CHENNAI: Rich or poor, educated or illiterate, male or female, most people vie to be beautiful. Having understood this mindset, beauty care products and brands in the global market are catering to these desires. Unfortunately, most cosmetics are made out of synthetic material or are chemical-ridden. These, in turn have an adverse effect and in fact, bring on early ageing.
You may have heard of a popular saying ‘Man proposes! God disposes!’ But in case of beauty, it is, “God Proposes! Man disposes! We must understand that products don’t just have to be bought off shelves. Instead, we can just turn to our backyards for age-old remedies. One such herb used extensively in the traditional beauty care is the Wild Turmeric, scientifically known as Curcuma zedoaria (Christ) RoscoeWhi. In Sanskrit and Hindi, it is called Karchur; Kaadu arisina in Kannada; and Kichili kizhangu in Tamil. Zedoary is a perennating, rhizomatous herb, up to 1 m tall. Rhizomes with thin yellowish-white skin with white or bluish, hard interior. Leaf-bases are narrow, cluster together and form small false-stem; petioles are very long, up to 100 cm long; leaf-blades are broad or sometimes narrowly ovate or elliptical, about 30-60 cm long and 10-20 cm broad, and purplish along mid-vein.
Inflorescences are erect, arise directly from the rhizome, and reach up to 25 cm long. Bracts are very distinct and large, pink in colour, up to 5 cm long. Flowers are tubular, deep yellow inside, purplish-brown outside. The Wild turmeric is native of India and South-East Asian countries. In India, it is found extensively in the forests of North-Eastern States and along Western Ghats region of India.
The root of Zedoary is edible and is an anti-inflammatory agent, the paste of which is used for skin complaints, inflammation, wounds and rheumatic pain. It’s rhizomes purify blood, are used in treating bronchial problems and cancer. It also improves digestion. It is used as a liver tonic, aphrodisiac agent and gastro-intestinal stimulant.It cures cough, dyspepsia and colic pain. Powdered rhizomes are administered internally to regularise menstrual cycles and urinary tract infections.
