ÚLTIMOS AVANCES EN LA QUÍMICA Y ACTIVIDADES BACTERIOLÓGICAS EN LAS PLANTAS MEDICINALES

1) The present work was conducted to assess and compare the chem. compn. of volatile oils from fresh, dried and cured turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizomes from a selected single source. In addn., their antioxidant and radical scavenging
potentials were correlated with chem. compn. Major components were ar-turmerone (21.0-30.3%), a-turmerone (26.5-33.5%) and b-turmerone (18.9-21.1%). Trolox equiv. antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values were 38.9, 68.0 and 66.9 mM at
1 mg of oil/mL for fresh, dried and cured rhizome resp. in ABTS assay. IC50 values for fresh, dried and cured rhizome oil to quench DPPH radicals were 4.4, 3.5 and 3.9 mg of oil/mL resp. Fresh, dried and cured rhizome oils showed
antioxidant capacity of 358, 686 and 638 mM of ascorbic acid equiv. per 1 mg of oil resp. The rhizome oil shows good reducing potential and was concn. dependent. It is inferred that the cured rhizomes provided high yield of volatile oil with
appreciably high antioxidant potential

2)  Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is an industrially important plant used for prodn. of curcumin, oleoresin and essential oil. In
the present study we examd. the genetic diversity among turmeric accessions from 10 different agro-climatic regions
comprising 5 cultivars and 55 accessions. Two DNA-based mol. marker techniques, viz., random amplified
polymorphism DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) were used to assess the genetic diversity in
turmeric genotypes. A total of 17 polymorphic primers (11 RAPDs and 6 ISSRs) were used in this study. RAPD anal. of
60 genotypes yielded 94 fragments of which 75 were polymorphic with an av. of 6.83 polymorphic fragments per primer.
No. of amplified fragments with RAPD primers ranged from 3 to 13 with the size of amplicons ranging from 230 to 3000
bp in size. The polymorphism ranged from 45 to 100 with an av. of 91.4%. The 6 ISSR primers produced 66 bands
across 60 genotypes of which 52 were polymorphic with an av. of 8.6 polymorphic fragments per primer. The no. of
amplified bands varied from 1 to 14 with size of amplicons ranging from 200 to 2000 bp. The percentage of
polymorphism using ISSR primers ranged from 83 to 100 with an av. of 95.4%. Nei's dendrogram for 60 samples using
both RAPD and ISSR markers demonstrated an extent of 62% correlation between the genetic similarity and geog.
location. The result of Nei's genetic diversity (H) generated from the POP gene anal. shows relatively low genetic
diversity in turmeric accessions of South eastern ghat (P7), Western undulating zone (P8) with 0.181 and 0.199 value
whereas highest genetic diversity (0.257) has been obsd. in Western central table land (P9). Knowledge on the genetic
diversity of turmeric from different agro-climatic regions can be used to future breeding programs for increased curcumin,
oleoresin and essential oil prodn. to meet the ever-increasing demand of turmeric for industrial and pharmaceutical uses.

3) Curcuma longa (turmeric) has been used widely as a spice, particularly in Asian countries. It is also used in the
Ayurvedic system of medicine as an antiinflammatory and antimicrobial agent and for numerous other curative
properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an aq. ext. of Curcuma longa (AEC) on tissues involved
in glucose homeostasis. The ext. was prepd. by soaking 100 g of ground turmeric in 1L of water, which was filtered and
stored at -20°C prior to use. Pancreas and muscle tissues of adult mice were cultured in DMEM with 5 or 12 mmol/L
glucose and varying doses of ext. The AEC stimulated insulin secretion from mouse pancreatic tissues under both basal
and hyperglycemic conditions, although the max. effect was only 68% of that of tolbutamide. The AEC induced stepwise
stimulation of glucose uptake from abdominal muscle tissues in the presence and absence of insulin, and the
combination of AEC and insulin significantly potentiated the glucose uptake into abdominal muscle tissue. However, this
effect was attenuated by wortmannin, suggesting that AEC possibly acts via the insulin-mediated glucose uptake
pathway. In summary, water sol. compds. of turmeric exhibit insulin releasing and mimicking actions within in vitro tissue
culture conditions.

PARTE UTILIZADA =Used part: Rizoma.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA =Pharmacological action: Analgésico para el reumatismo, antiinfecciosa,

EFECTOS ADVERSOS Y/O TOXICOLOGÍA =Adverse effects and pharmacology: Neurotóxico, abortivo. Contraindicado en embarazo, lactancia y niños menores de 4 años. Control exaustivo con personas que tomen anticoagulante.

POSOLOGÍA =Posology: El extracto fluído (1g=39 gotas) se dosifica en base a 30-80 gotas diarias, repartidas en 2-3 tomas.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA =Chemical composition: Curcuminas I y III, dicafeilmetano, caferuilmetano, desmetoxi-curcumina, bis-desmetoxi-curcumina, dihidro-curcumina, lactona sesquiterpénica turmerona, zingibereno, alfa y gamma-atlantona, bisabolano, guayano, germacrano, 1,8-cineol, borneol, d-sabineno, ácido caprilico, deshidroturmerona, 1-fenol-HO-N-pentano, limoneno, lindol, eugenol, curcumenol, curcumenona, felandreno, polisacáridos A, B, C y D, arabino-galactano, ukonano, sales potásicas, resina, resina, glucósidos.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA =Geografical zone: Mundial.

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Distribución
Cultivada en Amazonía, introducida de India.

Usos
Rizomas Malaria o paludismo: se ralla 1 kg de rizomas, se exprime el jugo en
un recipiente, se deja serenar durante la noche. Tomar dos cucharadas mañana y tarde durante 15 días.
Hepatitis: el cocimiento de los rizomas se toma como agua de tiempo.

Tubérculos
Hepatitis: rallar y exprimir el tubérculo; tomar el jugo; dos cucharadas diarias los adultos y una cucharadita los niños durante 10 a 15 días.

Rhizome: Grated and mixed with leaves of Siparuna guianensis and Justicia pectoralis, salt and rum, and used as a cataplasm for a vulnerary in treating sprains and bruises.

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Range. India. Widely cultivated in the tropics. Cultivated in Myanmar.

Uses
Stem (Rhizome): Hot, sharp, bitter, and savory, use of the rhizome known for reversing many ailments and increasing overall longevity. It is used in making different medicines, ointments, and smoke treatments (herbs scattered over glowing embers of charcoal and patient sits nearby with large basket over which blanket placed) for a va­riety of conditions, including digestive problems, very high fevers, eye problems, male-related troubles, coughs, asthma and bronchitis, and diarrhea. Powdered turmeric is mixed with water and ingested, burned to create fumes for inhaling, boiled in water for bathing, or tied in a cloth bundle applied to different areas of the body needing treat­ment. Turmeric reduces fevers, lowers post-partum high blood pressure, expels “bad blood” left in the body after childbirth, and purifies the blood. It relieves post-partum weakness, cold skin, breast aches or inflammation, bloating and edema associated with female disorders, itches, and rashes; and is also used to treat an unclean or infected uterus, aching of the eyes, colds and fevers. Mixed with powder from the bark of let-htoke (Holarrhena antidysenterica) and a moderate amount of honey, turmeric is stewed with water and taken as a remedy for dysentery and for vomiting or otherwise passing blood. Mixed with warm water and held in the mouth, it is used to treat inflamed gums and toothaches; alternatively it is mixed with salt and pressed into the root of the affected tooth. Taken with a small amount of salt three times daily, turmeric eases bloating and pain from flatulence. Three thin slices of the sun-dried rhizome daily alle­viates gastritis. Mixed with lime, turmeric relieves cysts, knots in muscles, and bruises, and turmeric powder is applied to wounds to stop excessive bleeding. Ingesting a mix­ture of turmeric, brown rock sugar, and water from washing rice treats bladder stones; a mixture of turmeric, juice from zee-hpyu (Phyllanthus emblica) and honey relieves urinary infections.
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Origin:
Cultivated all over India, particularly in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Action:
Anti-inflammatory, cholagogue, hepatoprotective, blood-purifier, antioxidant, detoxifier and regenerator of liver tissue, antiasthmatic, anti-tumour, anticutaneous, antiprotozoal, stomachic, carminative. Reduces high plasma cholesterol. Antiplatelet activity offers protection to heart and vessels. Also protects against DNA damage in lymphocytes.
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Origin:
Nigeria
Part used
tubers
Medicinal uses
jaundice,anti-tumour,eye wash

1) ALONSO, Jorge R. Tratado de fitomedicina : bases clínicas y farmacológicas. Buenos Aires : ISIS, 1998, p. 439.

2) KUTTI GOUNDER, Dhanalakshmi; Lingamallu, Jaganmohanrao. Comparison of chemical composition and antioxidant potential of volatile oil from fresh, dried and cured turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizomes. Industrial Crops and Products. 2012, vol. 38, p. 124-131.

3) SINGH, Shikha; PANDA, Manoj Kumar; NAYAK, Sanghamitra. Evaluation of genetic diversity in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) using RAPD and ISSR markers. Industrial Crops and Products. 2012, vol. 37, nº 1, p. 284-291.

4) MOHANKUMAR, Sureshkumar; MCFARLANE, James R. An aqueous extract of Curcuma longa (turmeric) rhizomes stimulates insulin release and mimics insulin action on tissues involved in glucose homeostasis in vitro. Phytotherapy Research. 2011, vol. 25, nº 3, p. 396-401.

5) Robertt, A., et al.. Medicinal Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana)/Smithsonian NMNH. cited online: 17-08-2017

6) Mejía, Kember; Rengifo, Eisa /Plantas medicinales de uso popular en la Amazonía Peruana.-- Lima : Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional, 2000. -- p. 286

7) DeFilipps, Robert A.; Krupnick, Gary A. / PhytoKeys, v. 102. - - p. 1 - 314,  2018.

8) Khare, C.P./ Indian Medicinal Plants. -- Nueva Dheli: Springer, 2007 . - p. 836.

9) Abd El-Ghani1, Monier M./ Traditional medicinal plants of Nigeria: an overview: Agric. Biol. J. N. Am., 2016, 7(5): 220-247. - p. 241.