[Advances in study of genus Curcuma].

The recent progress in the studies on chemical constituents, pharmacological activity and quality control of the medical plants of genus Curcuma were summarized. These plants contain various chemical constituents and have broad bioactivities such as anti-oxidation activity, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory. It is complex when it is used for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) because of its multispeciese and multiresources. The author believe that a deep research of the quality criterion about this genus can solve many problems of the further investigation and ensure the safety and utility of TCM.