Kushtha (Costus root)

Kuṣṭha कुष्ठ

Saussurea costus / S. lappa · Asteraceae

herb root ushna cites-restricted

Rasa-Panchaka — five-fold pharmacology

Rasa: tikta · katu · madhura— tastes at first contact
Guna: laghu · ruksha · tikshna— qualities
Virya: ushna— potency (heating)
Vipaka: katu— post-digestive effect

The six classical tastes (Ṣaḍ-rasa)

Dosha effect

Vata

↓pacifies

Pitta

·neutral

Kapha

↓pacifies

pacifies (↓) aggravates (↑) neutral (·)

Functions

anti-itchanti-KushthawarmingEladi-gana

Costus root. CITES Appendix I since 1998 — only cultivated material is legal in international trade. Use sparingly in face preparations (2-3 % max) due to warming nature.

Used in 3 recipes

lepa Dashanga Lepa (10-herb classical lepa)

Daśāṅga Lepa · दशाङ्ग लेप

face · body

urticaria; swelling.

pitta

churna Eladi Choornam (Eladi-gana face powder)

Elādi Cūrṇa · एलादि चूर्ण

face · body

pimples; rash.

vatakapha

ghrita Vyanga-hara Ghrita (Kumkumadi precursor)

Vyaṅgahara Ghṛta · व्यङ्गहर घृत

face

Vyanga (melasma); Nilika (bluish pigmentation).

pittavata Sch-E (orig)

Safety flags

CITES Appendix I — use only cultivated material