Curcuma longa: A treasure of medicinal properties

Nature is full of precious treasure to cure us from various disorders. One of them is Curcuma longa belonging to Zingiberaceae family, present with outstanding therapeutic value and used since time immemorial. Part used from the plant is rhizome native to India (south east continent) which is the world's largest producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric. The active principle called curcumin or diferuloylmethane is a yellow pigment that exhibits numerous activities and wide spectrum of biological actions which include anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-cancerous, anti-fungal, neuroprotective activities and many more. This paper focuses on the comparative evaluation of medicinal properties of Curcuma longa as mentioned in Unani classical literature with its modern scientific researches.