Abstract

A REVIEW: HARIDRA (CURCUMA LONGA LINN.) IN SAMHITA AND CHIKITSA GRANTHA

Sarvesh Kumar Bharati*, Aparna Dixit, Bhuwal Ram, Anil Kumar Singh

Abstract

Medicinal plants play a significant role both in the developed and developing countries in providing health benefits to human beings. Over the last few decades, it is experienced that alternative medicine, which is essentially plant based, has a remarkable and steady increase all over world. In India, the earliest reference to the medicinal value of plants appears in Rigveda. In Ayurveda the definite properties and uses of drugs and drug yielding plants have been discussed. The Ayurvedic text Charak Samhita and Sushruta Samhita added invaluable knowledge to the science of medicinal plants. The Haridra is prescribed in the form of Lepa, Kashaya, Kshara, Churna, Taila, Ghrita, Peya, Kwatha and Vasti in various diseases (Prameha, Kushtha, Shotha etc.) in different Samhitas and Chikitsa Granthas. Haridra (Curcuma longa Linn.) is a widely used shrub in folk and Ayurvedic systems of medicine. This review presents the literature on medicinal properties and uses of Curcuma longa Linn. The therapeutic uses of Haridra (Curcuma longa Linn) are described in different Samhita and Chikitsa Grantha in different ailments like Kushtha (Skin disease), Prameha (Diabetese Mellitus), Jwara (Fever), Vrana (Wound), Arsha (Piles), Pandu (Anaemia), Kamala (Jaundice), Vatarakta (Gaute), Hikka-Shwasa (Respiratory diseases), Visha (Poisoning), Shotha (Oedema) and Mukharoga (Oral cavity disorder) etc. The present work aims to discuss various Samhita and Chikitsa Granthas as manuscripts or just as evidence in a chronological order.

Keywords: Ayurveda, Haridra, Samhita, Prameha, Chikitsa, Curcuma longa.