Turmeric is believed to have originated in India, but is now grown in tropical areas worldwide. The rhizomes are imported for medicinal use from China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Africa and Madagascar.
Turmeric: root as a medicine
In herbal medicine, the entire underground rhizome of turmeric (Curcumae longae rhizoma) is used. The secondary rhizomes are sliced and dried.
The rhizome is harvested after the plant has withered, scalded with hot water, and then dried. Scalding is to prevent the plant from sprouting.
Turmeric – typical characteristics
Turmeric is a tropical perennial that closely resembles ginger. It has basal, very large and broad leaves without pubescence and with approximately parallel leaf veins. The relatively large yellow flowers with three petals are in elongated spikes.
The plant develops from a fleshy rhizome (rootstock) and several secondary rhizomes, which have a brown corky layer on the outside and are orange-yellow on the inside due to the curcuminoids they contain.
Peculiarities of turmeric
The material used medicinally consists of finger-shaped secondary rhizomes up to 15 mm in diameter and the main egg-shaped rhizomes of the plant, which grow up to 4 cm long. The root fragments are yellow-brown to gray-brown on the outside and mottled, which is due to scalding after harvesting. At the break points, the roots are uniformly orange-yellow in color and slightly shiny.
Turmeric exudes a faint, spicy-aromatic odor. Taste-wise, the root is bitter and burning hot.
