Curcumin (sometimes called Turmeric) is an herbaceous perennial that is native to India and southern and eastern Asia and thrives in loose, alluvial, well-drained soil in full sun, growing to a height of about three feet.  The herb is used in India to treat anorexia, liver disorders, cough, diabetic wounds, rheumatism and sinusitis. The botanical genus, Curcuma, are derived from the Arabic, kurkum, which means “saffron.”  It is an important pigment for dyeing silk and wool and provides the intense orange color for the robes of Buddhist monks.  Some of the constituents in Curcumin include volatile oil, gum, starch, calcium chloride, fiber, curcumin (its principal active ingredient), beta- carotene, caffeic, cinnamic, p-coumaric – and other acids, calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, B-vitamins and vitamin C.