Turmeric. The Genus Curcuma. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

506 Pages·2007·11.71 MB·English

by  P. N. Ravindran

7034_C000.fm Page i Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
Turmeric
Half Title Page
The Genus Curcuma
7034_C000.fm Page ii Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants — Industrial Profiles
Individual volumes in this series provide both industry and academia with in-depth coverage of
one major genus of industrial importance.
Series Edited by Dr. Roland Hardman
Volume 1 Volume 16
Valerian, edited by Peter J. Houghton Mistletoe, edited by Arndt Büssing
Volume 2 Volume 17
Perilla, edited by He-ci Yu, Tea, edited by Yong-su Zhen
Kenichi Kosuna, and Megumi Haga Volume 18
Volume 3 Artemisia, edited by Colin W. Wright
Poppy, edited by Jenö Bernáth Volume 19
Volume 4 Stevia, edited by A. Douglas Kinghorn
Cannabis, edited by David T. Brown Volume 20
Volume 5 Vetiveria, edited by Massimo Maffei
Neem, edited by H.S. Puri Volume 21
Volume 6 Narcissus and Daffodil, edited by
Ergot, edited by Vladimír Krˇen and Gordon R. Hanks
Ladislav Cvak Volume 22
Volume 7 Eucalyptus, edited by
Caraway, edited by Éva Németh John J.W. Coppen
Volume 8 Volume 23
Saffron, edited by Moshe Negbi Pueraria, edited by Wing Ming Keung
Volume 9 Volume 24
Tea Tree, edited by Ian Southwell and Thyme, edited by E. Stahl-Biskup and
Robert Lowe F. Sáez
Volume 10 Volume 25
Basil, edited by Raimo Hiltunen and Oregano, edited by Spiridon E. Kintzios
Yvonne Holm Volume 26
Volume 11 Citrus, edited by Giovanni Dugo and
Fenugreek, edited by Angelo Di Giacomo
Georgios Petropoulos Volume 27
Volume 12 Geranium and Pelargonium, edited by
Ginkgo biloba, edited by Maria Lis-Balchin
Teris A. Van Beek Volume 28
Volume 13 Magnolia, edited by Satyajit D. Sarker
Black Pepper, edited by P.N. Ravindran and Yuji Maruyama
Volume 14 Volume 29
Sage, edited by Spiridon E. Kintzios Lavender, edited by Maria Lis-Balchin
Volume 15 Volume 30
Ginseng, edited by W.E. Court Cardamom, edited by P.N. Ravindran
7034_C000.fm Page iii Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
Volume 31 Volume 44
Hypericum, edited by Edzard Ernst Mint, edited by Brian M. Lawrence
Volume 32 Volume 45
Taxus, edited by H. Itokawa and
Turmeric, edited by P. N. Ravindran,
K.H. Lee
K. Nirmal Babu, and K. Sivaraman
Volume 33
Capsicum, edited by Amit Krish De
Volume 34
Flax, edited by Alister Muir and
Niel Westcott
Volume 35
Urtica, edited by Gulsel Kavalali
Volume 36
Cinnamon and Cassia, edited by
P.N. Ravindran, K. Nirmal Babu, and
M. Shylaja
Volume 37
Kava, edited by Yadhu N. Singh
Volume 38
Aloes, edited by Tom Reynolds
Volume 39
Echinacea, edited by
Sandra Carol Miller
Assistant Editor: He-ci Yu
Volume 40
Illicium, Pimpinella and Foeniculum,
edited by Manuel Miró Jodral
Volume 41
Ginger, edited by P.N. Ravindran
and K. Nirmal Babu
Volume 42
Chamomile: Industrial Profiles,
edited by Rolf Franke and
Heinz Schilcher
Volume 43
Pomegranates: Ancient Roots to Modern
Medicine, edited by Navindra P.
Seeram,
Risa N. Schulman, and David Heber
7034_C000.fm Page iv Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
7034_C000.fm Page v Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
Turmeric
Title Page
The Genus Curcuma
Edited by
P. N. Ravindran
K. Nirmal Babu
K. Sivaraman
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants — Industrial Profiles
Boca Raton London New York
CRC Press is an imprint of the
Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
7034_C000.fm Page vi Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
© 2007 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business
No claim to original U.S. Government works
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-8493-7034-5 (Hardcover)
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-8493-7034-2 (Hardcover)
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reprinted material is quoted
with permission, and sources are indicated. A wide variety of references are listed. Reasonable efforts have been made to
publish reliable data and information, but the author and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of
all materials or for the consequences of their use.
No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or
other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any informa-
tion storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers.
For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.copyright.com (http://
www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC) 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923,
978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and registration for a variety of users. For orga-
nizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC, a separate system of payment has been arranged.
Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for
identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Turmeric : the genus Curcuma / edited by P.N. Ravindran, K. Nirmal Babu, and K. Sivaraman.
p. cm. -- (Medicinal and aromatic plants--industrial profiles ; v. 45)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8493-7034-2 (alk. paper)
1. Turmeric. I. Ravindran, P. N. II. Nirmal Babu, K. III. Sivaraman,
K. IV. Title. V. Series.
SB317.T8T87 2007
584’.39--dc22 2006018258
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
and the CRC Press Web site at
http://www.crcpress.com
7034_Discl.indd 1 6/9/06 7:23:53 AM
7034_C000.fm Page vii Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
This book is dedicated to
The ARYA VAIDYA SALA (AVS), KOTTAKKAL
Kerala, India
For preserving the ancient traditions of Ayurveda in its pristine glory;
For being a trailblazer in nurturing Ayurveda to suit the modern world;
For extending its healing touch to millions of ailing people across the globe;
For being in the forefront of Ayurvedic practice, teaching, and research;
For being a national leader in the area of medicinal plant research.
7034_C000.fm Page viii Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
7034_C000.fm Page ix Tuesday, January 23, 2007 9:02 AM
Preface to the Series
There is increasing interest in industry, academia, and the health sciences in medicinal and aromatic
plants. In passing from plant production to the eventual product used by the public, many sciences
are involved. This series brings together information that is currently scattered through an ever-
increasing number of journals. Each volume gives an in-depth look at one plant genus, about which
an area specialist has assembled information ranging from the production of the plant to market
trends and quality control.
Many industries are involved, such as forestry, agriculture, chemical, food, flavor, beverage,
pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and fragrance. The plant raw materials are roots, rhizomes, bulbs, leaves,
stems, barks, wood, flowers, fruits, and seeds. These yield gums, resins, essential (volatile) oils,
fixed oils, waxes, juices, extracts, and spices for medicinal and aromatic purposes. All these
commodities are traded worldwide. A dealer’s market report for an item may say “drought in the
country of origin has forced up prices.”
Natural products do not mean safe products, and account of this has to be taken by the above
industries, which are subject to regulation. For example, a number of plants that are approved for
use in medicine must not be used in cosmetic products.
The assessment of “safe to use” starts with the harvested plant material, which has to comply
with an official monograph. This may require absence of, or prescribed limits of, radioactive
material, heavy metals, aflatoxin, pesticide residue, as well as the required level of active principle.
This analytical control is costly and tends to exclude small batches of plant material. Large-scale,
contracted, mechanized cultivation with designated seed or plantlets is now preferable.
Today, plant selection is not only for the yield of active principle, but for the plant’s ability to
overcome disease, climatic stress, and the hazards caused by mankind. Such methods as in vitro
fertilization, meristem cultures, and somatic embryogenesis are used. The transfer of sections of
DNA is giving rise to controversy in the case of some end uses of the plant material.
Some suppliers of plant raw material are now able to certify that they are supplying organically
farmed medicinal plants, herbs, and spices. The Economic Union directive CVO/EU No. 2092/91
details the specifications for the obligatory quality controls to be carried out at all stages of
production and processing of organic products.
Fascinating plant folklore and ethnopharmacology lead to medicinal potential. Examples are
the muscle relaxants based on the arrow poison, curare, from species of Chondrodendron, and the
antimalarials derived from species of Cinchona and Artemisia. The methods of detection of phar-
macological activity have become increasingly reliable and specific, frequently involving enzymes
in bioassays and avoiding the use of laboratory animals. By using bioassay-linked fractionation of
crude plant juices or extracts, compounds can be specifically targeted which, for example, inhibit
blood platelet aggregation, or have antitumor, or antiviral, or any other required activity. With the
assistance of robotic devices, all the members of a genus may be readily screened. However, the
plant material must be fully authenticated by a specialist.
The medicinal traditions of ancient civilizations such as those of China and India have a large
armamentarium of plants in their pharmacopoeias that are used throughout Southeast Asia. A similar
situation exists in Africa and South America. Thus, a very high percentage of the world’s population
relies on medicinal and aromatic plants for their medicine. Western medicine is also responding.
Already in Germany all medical practitioners have to pass an examination in phytotherapy before
being allowed to practice. It is noticeable that medical, pharmacy, and health-related schools
throughout Europe and the United States are increasingly offering training in phytotherapy.