Tumeric

     Hello Herb here~

     Today, I would like to take you to a new continent, Asia. I would like to start off with India where there are many indigenous medicinal plants that are in record and uses as practical medicine.

     Before I began introducing one of the indigenous plants in India, I would like to explore and introduce a group of indigenous people in India called Adivasi. Adivasi isn’t a particular indigenous group rather it is a collective term of indigenous people living in India. There are different names for different indigenous group living in different part of India. For example there are a few large tribes like Gonds, Santals, Oraon and Nagas.

Tumeric Plant

     The reason why I want to introduce Adivasi people is because their significance. This group is responsible for developing and passing down the knowledge of various plants and their medicinal uses. Ultimately they shed the light to so many medicines that are now in India. One of example would be ayurvedic which it owed many of their cures to Adivasi people’s knowledge of plants. It shows how much the knowledge that this indigenous group is very real and practical to modern medicine.

     Now the plant that I would like to introduce is called turmeric or curcuma longa. This plant is native to tropical South Asia. It is used extensively in foods for both its flavor and color. And also interestingly, this plant is the source that gives the curry its characteristic yellow color. Now enough with this kind of fact let’s get down to medicinal part of this plant.

Tumeric Powder

     Tumeric is also used extensively in the Indian systems of medicine such as ayurveda as I mentioned above. It is used as a carminative and stomachic in the treatment of digestive disorders. Also this plant is used to make paste, oil, ointment and lotion. It can be applied to topically for ulcers, wounds, eczema and inflammations. Although many of the “scientific” information is now much more clear, the knowledge the Adivasi people hold should be credited. If it weren't for their outstanding knowledge of plants, it is hard to imagine its impact on so many medicine and therapy that are practiced today.

    That’s all for India and one of the indigenous medicinal plants, turmeric. Next time I will be back with another interesting plant from other parts of Asia.

-Herb (Dong Jin/Jin)

http://www.iwgia.org/sw18239.asp

http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/medicinal.html

http://india_resource.tripod.com/adivasi.html

http://www.medindia.net/alternativemedicine/turmeric.asp