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)
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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:
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Corrective:
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Substitutes:
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Preparation:
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Adulterants:
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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)

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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