Luyang dilaw
Curcuma longa Linn.
Description
Dilaw is a leafy plant, 1 to 1.5 meters tall, with 5 to 6 leaves. Rhizomes are bright yellow inside, thick and cylindric. Leaf blade is green, oblong, 30 to 45 centimeters long and 10 to 20 centimeters wide. Petiole is as long as the blade. Peduncle is 15 centimeters or more in length, borne within the tuft of leaves. Spikes are 10 to 20 centimeters in length and about 5 centimeters in diameter. Floral bracts are pale green, ovate, 3 to 4 centimeters long, the comabracts tinged with pink. Flowers are pale yellow, as long as the bracts. Fruits are capsules.
Uses
- Fevers
- Dysentery
- Abdominal pain
- Flatulence
- Abdominal spasm
- Arthritis
- Antihelmintics
- Cough & colds
- Insect bites
- Ringworm
- Bleeding
- Wounds
- Indigestion
- Dementia
- Alzheimer's disease
Plant Part Used
Rhizome, leaves
Distribution
Widely distributed in the Philippines in and about towns, sometimes in open waste places and sometimes planted, native of India, now pantropic.
Preparation
- 3 middle finger-sized pieces,boil in 6 glasses over low flame for 15 minutes. Divide remaining decoction into 3 doses. Drink 3x a day. Can be combined with honey and calamansi.