Turmeric

Turmeric, also known as the golden spice, is the rhizome obtained by Curcuma longa L., belonging to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), with a longstanding use as a food, dye and remedy in the Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine systems. The active constituents of turmeric are specific pigments known as curcuminoids contained in a sort of oleoresin among which curcumin is the most important one due to its wide spectrum of pharmacological properties, notably antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Besides, volatile components owning the bisabolene skeleton known as turmerones and responsible for the flavor and fragrance notes of turmeric may contribute to the overall pharmacological potential of turmeric products. In this chapter a brief summary of the scientific literature on turmeric has been reported, focusing on different aspects of the golden spice such as etymology, systematics, distribution, ethnobotany, traditional and commercial uses, phytochemistry, and nutraceutical and pharmaceutical uses.