Curcuma tinctoria

The yellow dye curcumin, [458-37-7] (Cl Natural Ye//oii> 3 Cl 75300) (41), also known as tumeric, occurs in the roots of the plant Curcuma tinctoria found growing wild in Asia. The dye was well known to the ancient Romans and Greeks who used it to dye wool, cotton, and silk. The dye is an oil-soluble bright yellow material, and is the only natural yellow dye that requires no mordant. It finds use as a colorant for baked goods such as cakes. 

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. 

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. 

---

See also in sourсe #XX -- [ , ]

See also in sourсe #XX -- [ , ]

---