YUQUILLA
cúrcuma curcuma longa
YUQUILLA
Curcuma longa L.
Other common names
Curcuma.
Botanical family
Zingiberaceae.
Description
Perennial herb, acaule, aromatic rhizomes with bright yellow on the inside. Leaves with long petioles; limbo oblong or elliptical, 30 to 50 cm long and 8 to 18 cm. wide, narrow toward the base and acuminate at apex. Yellow flowers clustered in spikes striking baseline, accompanied by violacé bracts. Capsular fruit, globose, 3-valve; ovoid seeds, commonly Arel.
Phenology
Geophytes of the rhizomes. It blooms from July to October and has not been observed formation of fruit. After flowering the foliage is dried (December-January) and reappears the next year between May and June.
Location
Scarcely grown in Cuba. Occasionally escape from cultivation, especially in mountainous regions of central and eastern regions.
Useful part
The rhizome.
Properties valued experimentally
System: Pharmacological Action:
Digestive hepatoprotective.
Route of administration
Oral.
Other properties attributed
Antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antiesclerótica, antihepatotoxica, diuretic and carminativa.
Warnings
Dust from the rhizomes can produce allergy by skin contact. The toxicological evaluation is incomplete.
Other Uses
As a condiment (curry). The rhizomes contain a subject dye yellow. It was also used as an indicator to determine the acidity of half (changed from yellow to red Carmelites in the presence of alkalis).
Components
The rhizome contains an essential oil-rich monoterpenes (borneol, camphor, terpineno and others) and Sesquiterpenes (tumerona, atlantona and curcumenol).
Preparation and dosage
Use it in traditional form.
Bibliographic references
Granda, M. et al.: phenological studies on medicinal plants. Medicinal Plants 19 Rev: 53-64,1989.
MINFAR: edible wild plants. La Habana. FAR printing, 1987.
Reynolds, J. E. F. (editor): Martindale. The Extra Pharmacopoeia. London. The Pharmaceutical Press, 1989, P. 1896.
Robineau, L.: Towards a Caribbean pharmacopoeia. Sto. Sunday: Enda-Caribe/UNAH, 1991, P. 136.
Roig, J. T.: Medicinal plants, aromatic or poisonous to Cuba. La Habana. Ed. Scientific-Technical, 1988, P. 1125.