Still, her professional services were considered an essential element of the medical regimen at India's famous Arya Vaidya Chikitsalayam, the Mayo Clinic of traditional Indian medicine.

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Turmeric, ground from Curcuma longa, a knobby root that looks similar to fresh ginger, has been used as an anti-inflammatory in India for thousands of years, says Shailinder Sodhi, who teaches ayurvedic, or traditional Indian, medicine, at Bastyr University, in Kenmore, Wash.

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The plant, a staple of traditional American Indian medicine, has been shown to stimulate immune cells, and some experts say it could still play a small role in fighting or preventing the common cold.

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Both the Indian and Thai governments are currently drafting biodiversity laws to regulate access to their biological resources and protect traditional medicine.

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