Witnessed by: TCM · Ayurveda · Western · Unani
Turmeric (Curcuma longa), of the Zingiberaceae family. Leafy perennial herb from a branched, fingered rhizome; native range: the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia; a sterile cultigen unknown truly wild. Globally recognized as haridra / nisha / rajani in Sanskrit, haldi in Hindi, jiang huang (姜黄) in Chinese, kurkum / uruq-us-sufr in Arabic, and Indian saffron in English. The part used is rhizome (fresh and cured). Knobbly buff rhizome, deep orange within, staining everything it touches; a warm, earthy, faintly bitter and resinous aroma with a peppery, musky heat.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
TURMERIC
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Turmeric
- Scientific name
- Curcuma longa L.
- Family
- Zingiberaceae
Form
- Part used
- rhizome (fresh and cured)
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- pungent · bitter
- Ayurveda
- dominant: bitter (tikta) · then: pungent (katu) · with: astringent (kashaya)
- Western
- bitter · pungent · aromatic
- Unani
- bitter · pungent
Temperature
- TCM
- warm
- Ayurveda
- heating (ushna)
- Western
- warm
- Unani
- hot & dry (3rd degree)
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Spleen · Liver
- Western
- liver · blood · digestion · skin
- Unani
- liver · stomach · spleen
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- invigorates blood and moves qi, dispels wind and unblocks the channels, relieves pain — especially of the shoulders and arms
- Ayurveda
- krimighna, kushtaghna (skin), varnya, dipana-pachana, rakta-shodhana (blood purifier), kaphahara, shothahara (anti-inflammatory), pramehaghna
- Western
- alterative, cholagogue, hepatic stimulant, anti-inflammatory, aromatic bitter, mild carminative and vulnerary
- Unani
- musaffi-e-khoon (blood purifier), jali (detergent), mufattit, muhallil (resolvent), dafe-e-taffun (antiseptic)
Cautions
Contraindications: obstructive gallstones and bile-duct obstruction; bleeding disorders; large medicinal doses in pregnancy; high pitta with hyperacidity if used dry and in excess
Toxicity: very safe as food and in normal doses; high concentrated extracts may cause gastric upset and, rarely, liver injury
Interactions
- Western
- anticoagulants: additive antiplatelet effect increasing bleeding risk · antidiabetic agents: additive blood-glucose lowering · CYP450-metabolised drugs: curcumin inhibits several CYP and transporter pathways, altering drug levels
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