Haridra, Haldi, Turmeric, Rajani

Biological Source

Haridra consists of the dried and cured rhizomes of Curcuma longa Linn. (Family - Zingiberaceae), a perennial herb extensively cultivated in all parts of the country, crop is harvested after 9-10 months when lower leaves turn yellow rhizomes carefully dug up with hand-picks between October-April and cured by boiling and dried.

Synonyms

Sanskrit :- Rajani, Nisa, Nisi, Ratri, Ksanada, Dosa

Assam :- Haldhi, Haladhi

Bengali :- Halud, Haldi

English :- Turmeric

Gujrati :- Haldar

Hindi :- Haldi, Hardi

Kannada :- Arishina

Kashmiri :- Ledar, Ladhir

Malayalam :- Manjal

Marathi :- Halad

Oriya :- Haladi

Punjabi :- Haldi, Haldar

Tamil :- Manjal

Telugu :- Pasupu

Urdu :- Haldi

Description

A) Macroscopic

Rhizomes ovate, oblong or pyriform (round turmeric) or cylindrical, often short branched (long turmeric), former about half as broad as long, latter 2-5 cm long and about 1-1.8 cm thick, externally yellowish to yellowish-brown with root scars and annulations of leaf bases, fracture horny, fractured surface orange to reddish brown, central cylinder twice as broad as cortex: odour and taste characteristic.

B) Microscopic

Transverse section of rhizome shows epidermis with thick-walled, cubical cells of various dimensions, cortex characterised by the presence of mostly thin-walled rounded parenchyma cells scattered collateral vascular bundles, a few layers of cork developed under epidermis and scattered oleo-resin cells with brownish contents; cork generally composed of 4-6 layers of thin-walled, brick-shaped parenchyma, cells of ground tissue contain starch grains of 4-15 μ in diameter, oil cell with suberised walls containing either orange-yellow globules of volatile oil or amorphous resinous matter, vessels mainly spirally thickened, a few reticulate and annular.

Identification

1) On the addition of Concentrated Sulphuric acid or a mixture of Concentrated Sulphuric acid and alcohol to the powdered drug, a deep crimson colour is produced.

2) A piece of filter paper is impregnated with an alcoholic extract of the powder, dried, and then moistened with a solution of Boric acid slightly acidified with Hydrochloric acid, dried again, the filter paper assumes a pink or brownish red colour which becomes deep blue or greenish-black on the addition of alkali.

Identity, Purity and Strength

Foreign matter :- Not more than 2 per cent,

Total Ash :- Not more than 9 per cent,

Acid-insoluble ash :- Not more than 1 per cent,

Alcohol-soluble extractive :- Not less than 8 per cent,

Water-soluble extractive :- Not less than 12 per cent,

Volatile oil :- Not less than 4 per cent,

Active Constituents

Essential oil and a colouring matter (curcumin)

Properties and Action

Rasa :- Katu, Tikta

Guna :- Ruksa

Virya :- Usna

Vipaka :- Katu

Karma :- Krmighna, Kushaghna, Varnya, Visaghna, Kaphapittanut, Pramehanasaka.

Important Formulations

Haridra Khanda

Therapeutic Uses

Pandu, Prameha, Vrana, Visavikara, Kustha, Tvagroga, Sitapitta,

Pinasa

Dose

1-3 g of the drug in powder form