Costus, Costus root, Mu Xiang 木香

Mu Xiang (‘Wood Fragrance’) (TCM)
Kuth, Kushta (Ayurveda)
Qust, Qust Shirin, Kuth (Unani)
Ru Rta རུ་རྟ (Tibetan)

Sweet and Bitter varieties of Costus
Herbarium Blackwellianum, 1757

Arabian Costus
A Complete History of Drugs, Pomet, London, 1748

Herbarium, showing various Costus types, A. Bitter Costus;
B. Sweet Costus; C and D, Another Costus; E. Costus iridem;
F. Costus stem /root crown; G. Arabian Costus
Matthioli (Polish), 1596

Aromaticum et Simplicium Aliquot, de Orta, 1579

S. lappa from Yunnan (Yun Mu Xiang) (Adam, 2016)

Vladimiria souliei (Chuan Mu Xiang) (Adam, 2016)

Costus root used in Tibetan Medicine (Zang Mu Xiang) (Adam, 2016)

Members CLICK HERE for the PRO VERSION

Botanical name:

Saussurea lappa (syn. Aucklandia lappa)

Parts used:

Root

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, dry. Pungent, Bitter, Aromatic.
opens, attenuates, discusses

Classifications:

2A APERIENT. 2B ATTENUATERS. 2C INCIDER. 2G. CLEANSING. 2H. CARMINATIVE. 2I. ANTISPASMODIC. 2Q. ANODYNE
2S. STRENGTHENING. 2U. SUPPURATIVE
3C. ALEXIPHARMIC. 3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS. 3E. DIURETIC. 3G. EMMENAGOGUE
4c. CARDIAC. 4e. STOMACHIC. 4g. HEPATIC. 4j. NERVINE. 4k. ARTHRITIC

Uses:

1. Benefits Stomach and Intestines, Moves the Qi: (TCM, Ayurveda, Tibet, West)

-good for the Stomach; poor appetite and digestion
-abdominal distention and epigastric pain (TCM, West, Tibet)
-colic, abdominal pain; Hernia

2. Moves Qi, Opens Obstructions: (TCM, Ayurveda, Tibet, West)

-pain over Liver and Gall Bladder
-Gall stones, Cholecystitis, Jaundice

3. Clears Wind and Damp: (Ayurveda, Tibet, West, TCM)

-Urticaria, skin eruptions, promotes Complexion (Ayurveda)
-promotes Urine, clears Edema

4. Resists Poison: (Ayurveda, Tibet, West, TCM)

-used in Antidotes
-‘disperses invasion of pathogenic factors, toxin and evil things’. (Shen Nong Ben Cao)

5. Moves Qi, Clears Phlegm, Stops Cough: (Ayurveda, Tibet, West, TCM)

-spasmodic Cough, bronchial Asthma, chronic Bronchitis (mostly in Ayurveda)
-Chest Pain from stagnation of Qi and Cold

6. Regulates Qi, Strengthens Brain and Nerves: (Ayurveda, Tibet, West, TCM)

-Unani texts say it is tonic for Heart, Liver and Brain
-Some sources have regarded it as Tonic and Aphrodisiac in Ayurveda, Tibetan Medicine and TCM

7. Moves the Qi, Promotes Menstruation

-Amenorrhea; Menstrual Pain
-‘provokes the courses, helps to cleanse the Womb from impurity, and helps Conception’. (Pemell, 1652)

8. Kills Worms:

-especially Broad-worms (Pemell, 1652)

9. Externally:

-oil of Costus is good for Cold and Weak Muscles and Sinews, Sciatica, Arthritis
-compound Oil of Costus; strengthens Nerves, Muscles and Tendons; applied to the Spine in Fevers; also for Colic, Pains; prevents Grey hair
-‘often used to make bathing water by boiling the drug in water.’ (Tao Hong Jing)
-decoction makes a good hair wash to strengthen the hair
-Wounds, Ulcers, Ringworm, chronic Skin Diseases and Tumors (ointment or paste)
-powder is applied to dry moist Sores, Wounds and Ulcers (Avicenna, Pemell)
-headache, mixed with powder with oil and apply to the forehead (Unani)
-powder is applied to Toothache