (1E,6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione. It can exist at least in two tautomeric forms, keto and enol. The keto form is preferred in solid phase and the enol form in solution.
Dilao/Dilaw in Tagalog
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Nederlands (Dutch)
kurkuma (geelwortel)
Français (French)
n. - (Bot) curcuma, safran des Indes
Deutsch (German)
n. - Gelbwurzel, Kurkuma
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) κουρκούμη
Português (Portuguese)
n. - açafrão da Índia (m), curcuma (f)
Русский (Russian)
(хим./бот.) куркума
Español (Spanish)
n. - cúrcuma, azafrán de las Indias
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - gurkmeja
中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
姜黄, 姜黄根粉末, 姜黄根
中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 薑黃, 薑黃根粉末, 薑黃根
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) الكركم
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - כרכום (צמח-בר)
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Alternative Medicine Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Copyright © 2005 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Turmeric". Read more |
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