The following points highlight the top four types of drugs obtained from underground stems. The types are: 1. Turmeric 2. Mango Ginger 3. Garlic 4. Ginger.
Type # 1. Turmeric:
Curcuma longa Linn., of family Zingiberaceae; Eng. Turmeric; Hindi— Haldi; Sanskrit—Haridra; Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and Gujarati—Haldi, Halada; Tamil—Manjat, Telugu—Pasupa; Kdnnada—Arishina.
A herb, cultivated commonly in Maharashtra, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa for its rhizomes.
Uses:
The rhizome is aromatic, stimulant, antiperiodic, tonic, alterative and carminative. It is given in diarrhoea, intermittent fevers, dropsy, jaundice, liver disorders and urinary troubles. The fresh juice of rhizome is used as an anthelmintic.
It is commonly used for cleaning foul ulcers. Along with lime or alum it makes a good dressing for sprains, bruises, wounds, etc. Its decotion is an effective eye wash in ophthalmia. The fresh juice is also used as antiparasitic for many skin affections.
Curcuma paper is used as an indicator of chemicals. Rhizomes yield an oil used as a carminative, stomachic and tonic.
Type # 2. Mango Ginger:
Curcuma amada Roxb., of family Zingiberaceae; Eng. Mango ginger; Hindi—Amahaldr, Sanskrit—Karpura-haridra; Bengali—Amada’, Marathi—Amba haladi, Telugu—Mamidiallam; Tamil—Mangai inji.
This herb is grown in Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Also found wild in parts of Bengal, Konkan and Tamil Nadu.
Uses:
The rhizome is carminative, stomachic and cooling. It is applied over contusions and sprains.
Type # 3. Garlic:
Allium sativum Linn., of family Liliaceae; Eng. Garlic; Verna. Lahsuna; Sanskrit—Arishta, lashuna; Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali and Marathi—Lasun, lasan; Telugu and Malayalam—Velluli, tellagadda; Tamil—Vellaipundu, Kannada—Bellulli, Punjab—Thorn.
This is a strong smelling, glabrous, bulbous-rooted, perennial about a foot in height. The bulbs are short, compressed, breaking up into 10-12 bulbils or cloves, surrounded by a few, dry membranous scales. It is cultivated throughout the country.
Uses:
Garlic is of great medicinal value. It is given in fevers, coughs, flatulence, disorders of the nervous system, pulmonary phthisis, whooping cough and dilated bronchitis. It has diuretic properties. A decoction of garlic made with milk and water is given in small doses in hysteria, flatulence, sciatica, etc.
In the form of syrup, it is a valuable remedy for asthma, and disorders of the chest and lungs. It is used as an anthelmintic. Externally it is used as rubefacient, vesicant and disinfectant. Its juice is introduced in the ear for relief of earache. The oil in which garlic has been fried is a useful liniment for rheumatic pains, nervous diseases like scabies and maggot infested wounds.
Type # 4. Ginger:
Zingiber officinale Rose., of family Zingiberaceae; Eng. Ginger; Hindi—Adrat, Sanskrit—Ardraka; Bengali— Ada; Marathi—Ale; Telugu—Allamu, sonthi (dry); Tamil—Allam; Kannada—Hasisuntr, Malayalam— Andrakam, inchi.
This is a perennial herb; the root stock is horizontal, tuberous and aromatic; native of South-East Asia but now cultivated mainly in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh for the rhizomes.
Uses:
The rhizome is used as a stimulant, carminative and flavouring agent. It is given in dyspepsia and flatulent colic. It is administered as an adjunct to many tonic and stimulating remedies.
It makes a valuable drug for disorders of the digestive system, rheumatism, piles, pulmonary and catarrhal diseases, dropsy, febrile diseases, neuralgia, etc. The juice of fresh rhizome, with honey is a remedy for coughs and asthma. A paste of ginger is a local stimulant and rubefacient in headache and toothache.
