Costus, Mu Xiang FREE

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

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

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

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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
-Hiccups, Belching, Bloating
-Food Stagnation
-Diarrhea with Spleen deficiency or Cold and Damp

2. Moves Qi, Opens Obstructions: (TCM, Ayurveda, Tibet, West)
-pain over Liver and Gall Bladder; Tumors of the Liver
-Gall stones, Cholecystitis, Jaundice
-Chest, abdominal or Epigastric pain
-‘Costus is useful for all the organs requiring warmth and absorbs humours from deep parts of the body.’. (Avicenna)

3. Clears Wind and Damp: (Ayurveda, Tibet, West, TCM)
-Rheumatism and Wind diseases including Paralysis
-Urticaria, skin eruptions, promotes Complexion (Ayurveda)
-promotes Urine, clears Edema
-‘Relieves pain and Cold in the Urinary Bladder’. (Da Ming)

4. Resists Poison: (Ayurveda, Tibet, West, TCM)
-Malaria, Cholera, Leprosy, Diphtheria
-Scorpion Bites; bites of Viper (Dioscorides, Avicenna)
-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)
-Pneumonia (Tibet)
-Chest Pain from stagnation of Qi and Cold
-‘disperses stagnant Qi in the Lung’. (Zhang Yuan Su)
-‘purges excess in the Lungs’ (Ben Cao Gang Mu)

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
-taken with Honey, it is Aphrodisiac (Dioscorides); Avicenna said taken in wine to vitalize sexual powers.
-Mental disorders associated with Wind or Qi stagnation (Ayurveda); psychosomatic, neurological disorders
-Hemiplegia, Paralysis (Ayurveda, West)
-promotes Intellect, rejuvenates
-said to turn grey hair black in both West and TCM (Porter Smith)
-‘It relaxes the Nerves” (Avicenna)

7. Moves the Qi, Promotes Menstruation
-Amenorrhea; Menstrual Pain
-‘provokes the courses, helps to cleanse the Womb from impurity, and helps Conception’. (Pemell, 1652)
-‘Useful in torn muscles’ (Avicenna)

8. Kills Worms:
-especially Broad-worms (Pemell, 1652)
–Gu syndrome (due to Parasites and Worms) (TCM)

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

Dose:

Powder: 1–3 grams

Comment:

… available in PRO version

Corrective:

… available in PRO version

Substitutes:

… available in PRO version

Preparation:

… available in PRO version

Adulterants:
… available in PRO version

Main Combinations:

1. Costus … available in PRO version
2. Organ Pain and obstructions of the Organs, Costus with … available in PRO version
3. Poor appetite and Digestion, Costus with … available in PRO version
4. Indigestion, Abdominal pain, Costus with … available in PRO version
5. Bloating, Rumbling, Diarrhea, Costus with … available in PRO version
6. Sore Throat, Hoarseness, Cough, Chest pain, Costus with … available in PRO version
7. Asthma, Costus with … available in PRO version
8. Bruising, Costus with … available in PRO version
9. Liver obstruction, Liver heat, Hepatitie, Cholecystitis, Costus with … available in PRO version
10. Hysteria, Costus with … available in PRO version
11. Chronic Rheumatism, Costus with … available in PRO version
12. Brain tonic, Costus with … available in PRO version
13. Mental diseases, Costus with … available in PRO version
14. As an oil externally, Costus with … available in PRO version
15. Chronic Joint diseases, combine Costus with … available in PRO version

Major Formulas

Electuary of Costus (Diacostum) (Mesue)
Electuary of Clove and Costus (Caryocostinum)
Antidotum Immortale
Antidote for the Liver and Chronic Cough
Oil of Costus

Costus 6 Powder (Ru rta drug pa) (Tibetan Medicine)
Costus Garuda (Ru khyung) (Tibetan Medicine)
Sea Buckthorn 5 (Star bu 5) (Tibetan Medicine)
Calcite 6 Powder (Tibetan Medicine)
Clove 6 (Li shi drug pa) (Tibetan Medicine)
Amomum 4 (Ko la 4) (Tibetan Medicine)

Cautions:

1. Drying, so not suitable in Yin deficiency
2. Very activating, so not used in Qi deficiency (but can be combined with Qi tonics)

Main Preparations used:

Diacostum, Oil of Costus