TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

CERTIFICATION –        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

DEDICATION-     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-      –         –         –         –         –         –         iv-v

TABLE OF CONTENTS-         –         –         –         –         –         –         vi-ix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION–        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         1-4

CHAPTER TWO

TUMERIC

2.1     History of Turmeric –      –         –         –         –         –         –         5-6

2.2     Botanical Description of Turmeric-     –         –         –         –         6

2.2.1  Appearance of Turmeric-           –         –         –         –         –         6

2.2.2 Inflorescence, Flower and Fruit –          –         –         –         –         6-7

2.3     Photochemistry of Turmeric –    –         –         –         –         –         8

2.4     Uses of Turmeric –           –         –         –         –         –         –         8

2.4.1  Culinary      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         8-10

2.4.2  Dye –           –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         10-11

2.4.3  Indicator      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         11

2.5     Traditional uses of Turmeric –   –         –         –         –         –         12-13

CHAPTER THREE

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE OF TURMERIC

3.1 Basic macronutrients and micronutrients –         –         –         –         14-15

3.1.1  Macrominerals       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         16

3.1.2  Microminerals        –         –         –         –         –         –         –         16

3.1.3  Fatty acids   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         17

3.1.4  Vitamins      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         17

3.2     Health benefits of turmeric        –         –         –         –         –         17

3.2.1  Antioxidant –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         17-18

3.2.2  Cancer Prevention –         –         –         –         –         –         –         18-19

3.2.3  Cardiovascular Benefits   –         –         –         –         –         –         19-20

3.2.4  Anti-inflammatory           –         –         –         –         –         –         20-21

3.2.5  Pain reliever          –         –         –         –         –         –         –         21-22

3.2.6  Liver function improvement      –         –         –         –         –         22

3.2.7  Digestion     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         22

3.3     Side effects of turmeric    –         –         –         –         –         –         23

3.3.1 Iron absorption limit         –         –         –         –         –         –         23

3.3.2 Blood thinner interaction –         –         –         –         –         –         23

3.3.3 Low blood sugar     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         24

3.3.4 Kidney stones         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         24

CHAPTER FOUR

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

4.1     Summary     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         25-26

4.2     Conclusion –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         26

References

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Natural plant products have been used throughout human history for various purposes. Having co-evolved with animal life, many of the plants from which these natural products are derived are billions of years old (Newman et al., 2003).

Turmeric is a plant that has both medicinal and nutritional properties, botanically belonging to the Zingiberacea family (Chattopadhyan et al., 2004). Turmeric or Indian saffron or the golden spice is widely used as a spice and colouring agent and is known for its medicinal properties (Luthra et al., 2001). Components of turmeric are named curcuminoids which include mainly curcumin (diferuloylmethane, demethoxycurcumin, and bismethoxycurcumin) (Chainani-Wu, 2003). Curcumin is the important fraction which is responsible for the biological activities of turmeric. The melting point of curcumin, (C₂₁H₂₀O₆) is 184.2^OC. It is soluble in ethanol and acetone but insoluble in water (Joe et al., 2004).

Moreover, nutrients found in turmeric do more than just prevent deficiency diseases. It has a high nutritional status that can be exploited. The curcumin contains vitamins or vitamin precursors which produces vitamin C, beta-carotene as well as polyphenol coupled with fatty acid and essential oil. Turmeric is a good source of spice compared with other spices.

Turmeric is rich in magnesium, which is necessary for more than 300 biochemical functions. These include supporting the immune system, keeping the bones strong and maintaining the hearts rhythm. Just one teaspoon of turmeric provides 16% of the daily requirement for iron in men and women. Without iron, the body’s red blood cells will deplete, causing weakness and extreme fatigue. Turmeric also contains more than 32mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 114mg of omega-6 fatty acids per teaspoon as these fatty acids are known to enhance brain function, reduce inflammation, keep arteries clear and improve the body’s response to insulin.

Because consuming turmeric has many medicinal benefits, including the ability to treat bowel diseases, arthritis and liver problems, many choose to take it in capsule form.

Turmeric spices provides a nutritional balance that supplements cannot provide, and most supplements contain synthetic ingredients which can make taking large doses harmful (Peter, 2000).

In standard form turmeric contains moisture, curcumin, extraneous matter, mould and volatile oils. Volatile oils include d-α-phellandrene, d-sabinene, cinol, borneol, zingiberene and sesquiterpenes (Ohshiro et al., 2000).

Turmeric requires a temperature of between 20 and 30^oC (68 and 86^oF) and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. The rhizomes are used fresh or boiled in water and dried, after which they are ground into deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a colouring and flavouring agent in many Asian cuisines, especially for curries, as well as for dyeing, it is also a major ingredient in curry powder as capsules, teas, powders and extracts are some of the turmeric products capsules available commercially.

Turmeric powder has a warm, bitter, black-pepper-like flavor and earthly, mustard like aroma (Priyadarsin, 2014). Although long used in ayurvedic medicine where it is known as haridra  (Peter, 2008). No high quality clinical evidence exists for use of turmeric or its constituents, curcumin as a therapy. Turmeric has been used for treating heartburns (Dyspepsia), joint pain, stomach pain, helicobacter pylori infection, stomach ulcers, skin inflammation from radiation treatment and fatigue etc.(Abdel et al., 2010).