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Turmeric is a plant species within the Zingiberaceae family(gingerfamily). A distinction is made between Curcuma longa (country of origin India) and Curcuma zanthorrhiza (country of origin Southeast Asia). Turmeric has large, egg-shaped leaves that are between 20 and 45 cm long. The stem can grow up to 1.20 m high. The flowers are yellow in Curcuma longa and purple-red in Curcuma zanthorrica. Curcuma longa flowers in August.
Both species, Curcuma longa and Curcuma xanthorrica, are used phytotherapeutically.
The tuberous to finger-shaped, yellow rhizomes, i.e. the underground shoots of the plants, are used phytotherapeutically. When powdered, the rhizomes produce a pungent spice that is used, for example, as the main ingredient in curry powder.
Ingredients: The curcuma rhizome contains 3 to 12% essential oil, including sesquiterpenes, xanthorrhizol and beta-curcumene. The main active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Other ingredients are dicinnamoylmethane derivatives, ferulic acid, caffeic acid and caffeic acid derivatives.
