Turmeric (Haldi)
Introduction:
English name: Turmeric
Botanical name: Curcuma longa
Common name: Haldi
Family: Zingiberaceae (Ginger family)
Turmeric is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to Zingiberaceae (Ginger family). It has smaller rhizome. It’s originated from south eastern Asia means nearly to India. It has fleshy rhizomes and its colour vary from bright yellow to orange, which later become the spice turmeric. The powder of turmeric rhizome is used for its flavouring enhancement properties as a spice, food-colouring agent and food preservative. Turmeric is famous for its therapeutic uses such as its, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antioxidant, and its digestive properties.
History:
Marco Polo said that a plant that I was found somewhere has the qualities of Saffron, but it is a root in 1280 AD.
Assyrian herbal circa found it in 600 BC and Dioscorides also mentioned in the list of herbal. Turmeric herbal is so ancient that it was also found in the Chinese and Ayurveda medicines. Unani considered it the most beneficial herb for various uses.Budhist monk also used it for various purposes for at least 2000 years.
Botany:
The height of turmeric plant is in the range of 0.7-1 m. Its rhizomes are cylindrical, aromatic and highly branched vary from yellow to orange colour. The leaves arrangement is in two rows with alternate fashion. Leaves divides into leaf blade, petiole and leaf sheath. False stem is produced from the leaf sheath. The petiole length ranges from 48 to 110 cm.
The bracts are ovate in shape and has light green in colour with a length of 3.5-5 cm. The flowers are threefold and zygomorphic. Sepals have small hairs and a...
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...e menstrual cycle.
Conclusion:
Dr. David Frawley said that “If a single herb is recommended for all dietary and health needs, then that would definitely be a turmeric. Turmeric has various uses in our daily routine of life. It is a God gifted herb. Little bit improvement is required in the breeding of turmeric. Various types of secondary metabolites that are found in the turmeric, are extremely beneficial for human. Almost all the liver, heart and blood related diseases are cure with the use of turmeric. Turmeric action is very broad.
References:
1) Turmeric ( The ayurvedic spice of life) written by prashanti de jager
2) Dobelis IN, ed. Magic and Medicine of Plants. Pleasantville, NY. Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. 1999.
3) Simpson, B.B. and M.C. Ogorzaly. 1997. Economic botany: plants in our
World, 3rd ed. McGraw‐Hill, Inc.: New York, USA.
Dandelions, known to the botanist as Taraxacum officinale, are classified in the Composite (Compositae) family of flowering plants. The genus name, Taraxacum is derived from the Persian word for "bitter herb," (Myer, 1994). Accompanying the golden ruse of the dandelion are the daisies, aster, sunflowers, goldenrod, Joe Pye weed and many other wildflowers.
plants, both philosophically and culturally towards their daily lives in the forms of food, medicine,
What is traditional medicine? Traditional medicine is the total sum of all the knowledge, skills and practices that are based on the theories, beliefs and experience that are indigenous to different cultures, and is used in the maintenance of health and in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness. Traditional medicine may also be called alternative, complementary and non-conventional interchangeably in some countries.
Schumann, Gail L., and Cleora J. D'Arcy. Hungry Planet: Stories of Plant Diseases. St. Paul: American Phytopathological Society, 2012. Print.
Lauffer, H. B., Williams, P., & Lauffer, D. (2012). Wisconsin Fast Plants® Program. Retrieved February 26, 2014, from http://www.fastplants.org
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Turmeric has many different heart benefits due to the active curcumin. Researchers at the University of Toronto have found out that the curcumin helps stop many different reactions in the enlargement of the heart chambers or cardiac hypertrophy. It is also believed to help stop or reduce inflammation and fibrosis. Another study was conducted in Japan and it was found that the curcumin also helps the reduction of cardiac hypertrophy by creating healthy measurements of blood pressure. Curcumin acts as an anti-inflammatory which is the cause of many different conditions. This is why turmeric makes a good heart healthy diet plan.
In the lab exercise regarding plant structure and function, we examined slides containing the different kinds of roots (monocot, dicot). We labeled the parts and pointed out the different roles of each in the plant structure. Also, we examined monocot stems and dicot stems in order to familiarize ourselves with its external and internal structures. We sketched and labeled the parts of the stem and looked closely at the positions of each part. In the last part of the lab, we classified leaves into different kinds according to their leaf venation, bases of leaves, and apices of leaves. As an additional exercise, we sketched 20 animals and classified them according to phylum and class. We were also able to discover the scientific and common names of the animals. Overall, the exercises we did enabled us to familiarize ourselves with plant structure thus, gaining a better understanding for plant life and its importance.
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