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Kachura

Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe

Kachura (Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe) is a plant drug, also called Karcurah and Kacura, from the Zingiberaceae family. Not in specific WHO monographs; listed in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; recognized in Japanese, Chinese, and Thai traditional pharmacopeias.

Key facts
Botanical nameCurcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe
FamilyZingiberaceae · other entries in this family
OrderZingiberales
Pharmacopoeia statusNot in specific WHO monographs; listed in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; recognized in Japanese, Chinese, and Thai traditional pharmacopeias
Taxon identifiersGBIF 2757545 · Wikidata Q206733 · NCBI Taxonomy 136224
Names in other languages
Sanskritकर्चूरः (karcūraḥ)
Hindiकचूर (kacūra)

Sources: Sri Satya Sai Murlidhar Ayurvedic College KARCHURA monograph PDF (ssmdayurvediccollege.com) and the Shri Dharmasthala Ayurveda college Dravyaguna 'Karchur' monograph: Curcuma zedoaria (Rosc.), Zingiberaceae, Hindi name Kachur (कचूर), also Jangli Haldi.; Sri Satya Sai Murlidhar Ayurvedic College KARCHURA monograph PDF and the Shri Dharmasthala Ayurveda college 'Karchur' Dravyaguna monograph, both for Curcuma zedoaria (Rosc.).. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2005 to 2025, every one with a DOI.

  • 3Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 9Laboratory 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

LanguageName
EnglishKachura
Latin/BotanicalCurcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe

Key Phytochemical Constituents

How does it work?

  • Laboratory studies in gastric cancer cell lines have reported anticancer activity attributed to curcuzedoalide-mediated apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest
  • Cardioprotective effects through germacrone-mediated attenuation of oxidative stress, NF-kB-driven inflammation, and anti-apoptotic pathway activation
  • Anti-inflammatory mechanism via curcumin-mediated inhibition of COX-2, iNOS, and pro-inflammatory cytokines
  • Antimicrobial activity through essential oil disruption of microbial cell membranes affecting Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans, and Klebsiella pneumoniae

Which traditional uses are supported by research?

These summaries come from the source notes, which do not name the studies behind them.

  • Digestive stimulant and carminative (Deepana): traditionally used as a digestive stimulant and carminative. Studies have reported carminative activity and stimulation of digestive enzymes.
  • Anti-flatulence (Anulomana): traditionally used for flatulence. Studies have reported antispasmodic activity on gastrointestinal smooth muscle.
  • Arbuda-hara: a traditional use in classical practice. Laboratory studies have reported antiproliferative activity against gastric, ovarian, and breast cancer cells.
  • Anti-inflammatory (Shotha-hara): traditionally used for inflammation. Studies have reported anti-inflammatory activity linked to curcumin and germacrone.

What do recent studies show?

No study for this section could be traced to a published paper. An absence here means we could not identify the source, not that no work exists.

Recent safety updates

  • Generally safe at recommended culinary and therapeutic doses; may cause mild gastrointestinal upset in sensitive individuals
  • Not recommended during pregnancy (traditional emmenagogue and uterine stimulant); may potentiate the effects of anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications

What is it made of?

Key Active Markers

  • Curcumin
  • Germacrone
  • Cineole
  • Camphor
  • Furanodienone
  • Starch
  • Curcuzedoalide
  • Essential oil

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Churna (rhizome powder), Capsule, Tablet, Essential oil, Taila (medicated oil), Lepa (paste)

Standard Dosage: 1-3g rhizome powder twice daily; 250-500mg extract; 3-5 drops essential oil (external); paste as needed externally

Optimal Timing: Before or after meals with warm water; external paste as needed

Storage: Cool, dry place below 25°C, protected from light. Essential oil in amber glass. Powder in airtight containers to preserve volatile content.

Marker Compounds: Curzerenone, Curzerene, Germacrone, Furanodienone, Curdione, Dehydrocurdione, Zederone, Curcumenol

Synergistic Combinations

  • With Haridra (turmeric) for enhanced anti-inflammatory action
  • With Sunthi (ginger) for digestive and anti-emetic synergy
  • With Pippali for bioavailability enhancement
  • With Guggulu for anti-arthritic formulations

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 reviews3

  1. Lestari U, Muhaimin M, Chaerunisaa AY and others. 2023. Anti-Aging Potential of Plants of the Anak Dalam Tribe, Jambi, IndonesiaPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland). PMID 37765107 · doi:10.3390/ph16091300
  2. Ayati Z, Ramezani M, Amiri MS and others. 2019. Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Traditional Uses of Curcuma spp. and Pharmacological Profile of Two Important Species (C. longa and C. zedoaria): A ReviewCurrent pharmaceutical design. PMID 30947655 · doi:10.2174/1381612825666190402163940
  3. Lobo R, Prabhu KS, Shirwaikar A and others. 2009. Curcuma zedoaria Rosc. (white turmeric): a review of its chemical, pharmacological and ethnomedicinal propertiesThe Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology. PMID 19126292 · doi:10.1211/jpp/61.01.0003

Laboratory and animal studies9

  1. Intan PR, Alegantina S, Fajri H and others. 2025. Combined extracts of Curcuma longa and Curcuma zedoaria ameliorates cisplatin-induced kidney damage in ratsOpen veterinary journal. PMID 40092179 · doi:10.5455/OVJ.2025.v15.i1.38
  2. He J, Li M, Bao J and others. 2024. β-Elemene promotes ferroptosis and reverses radioresistance in gastric cancer by inhibiting the OTUB1-GPX4 interactionFrontiers in pharmacology. PMID 39484165 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2024.1469180
  3. Budiansyah A, Haroen U, Syafwan S and others. 2023. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the rhizome extract of Curcuma zedoaria extracted using some organic solventsJournal of advanced veterinary and animal research. PMID 37969790 · doi:10.5455/javar.2023.j687
  4. Li M, Guo T, Lin J and others. 2022. Curcumin inhibits the invasion and metastasis of triple negative breast cancer via Hedgehog/Gli1 signaling pathwayJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 34592340 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2021.114689
  5. Lee TK, Lee D, Lee SR and others. 2019. Sesquiterpenes from Curcuma zedoaria rhizomes and their cytotoxicity against human gastric cancer AGS cellsBioorganic chemistry. PMID 30884305 · doi:10.1016/j.bioorg.2019.03.015
  6. Zhou Y, Shen J, Xia L and others. 2015. Curcuma zedoaria (Berg.) Rosc. essential oil and paclitaxel synergistically enhance the apoptosis of SKOV3 cellsMolecular medicine reports. PMID 25777341 · doi:10.3892/mmr.2015.3473
  7. Makabe H, Maru N, Kuwabara A and others. 2006. Anti-inflammatory sesquiterpenes from Curcuma zedoariaNatural product research. PMID 16901812 · doi:10.1080/14786410500462900
  8. Wilson B, Abraham G, Manju VS and others. 2005. Antimicrobial activity of Curcuma zedoaria and Curcuma malabarica tubersJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 15848035 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2005.02.004
  9. Kasahara K, Nomura S, Subeki and others. 2005. Anti-babesial compounds from Curcuma zedoariaPlanta medica. PMID 15977324 · doi:10.1055/s-2005-871216

Reference lists that include it

Family: Zingiberaceae

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.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.