Colocasia esculenta, Taro, Colocase comestible, Chamadumpa, Aaluki

Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott
Family: Araceae

Synonyms: Alocasia dussii Dammer, Alocasia illustris W.Bull, Aron colocasium (L.) St.-Lag., Arum chinense L., Arum colocasia L., Arum colocasioides Desf., Arum esculentum L., Arum lividum Salisb., Arum nymphaeifolium (Vent.) Roxb., Arum peltatum Lam., Caladium acre R.Br., Caladium colocasia (L.) W.Wight, Caladium colocasioides (Desf.) Brongn., Caladium esculentum (L.) Vent., Caladium glycyrrhizum Fraser, Caladium nymphaeifolium Vent., Caladium violaceum Desf., Caladium violaceum Engl., Calla gaby Blanco, Calla virosa Roxb., Colocasia acris (R.Br.) Schott, Colocasia aegyptiaca Samp., Colocasia antiquorum var. acris (R.Br.) Schott, Colocasia antiquorum f. acuatica Makino, Colocasia antiquorum var. aquatilis (Hassk.) Engl. & K. Krause, Colocasia antiquorum f. eguimo Makino, Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta (L.) Schott, Colocasia antiquorum var. euchlora (K.Koch & Linden) Schott, Colocasia antiquorum var. globulifera Engl. & K.Krause, Colocasia antiquorum var. illustris (W.Bull) Engl., Colocasia antiquorum var. multifolia Makino, Colocasia antiquorum var. nymphaeifolia (Vent.) Engl., Colocasia antiquorum f. oyasetage Makino, Colocasia antiquorum var. patens Makino, Colocasia antiquorum f. purpurea Makino, Colocasia antiquorum var. rosea Makino, Colocasia antiquorum var. rupicola Haines, Colocasia antiquorum var. stolonifera Haines, Colocasia antiquorum f. yamamotoi Makino, Colocasia colocasia (L.) Huth , Colocasia esculenta var. acris (R.Br.) A.F.Hill, Colocasia esculenta var. aquatilis Hassk., Colocasia esculenta f. ebiimo Makino, Colocasia esculenta var. euchlora (K.Koch & Linden) A.F.Hill, Colocasia esculenta var. globulifera (Engl. & K.Krause) R.A.Young, Colocasia esculenta var. illustris (W.Bull) A.F.Hill, Colocasia esculenta var. nymphaeifolia (Kunth) A.F.Hill, Colocasia esculenta f. rotundifolia Makino, Colocasia esculenta var. rupicola (Haines) H.B.Naithani, Colocasia esculenta var. stolonifera (Haines) H.B.Naithani, Colocasia euchlora K.Koch & Linden, Colocasia formosana Hayata, Colocasia gracilis Engl., Colocasia himalensis Royle, Colocasia konishii Hayata, Colocasia neocaledonica Van Houtte, Colocasia nymphaeifolia (Vent.) Kunth, Colocasia peltata (Lam.) Samp., Colocasia vera Hassk., Colocasia violacea (Desf.) auct., Colocasia virosa (Roxb.) Kunth, Colocasia vulgaris Raf., Leucocasia esculenta (L.) Nakai, Steudnera virosa (Roxb.) Prain, Zantedeschia virosa (Roxb.) K.Koch

Common name: Green Taro, cocoyam, taro, aivi, dasheen
Bengali: Kachu, Alti kachu, কচু
Chinese: 广菜
Czech: Kolokázie jedlá
French: Colocase comestible, Songe
Gujrati: અળવી
Hindi: अरवी Arvi, Ashukachu, कचालू Kachalu, अरबी सब्जी arabi sabji
Italian: aro d'Egitto
Japansese: sato-imo
Kannada: Kesavedantu, Keshavanagadde, ಕೆಸು
Malayalam: താള്, Chempu, Chempakizhanna
Manipuri: পান Pan
Marathi: आलू aaloo, चेम्पू Chempu, रान आलू Ran aalu
Mizo: Bal, Dawl
Oriya: Jongal saaru
Sanskrit: Aaluki, Alukam, Alupam, kachchi, Kachchi
Tamil: Sempu, chamakkilangu
Telugu: Chamadumpa, Chamagadda, Chamakura

Description: Herbs, rhizome stoloniferous. Leaves few to many, peltate, 20-28 x 10-18 cm, ovate, cordate to sagittate at base, glabrous; nerves 6 pairs, united to form an intramarginal vein; lowest pair with lateral nerves of the basal lobes, intercostae curved; petiole 30-45 cm long, cylindrical, smooth. Peduncle solitary or few together, 10-20 cm long, stout; spathe to 20 cm long, yellow, lanceolate, constricted above the base; limb acuminate. Spadix 10 cm long, cylindrical, appendages terete, obtuse. Male flowers above, to 5-6 cm of the spadix, stamens 6; female flowers on lower, 2 cm of the spadix; ovary 1-celled, ovules many on 2-4 parietal placentas. Neutral flowers many, peltate, between the female and male flowers. Fruit an aggregate of berries, globose

The leaves contain flavones, api- genin and luteolin, also anthocyanins. Leavescausesevereirritation in mouth. Cooked leaves are a source of dietary fibre for diabetics helping in lower- ing post-prandial blood glucose level. A significant increase in total lipids, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels wasobservedin hypercholesterolaemic rats when fed with dried leaf powder. The pressed juice of the petioles is used as an astringent and styptic. All parts of the plant show an acridity. The acridity is removed by boiling and by addition of baking soda. [Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary]
Milk from grated white cocoes is sometimes mixed with coconut milk and taken for biliousness. Lunan speaks of the use of the "roots" (tubers) in the treatment of asthma and consumption. Fawcett records that the juice of the tubers is laxative.  In the main, however. writers record the value of the tubers and leaf juice as a dressing for ulcers. swellings. burns and as an excellent styptic. The tubers are said to contain some 20 per cent starch together with mucilage which is probably a polyanhydrite of dglucose. They are much used in tropical countries as food. [ Medicinal Plants of Jamaica]
Whole plant: Grated and mixed with coconut oil and soft grease for an ointment to relieve skin ulcers and acute dermatitis. Grated in poultice with soap and soft grease to treat pre-softened abscesses. Makes nutritive soup ingested to increase milk supply of nursing women. [Medicinal Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana) ]
Antihyperlipemia activity; rhizome: scrofula, furuncles, carbuncle; leaf stalk: urticaria, diarrhea, ulcer [Taiwanese Native Medicinal Plants: Phytopharmacology and Therapeutic Values]

45 Published articles of  Colocasia esculenta
1.    Structural analysis and binding properties of isoforms of tarin, t.G.-r.l.f.C.e.P., Patricia R., et al., Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta-Proteins and Proteomics, 2015. 1854(1): p. 20-30.
2.    Utilization of taro (Colocasia esculenta): a review Kaushal, P., V. Kumar, and H.K. Sharma, Journal of Food Science and Technology-Mysore, 2015. 52(1): p. 27-40.
3.    Purification and Characterization of the Lectin from Taro (Colocasia esculenta) and Its Effect on Mouse Splenocyte Proliferation In Vitro and In Vivo Pereira, P.R., et al., Protein Journal, 2014. 33(1): p. 92-99.
4.    Evaluation of anti-convulsant potential of ethanolic extract of Colocasia esculenta Linn. in experimental animals Biswajit, A. and D. Sarmistha, Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 2014. 46: p. S39-S39.
5.    Purification of Colocasia esculenta lectin and determination of its anti-insect potential towards Bactrocera cucurbitae Thakur, K., et al., Journal of Environmental Biology, 2013. 34(1): p. 31-36.
6.    Anti-metastatic effect of polysaccharide isolated from Colocasia esculenta is exerted through immunostimulation Park, H.-R., et al., International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2013. 31(2): p. 361-368.
7.    pigs, E.o.r.s.p.b.t.l.C.e.L.S.p.o.g.p.o.e.L.x.Y.a.n.M.L.L. and J.E. Lindberg, Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2013. 45(1): p. 45-51.
8.    Influence of taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Shott) growth conditions on the phenolic composition and biological properties Goncalves, R.F., et al., Food Chemistry, 2013. 141(4): p. 3480-3485.
9.    Ameliorative potentials of cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta L.) and unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) on the relative tissue weights of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats Eleazu, C.O., M. Iroaganachi, and K.C. Eleazu, Journal of diabetes research, 2013. 2013: p. 160964-160964.
10.    Antimicrobial, a., and synergistic properties of two nutraceutical plants: Terminalia catappa L. and Colocasia esculenta L Chanda, Sumitra, et al., Turkish Journal of Biology, 2013. 37(1): p. 81-91.
11.    Antihypertensive and Diuretic Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Colocasia esculenta Linn. Leaves in Experimental Paradigms Vasant, O.K., et al., Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2012. 11(2): p. 621-634.
12.    Phytochemical evaluation and in vitro study of antioxidant potency of Amorphophallus campanulatus, A.i.a.C.e.a.c.a.S., Basu, et al., International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences, 2012. 3(3): p. P-170-P-180.
13.    Antimetastatic activity isolated from Colocasia esculenta (taro) Kundu, N., et al., Anti-Cancer Drugs, 2012. 23(2): p. 200-211.
14.    Zn tolerance of novel Colocasia esculenta metallothionein and its domains in Escherichia coli and tobacco Kim, Y.-O., et al., Journal of Plant Research, 2012. 125(6): p. 793-804.
15.    Impact of soil quality on elemental uptake by, a.d.i., Colocasia esculenta (Amadumbe), an edible root Reddy, Mageshni, et al., Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B-Pesticides Food Contaminants and Agricultural Wastes, 2011. 46(3): p. 247-256.
16.    Growth Performance of Weanling Wistar Rats Fed on Accessions of Cooked Colocasia esculenta-Based Diets Lewu, M.N., et al., Journal of Medicinal Food, 2011. 14(9): p. 1046-1051.
17.    High Cadmium-Binding Ability of a Novel Colocasia esculenta Metallothionein Increases Cadmium Tolerance in Escherichia coli and Tobacco Kim, Y.-O., et al., Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry, 2011. 75(10): p. 1912-1920.
18.    Alpha-amylase inhibitor of amadumbe ( Colocasia esculenta): isolation, p.a.s.t.a.-a.f.v.s.M., R., et al., African Journal of Biochemistry Research (AJBR), 2010. 4(9): p. 220-224.
19.    Effect of Accessions of Colocasia esculenta-Based Diets on the Hepatic and Renal Functional Indices of Weanling Wistar Rats Lewu, M.N., et al., Journal of Medicinal Food, 2010. 13(5): p. 1210-1215.
20.    Flavonoid glycosides in the shoot system of Okinawa Taumu (Colocasia esculenta S.) Leong, A.C.-N., et al., Food Chemistry, 2010. 119(2): p. 630-635.
21.    In vitro antimicrobial activities of Colocasia esculenta extract against Vibrio spp. - short communication Lee, S., M. Najiah, and W. Wee, Agricultura (Slovenia), 2010. 7(1): p. 5-7.
22.    Antidiabetic activity of ethanol extract of Colocasia esculenta leaves in alloxan induced diabetic rats Kumawat, N.S., et al., International Journal of PharmTech Research, 2010. 2(2): p. 1246-1249.
23.    In vitro antimicrobial activity of the crude extracts of Colocasia esculenta leaves (Araceae) Kubde, M.S., et al., International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (IJPSR), 2010. 1(8): p. 88-91.
24.    In-vitro anthelmintic activity of Colocasia esculenta Kubde, M.S., et al., Der Pharmacia Lettre, 2010. 2(2): p. 82-85.
25.    Lignans from the Tuber-barks of Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta and Their Antimelanogenic Activity Kim, K.H., et al., Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2010. 58(8): p. 4779-4785.
26.    Neuropharmacological activity of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia esculenta Kalariya, M., S. Parmar, and N. Sheth, Pharmaceutical Biology, 2010. 48(11): p. 1207-1212.
27.    Control of Tuber Rots of Colocasia esculenta L. Using Plant Ash Obi, V.I. and N.N. Ugwunze. Phytopharmacology and Therapeutic Values V, ed. V.K. Singh and J.N. Govil. Vol. 23. 2009. 345-355.
28.    Purification and characterization of elicitor protein from Phytophthora colocasiae and basic resistance in Colocasia esculenta Mishra, A.K., K. Sharma, and R.S. Misra, Microbiological Research, 2009. 164(6): p. 688-693.
29.    Protein quality and digestibility of different parts (spathe and spadix) of Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum flower Agbor, E.E., et al., International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 2009. 3(3): p. unpaginated-unpaginated.
30.    Characterization of inhibitory mechanism and antifungal activity between group-1 and group-2 phytocystatins from taro (Colocasia esculenta) Wang, K.-M., et al., Febs Journal, 2008. 275(20): p. 4980-4989.
31.    Three new biphenyl constituents from Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta Kim, K.H., et al., Planta Medica, 2008. 74(9): p. 1064-1065.
32.    Identification and some properties of anthocyanin isolated from zuiki, s.o.C.e.T., Naoko, et al., Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2007. 55(10): p. 4154-4159.
33.    Arsenic, c., and mercury in cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagititolium) and watercocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) in Tarkwa a mining community Essumang, D. K., et al., Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2007. 79(4): p. 377-379.
34.    The anti-inflammatory activity of the leaves of Colocasia esculenta Biren, N.S., et al., Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 2007. 15(3/4): p. 228-232.
35.    Cryopreservation of in vitro-grown shoot-tips of tropical taro (Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta) by vitrification Sant, R., M. Taylor, and A. Tyagi, Cryoletters, 2006. 27(3): p. 133-142.
36.    Molecular cloning, r.g.e., and antifungal activity of cystatin from taro (Colocasia esculenta cv. Kaosiung no. 1) Yang, A. H. and K.W. Yeh, Planta, 2005. 221(4): p. 493-501.
37.    Inhibition of human lanosterol synthase by the constituents of Colocasia esculenta (Taro) Sakano, Y., et al., Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2005. 28(2): p. 299-304.
38.    The anti-cancer effects of poi (Colocasia esculenta) on colonic adenocarcinoma cells in vitro Brown, A.C., et al., Phytotherapy Research, 2005. 19(9): p. 767-771.
39.    Carbohydrate digestion and intestinal ATPases in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats fed extract of yam (Dioscorea cayenensis) or dasheen (Colocasia esculenta) Grindley, P.B.A., et al., Nutrition Research, 2002. 22(3): p. 333-341.
40.    A CORM-SPECIFIC GENE ENCODES TARIN, A.M.G.O.T.C.-E.L.S.B., I. C., et al., Plant Molecular Biology, 1995. 28(1): p. 137-144.
41.    COMPARISON OF AMINO-ACID-SEQUENCES OF THE TRYPSIN-INHIBITORS FROM TARO (COLOCASIA-ESCULENTA), G.T.A.-M.A.G.S.T.C.-C.P., L. C., et al., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology International, 1993. 31(1): p. 73-81.
42.    THE CONVERSION OF GROUP-B RED-BLOOD-CELLS INTO GROUP-O BY AN ALPHA-D-GALACTOSIDASE FROM TARO (COLOCASIA-ESCULENTA) Chien, S.F. and M. Linchu, Carbohydrate Research, 1991. 217: p. 191-200.
43.    NEW DIHYDROXYSTEROLS FROM COLOCASIA-ESCULENTA TUBERS Ali, M., Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1991. 53(3): p. 98-100.
44.    STUDY OF MUCILAGES OF CORM AND TUBER OF COLOCASIA-ESCULENTA-M PART 2 BINDING PROPERTIES Gaind, K.N., K.S. Chopra, and A.C. Dua, Indian Journal of Pharmacy, 1969. 31(6): p. 156-158.
45.    AN AMYLASE INHIBITOR IN COLOCASIA ESCULENTA Rao, M.N., Shurpale.Ks, and Sundarav.Oe, Indian Journal of Biochemistry, 1967. 4(3): p. 185-