Amra Haridra
Curcuma amada
Amra Haridra (Curcuma amada) is a plant drug, also called Amradrakam, Amragandha and Amragandha-haridra. Curcuma amada (mango ginger) contains curcuminoids similar to turmeric but in lower concentrations, plus unique difurocumenonol. Curcuminoid bioavailability is inherently low (<5%) but enhanced by piperine (20-fold increase) or lipid formulations.
| Botanical name | Curcuma amada |
|---|---|
| Family | Zingiberaceae · other entries in this family |
| Order | Zingiberales |
| Also known as | Amra Haridra, AmraHaridra |
| Taxon identifiers | GBIF 2757535 · Wikidata Q3031235 · NCBI Taxonomy 105371 |
| Sanskrit | Amradrakam, आम्रगन्धा (āmragandhā), Amragandha-haridra |
|---|---|
| Hindi | आम हल्दी (āma haldī), Amiyaa haldi |
| English | Mango -ginger |
| Tamil | Mankayyinji |
| Malayalam | Mangayinji |
| Telugu | Mamidi Allamu |
| Kannada | Ambarasini, Huli Arsin |
| Marathi | Aambe halad |
| Bengali | Aamaa Aadaa |
| Gujarati | Aambaa haldhar |
| Oriya | Ambiya haladi |
Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (column alignment reconstructed); Flowers of India, 'Mango Ginger' page (Curcuma amada): "Hindi: आम हल्दी Am-haldi", Devanagari.; Flowers of India, 'Mango Ginger' page: "Sanskrit: अम्रगंधा Amragandha".. How we source.
The evidence at a glance
12papers on this site for this drug, published 2002 to 2026, 11 with a DOI.
- 1Other clinical studies and reviews
- 11Laboratory and animal studies
A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.
Names and identification
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Amra Haridra |
Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)
| Property | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rasa (Taste) | Tikta | Primary taste |
| Guna (Quality) | Laghu | Physical quality |
| Virya (Potency) | Sheeta | Heating/Cooling effect |
| Vipaka (Post-digestive) | Madhura | Post-digestive effect |
Dosage forms and preparation
Dosage Forms: Churna (powder), Capsule, Tablet, Kashayam (decoction), Lepa (paste for topical use)
Standard Dosage: 2-4g powder twice daily; 500mg extract capsule twice daily; topical paste as needed
Optimal Timing: With meals containing fat/oil for enhanced curcuminoid absorption; with warm milk at bedtime
Storage: Cool, dry place below 25°C, protected from light (curcuminoids are photosensitive). Airtight containers. Essential oil in amber glass.
Marker Compounds: Curcumin, Demethoxycurcumin, Bisdemethoxycurcumin, Difurocumenonol, Myrcene, Beta-pinene, Ocimene, Curdione
Synergistic Combinations
- With Maricha (black pepper) for piperine-enhanced curcuminoid absorption
- With Haridra (common turmeric), a traditional combination
- With Sunthi for digestive and anti-inflammatory synergy
- With Guduchi, a traditional combination
Published research
Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.
Other clinical studies and reviews1
- 2007. Phytochemical, pharmacological and ethnobotanical studies in mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.; Zingiberaceae)Phytotherapy research : PTR. PMID 17397131 · doi:10.1002/ptr.2137
Laboratory and animal studies11
- 2026. Neuroprotective role of Curcuma amada evidenced from pesticide-induced stressed Drosophila melanogaster: insights from RNAseq and gut microbiome analysesMolecular genetics and genomics : MGG. PMID 42067720 · doi:10.1007/s00438-026-02418-y
- 2023. Antimicrobial activity of Curcuma amada extract on Streptococcus mutans-An in vitro studyJournal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP. PMID 37854916 · doi:10.4103/jomfp.jomfp_551_22
- 2022. Bioactive Compounds from Curcuma amada and Their Effect on Acute Myeloid LeukemiaCritical reviews in oncogenesis. PMID 37183936 · doi:10.1615/CritRevOncog.2023047542
- 2022. Antiapoptotic and antioxidative efficacy of rhizomes of Curcuma amada on the management of diabetes-induced male infertility in albino rat: An effective fraction selection studyJournal of food biochemistry. PMID 35796441 · doi:10.1111/jfbc.14290
- 2021. Mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.) rhizome essential oils as source of environmental friendly biocides: Comparison of the chemical composition, antibacterial, insecticidal and larvicidal properties of essential oils extracted by different methodsEnvironmental research. PMID 34297936 · doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.111718
- 2021. Protective effect of Curcuma amada acetone extract against high-fat and high-sugar diet-induced obesity and memory impairmentNutritional neuroscience. PMID 31149894 · doi:10.1080/1028415X.2019.1616436
- 2015. Analgesic principle from Curcuma amadaJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 25636664 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2015.01.018
- 2014. Experimental and modeling studies on microwave-assisted extraction of mangiferin from Curcuma amada3 Biotech. PMID 28324442 · doi:10.1007/s13205-013-0125-5
- 2011. Cloning and characterization of PR5 gene from Curcuma amada and Zingiber officinale in response to Ralstonia solanacearum infectionPlant cell reports. PMID 21594675 · doi:10.1007/s00299-011-1087-x
- 2011. Mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb.)--a promising spice for phytochemicals and biological activitiesJournal of biosciences. PMID 21857121 · doi:10.1007/s12038-011-9106-1
- 2002. Pharmacognostical and phytochemical studies on curcuma amada (linn.) rhizome (zingiberaceae)Ancient science of life. PMID 22557083
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.
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