Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia. It is also often misspelled (or pronounced) as tumeric. It sometimes also known as kunyit in some Asian countries.

Its rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian cuisine, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has an earthy, bitter, peppery flavor and has a mustardy smell

Sangli, a town in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra, is the largest and most important trading centre for turmeric in Asia or perhaps in the entire world.

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27107245 

High performance curcumin subcritical water extraction from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenolic compound derived from turmeric rhizome, which consists about 2-5% of the total rhizome content and is a more valuable component of turmeric.  The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images from the outer surface of turmeric, before and after extraction, clearly demonstrated the effect of each parameter; changes in porosity and hardness of turmeric that is directly related to the amount of extracted curcumin in process optimization of the extraction parameters.

Dietary Curcumin: Correlation between Bioavailability and Health Potential https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770259/

use of turmeric

World's oldest curry 4000 years old has turmeric and brinjal-eggplant

\http://www.thebetterindia.com/59778/oldest-curry-harappan-civilisation/

• "Arishina" in Kannada
• "Halad" in Marathi
• "Haldi" in Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati.
• "Haruut" in Somali
• "Holdi" or "Holood" in Bengali.
• "மஞ்சள்" (manjal "literally:Yellow") in Tamil.
• "పసుపు" (pasupu) in Telugu.
• "姜黄" (jiang huang) in Chinese.
• "Nghệ" in Vietnamese.
• "Lmeat" in Khmer.
• زردچوبه (Zardchubeh) in Persian.
• "‘Ōlena" in Hawaiian
• "Gelbwurz" (literally: Yellow Root) or "Curcuma" in German.
• "Kurkuma" or "Japonský šafrán" (Japanese Safron) in Czech.
• "Kunyit" in Malay and Indonesian.
• "كركم" or "Kurkum" in Arabic.
• "כורכום" or "Kurkum" in Hebrew.
• "Palillo" in Spanish (South America).
• "മഞ്ഞള്‍" (manjal) in Malayalam.

Medicine
In the Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties and many in India use it as a readily available antiseptic for cuts and burns. Whenever there is a cut or a bruise, the home remedy is to reach for turmeric powder. Ayurvedic doctors say it has fluoride which is thought to be essential for teeth. It is also used as an antibacterial agent.

It is taken in some Asian countries as a dietary supplement, which allegedly helps with stomach problems and other ailments. It is popular as a tea in Okinawa, Japan. It is currently being investigated for possible benefits in Alzheimer's disease, cancer and liver disorders.

Turmeric, under the name Avea, is becoming popular to treat depression.

It is only in recent years that Western scientists have increasingly recognised the medicinal properties of turmeric. According to a 2005 article in the Wall Street Journal titled, "Common Indian Spice Stirs Hope," research activity into curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is exploding. Two hundred and fifty-six curcumin papers were published in the past year according to a search of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Supplement sales have increased 35% from 2004, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health has four clinical trials underway to study curcumin treatment for pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, Alzheimer's, and colorectal cancer.

A 2004 UCLA-Veterans Affairs study involving genetically altered mice suggests that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, might inhibit the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients and also break up existing plaques. "Curcumin has been used for thousands of years as a safe anti-inflammatory in a variety of ailments as part of Indian traditional medicine," Gregory Cole, Professor of medicine and neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA said.

Another 2004 study conducted at Yale University involved oral administration of curcumin to mice homozygous for the most common allele implicated in cystic fibrosis. Treatment with curcumin restored physiologically-relevant levels of protein function. [1]

Anti-tumoral effects against melanoma cells have been demonstrated [2].

Curry Pharmaceuticals, based in North Carolina, is studying the use of a curcumin cream for psoriasis treatment. Another company is already selling a cream based on curcumin called "Psoria-Gold," which shows anecdotal promise of treating the disease.

A recent study involving mice has shown that turmeric slows the spread of breast cancer into lungs and other body parts. Turmeric also enhances the effect of taxol in reducing metastasis of breast cancer [3].

Curcumin is thought to be a powerful antinociceptive (pain-relieving) agent. In the November 2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a study was published that showed the effectiveness of turmeric in the reduction of joint inflammation, and recommended clinical trials as a possible treatment for the alleviation of arthritis symptoms.[4] It is thought to work as a natural inhibitor of the cox-2 enzyme, and has been shown effective in animal models for neuropathic pain secondary to diabetes, among others.[2]

Courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turmeric

Fennel

Humulus lupulus L.

Cannabinaceae
Common hops

Dried strobili used medicinally as a bitter tonic, sedative, hypnotic. The decoction from the flower is said to remedy swellings and hardness of the uterus. A cataplasm of the leaf is said to remedy cold tumors. The dried fruit, used for poultices and formentations, is said to remedy painful tumors. The pomade, made from the lupulin, is said to remedy cancerous ulcerations (Hartwell, 1967–1971). Reported to be anaphrodisiac, anodyne, antiseptic, diuretic, hypnotic, nervine, sedative, soporific, stomachic, sudorific, tonic, and vermifuge, hops is a folk remedy for boils, bruises, calculus, cancer, cramps, cough, cystitis, debility, delirium, diarrhea, dyspepsia, fever, fits, hysteria, inflammation, insomnia, jaundice, nerves, neuralgia, rheumatism, and worms (Duke and Wain, 1981). Moerman (1982) gives interesting insight on Amerindian uses of a plant alien to them originally. Delaware Indians heated a small bag of leaves to apply to earache or toothache. More interesting was the Delaware use of hops as a sedative, drinking hop tea several times a day to alleviate nervousness. Cherokee, Mohegan, and Fox also used the plant as a sedative. George III is said to have slept on a pillow stuffed with hops to alleviate some symptoms of his porphyria. I would personally not hesitate to drink a chamomile-hop-valerian tea as a sedative or herbal sleeping potion, but I would never recommend it to anyone else. The antibiotic principle lupulone is tuberculostatic (Duke, 1972).

Alnus maritima Nutt.

Betulaceae
Seaside Alder

According to Hartwell (1967–1970), the alders are used in folk remedies for cancers, indurations and/or tumors, especially of the breast, epithelium, duodenum, esophagus, face, lip, pancreas, pylorus, rectum, throat, tongue, and uterus. Reported to be astringent and depurative, closely related Alnus serrulata is a folk remedy for bruises, burns, diarrhea, eye, hematuria, malaria, poison ivy, scalds, sores, syphilis, and wounds (Duke and Wain, 1981). Erichsen-Brown (1979) lists many other uses of the alder; e.g. the Potawatomi Indians made a bark tea for flushing the vagina or to shrink hemorrhoids via rectal syringe. None of these are specific to Alnus maritima, just generic

Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.

Betulaceae
European alder, Black alder

According to Hartwell (1967–1971), the leaves are decocted in folk remedies for cancer of the breast, duodenum, esophagus, face, pylorus, pancreas, rectum, throat, tongue, and uterus. The bark and/or roots are used for cancers and inflammatory tumors of the throat. Reported to be alterative, astringent, detersive, diuretic, sudorific, tonic, and vermifuge, black alder is a folk remedy for cancer, fever, foot ailments, tumors, and worms (Duke and Wain, 1981). The bark decoction is taken as a gargle for angina and pharyngitis, as an enema in hematachezia.

Cichorium intybus L.

Asteraceae
Chicory, Succory, Witloof chicory, Radichetta, Asparagus chicory

Cultivated plant in India is used as a tonic, and in diarrhea, enlargement of the spleen, fever and vomiting. Wild form is considered alexiteric, emmenagogue and tonic. The juice is said to be a folk remedy for cancer of the uterus and for tumors. The powdered seed is said to remedy indurations of the spleen. The leaf, boiled with honey for a gargle is said to cure cancer of the mouth. The root, boiled in water is said to help cancer of the breast and face (Hartwell, 1967-1971).

Chemistry

ELEPHANT-FOOT YAM

(Amorphophallus paeoniifolius)

Quantification of Gallic Acidin Fruits of Three Medicinal Plants in triphala

HPLC method

commercial variations

microscopic method

      The most popular herbal remedies in the health food industry are those which promote bowel movement. The reason is quite simple since the most common problem of so many individuals is constipation and bowel irregularity. Consider how tremendously valuable a formula is that not only regulates bowel movement but at the same time does the following:

Iimproves digestion,
Reduces serum cholesterol,
Improves circulation (potentiates adrenergic function),
Contains 31% linoleic acid,
Exerts a marked cardio-protective effect,
Reduces high blood pressure,
Improves liver function,
Has proven anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties,
Expectorant, Hypotensive.

Sound like a panacea? Well, it is practically just that

Read more about  Triphala  in this article The Wonders of Triphala: Ayurvedic Formula for Internal Purification by Dr. Michael Tierra L.Ac., O.M.D.

A popular folk saying in India is, "No mother? do not worry so long as you have Triphala." The reason is that Indian people believe that triphala is able to care for the internal organs of the body as a mother cares for her children. Each of the three herbal fruits of Triphala takes care of the body by gently promoting internal cleansing of all conditions of stagnation and excess while at the same time it improves digestion and assimilation.

Puri (2003) in his book on Rasayana under amla has given a very good account of this important Ayurvedic product. The author has discussed various controversies about the three important constituents (amlaki, haritaki and bhallataki) of this compound preparation, along with its use in Ayurveda, various preparations made from it and their pharmacological and therapeutic.

Where to buy: You  can get triphala in any ayurvedic stores. Best is from https://kapilanalam.com/  because all ingredients are tested. Get the powder that is better than the capsule form.

In USA get from

Contemporary Research on Triphala
Recent medical research conducted by several leading academic institutions in India such as the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Jawaharlal Nehru University has revealed that Triphala has a significant medicinal value as a potential detoxifying and anti-Cancer agent. [2].

In a study entitled ‘Potential of traditional Ayurvedic formulation, Triphala, as a novel anticancer drug’ published in the January 2006 issue of Cancer Letters, scientists at the Radiation Biology and Health Sciences Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, found that Triphala had the ability to induce cytotoxicity (cell death) in tumor cells but spared the normal cells [2].

Similarly, a December 2005 report in the Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research from the Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratory at Jawaharlal Nehru University noted that Triphala was effective in reducing tumor incidences and increasing the antioxidant status of animals. constituents.”[2]

Another report from the Department of Botanical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, found that "Triphala" showed a significant cytotoxic effect on cancer cell-lines and the effect was similar on all cancer cell lines used in this study.” The results, reported in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in February 2005, reveal that the results may be due to the action of gallic acid-a major polyphenol observed in "Triphala". The same authors had previously reported that Triphala “had promising antimutagenic/anticarcinogenic potential.”

In February 2006, scientists from the Dr. A.L. Mudaliar Post-Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, reported supplementation with Triphala prevents the noise-stress induced changes in the antioxidant as well as cell-mediated immune response in rats. What this means is that Triphala is an anti stress agent. This study concludes that Triphala restores the noise-stress induced changes because of its antioxidant properties[2].

Antioxidant studies conducted at The Radiation Chemistry and Chemical Dynamics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Trombay revealed that all three constituents of Triphala are active and they exhibit slightly different activities under different conditions and the mixture, Triphala, is expected to be more efficient due to the combined activity of the individual components. The findings were reported in the July 2005 issue of Phytotherapy Research. Two months later, scientists from BARC reported on the radio-protective ability of a component of Triphala.

Similar results were also reported from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, when scientists claimed that “Triphala, an ayurvedic rasayana drug, resulted in an increase in the radiation tolerance by 1.4 Gray of of gamma-irradiation”. They concluded that while Triphala provided protection against both gastrointestinal and hemopoetic death, the animals did not survive up to 30 days post-irradiation beyond 11 Gy irradiation [3].

Courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triphala