SHAHEED KARTAR SINGH SARABHA AYURVEDIC MEDICAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL

Kali Haldi

Botanical Name : Curcuma caesia Roxb.

Family : zingiberaceae

Names in different Indian languages :

English : black turmeric

Hindi : kali haldi

Malayalam : karimanjal

Unani : siyah haldi

Morphology :

Plants have a short stem with large oblong leaves. It bears  ovate pyriform or oblong, ovate or cylindrical rhizomes, which  are often branched and brownish yellow in color

Distribution and habitat :

The plant originates from India and South-East Asia. It grows in rich humid and clayey soils among them curcuma longa. It is widely cultivated as a medicinal plant in Southeast Asian countries. In India it is found in west Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.

Chemical constituents :

camphor, ar-turmerone, (Z)-ocimene, ar-curcumene, 1,8-cineole , elemene , borneol , bornyl acetate  and curcumene  

Uses : In the traditional system of medicine, fresh and dried rhizomes of Curcuma caesia are used in treating leucoderma, asthma, tumours, piles, bronchitis, bruises etc. Curcuma caesia has scientifically studied for various therapeutical activities like antioxidant, antibacterial, antipyretic, larvicidal, insecticidal, antimicrobial, wound healing and anti-hyperglycaemic