Curcuma species

GC-MS analysis of rhizome oils from five different Curcuma species shows variations in the major components, e.g. ar-turmerone (2.6-70.3%), a-turmerone (trace 6.2%) and zingiberene (trace-36.8%). Li et al. (1997) analysed a series of oils produced from several Zingiberaceae plants, including the rhizome oil of turmeric, using GC-MS. Thirty-five components were identified and turmerone (49%), ar-curcumene (15%) and ar-turmerone (6.4%) were the major compounds. 

The major pigment in Curcuma species (Zingiberaceae family) is the yellow phenolic diarylheptanoid curcumin (Jl). Curcumin and its analogs have potent antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects, cytotoxicity against tumor cells, and antitumor-promoting activity (96). The biologic effects and targets of curcumin, as well as its possible roles in cancer prevention and therapy, have been reviewed recently (97, 98). 

Curcumin (1), yellow dye of Curcuma tinctoria and other Curcuma species was first mentioned as early as in 1808 by Tronunsdoiff and isolated in 1815 by Vogel and Pelletier (1) was not only die first diarylheptanoid ever to be discovered, but also among the first natural organic compounds prepared in a more or less pure state. 

Additional research on the analysis of volatile components in Curcuma species can be found in the literature I0JJJ4J5). 

Herbs which are rich in volatile oil for example anise seed, drmamon, caraway, curcuma species, etc. The total content of volatile oil in the herbs indicate the quality of the herbs. Thus the lower limit of volatile oil content is one of the specification for these herbs. Many official monographs of drug containing essential oil or volatile oil in British Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia limit the content of volatile oil as one of the specification of the drug, for example "Ginger BP 2010" contains essential oil not less than 1.5 %v/wt (anhydrous drug). Besides that the chromatographic profile of essential oils were also imposed in these pharmacopoeiae. The limits of relative contents of some characteristic essential components of the oil are specified. 

Zwaving, J.H. and Bos, R. 1992. Analysis of the essential oils of five Curcuma species. Flavour Fragrance J, 7, 19—22. 

Turmeric is an aromatic spice obtained from the dried ground rhizomes of Curcuma longa L., a perennial shrub that belongs to genus Curcuma of the Zingiberaceae family. More than 100 species of curcuma were described but Curcuma longa L. is... 

Open chain diarylheptanoids were isolated from Acer nicoense (Aceraceae), from Alnus and Betula species Betulaceae), from Alpinia, Curcuma and Zingiber species belonging to the family of gingers Zingiberaceae) and finally from certain Cenirolobium species (Leguminosae). Individual compounds will be classified according to the plant families in which they occur. 

Turmeric or curcumin is the fluorescent-yellow-colored extract from the rhizome of various species of curcuma plant, Curcuma longa L. The main pigment of curcuma is curcumin (Formula 9.18). 

Turmeric is a very old colorant produced from the rhizomes of several species of Curcuma longa, a perennial sluub grown in many tropical areas around the world. 

Zsdoary A fragrant East Indian drug of a warm, bitter aromatic taste. formerly used In medicine as a stimulant. U Is the rhisoma of different species of curcuma, especially Curcuma sedoaria,... 

Herbs claimed or shown to have antispasmodic effects, in vitro and/or in vivo, and to be antitussive, include Adhartoda vasica (malibar nut), Petasites hybridus (butterbur). Ephedra sinica (ephedra), Mentha peperita (peppermint), Atropa species (atropine). Curcuma longa (turmeric), Ocimum sanctum (basil), and Piper longum (pepper). 

Other species of Curcuma are used interchangeably as sources of e zhu (Bensky et al. 2004 Chen and Chen 2004 PPRC 2005). 

Chemically related to brazUin are the yellow mordant dyes, luteolin and morin. Both are flavone derivatives whereas the former is obtained from yellow weed or weld (Reseda luteola L.), which grows widely across Europe, the latter comes from dyer s mulberry (Madura tinctoria, syn. Morus tinctorius L.). Alum- and tin-based mordants from luteolin produce a beautiful true yellow on all textile materials. Apart from weld, saffron (Crocus sativus L.) used to be the most important yellow colourant. The ancient Greeks and Romans used the dried stigmas from this species of crocus to obtain crocin, which was absorbed onto textiles with an alum mordant. Like saffron, curcuma (also known as turmeric) serves as a colourant for foodstuffs (e.g. for mustard and curry), and as a somewhat acrid spice in Oriental and South-east Asian cuisine. Curcuma is obtained from the root nodules of, for instance. Curcuma longa L., which is cultivated in plantations in China and the East Indies. 

Steam distillation is the standard method used for the determination of volatile oil. In British Pharmacopoeia, the dimension of the essential oil apparatus was specified, since all parts of the apparatus affect the yield of the volatile oil and avoid any controversy in the quality of the herbs. This method is usually employed to determine high volatile oil content herbs. Aromdee et al steam distilled various species of curcumas. Curcuma aromatica, C. aeruginosa by the method described in BP using xylene as an organic entraptor. They found the volatile oils in C. aromatica was 0.88-0.96% v/wet wt (Aromdee, 2010), where as C. aeruginosa was 0.55-0.42% v/wet wt (Aromdee, 2007). The content of volatile oil in other species of curcuma. 

Zhao, J., J.S. Zhang, B. Yang et al., 2010. Free radical scavenging activity and characterization of sesquiter-penoids in four species of curcuma using a TLC bioautography tissay and GC-MS analysis. 15(ll) 7547-7557. 

The cytotoxic activity of sesquiterpene lactones in species Ajania przewalskii Poljakov and Ligularia platyglossa was also reported [143, 144]. The volatile principles of Citrus aurantifolia inhibit proliferation inhibition of human colon cancer cells by apoptosis. The volatile sesquiterpenes showed DNA fragmentatiOTi and induction of caspase-3 [145]. The antiproUferative and anticancer activity of Nigella sativa was established [146]. Sesquiterpene lactmie from Schistochila glaucescens, Laurencia majuscula, Curcuma parviflora, and Liverwort shows... 

Polyketides with one or two phenylpropa-noid moieties and only one carbon derived from malonyl-Co A are the raspberry aroma/>-hydroxy-phenylbutan-2-one, the curcuminoids of turmeric Curcuma), and phenylphenalenones from Musa dmd Anigozanthos species (Fig. 23). Curcuminoids and phenylphenalenones contain two phenylpropanoid moieties on both sides of the acetate-derived carbon and are therefore classified as diaryIheptanoids. These two groups of natural products are pigments due to their conjugated system of 7i-electrons. Curcuminoids are widely used as spices and also have antiinflammatory, antioxidative, and anti-cancer properties (Joe et al., 2004). 

Turmeric is mainly used for colouring dairy and bakery products (e.g. ice cream, confectionery and dry mixtures). Oleoresins containing aromatic substances of turmeric are used as a spice. Many species of the genus Curcuma (turmeric) and the related genus Zingiber (ginger) are locally used as a spice and in traditional medicines. 

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