Curcuma heyneana Valeton & Zijp

Temu giring (Curcuma heyneana) is an upright herb up to 2 meters tall of the Zingiberaceae family, a plant native to tropical regions such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. Its spicy, bitter rhizome is a main ingredient in traditional Javanese jamu for skin care and body freshness, besides being used as a curry seasoning and food coloring. Temu giring is also traditionally believed to be effective at expelling intestinal worms.

Grows wild in yards and fields on moist soil with annual rainfall of 1,000-3,500 mm/year at lowland elevations up to 900 m above sea level. Prefers fertile soil, soil pH between 6-7, well-drained, and full light intensity will produce a higher rhizome yield.

• Rhizome is an underground stem, growing branched forming offshoots and clumps.
• Stem pseudostem consisting of leaf sheaths, smooth green surface.
• Leaves single, smooth surface, green sheath, lance shaped, thin leaf blade, veins visible and light green in color.
• Flowers compound, emerging from the side of the pseudostem, red petal edges.
   

Vegetative propagation (cuttings). Cuttings of the parent rhizome or branch rhizome that has sprouted with 2-3 buds.

Flavonoids, essential oils, curcumin, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes (germacrone, dehydrocurdione, isocurcumenol, curcumenol, curcumanolides A and B, zerumbone, and oxycurcumenol), saponins, tannins.

Anthelmintic (expels worms living in the digestive tract), dysentery, irregular menstruation, skin remedy, antibacterial, addresses fatigue, obesity, rheumatism, removes body odor, asthma remedy.

• Wash the rhizome thoroughly then chop the material to ease the drying process.
• Dry the material in the sun or using an oven at 50 °C until the moisture content reaches 10%.
• Grind the dried material into powder.
   

Kuning gajah.