Common Name: Indian Costus
Scientific Name: Saussurea lappa
Distribution: Himalayas, Kashmir, Jammu, Western Ghats, and the Kishenganga Valley.
What Is Qust Al Hindi ?
It is medicinal herb that grows 1 to 2 metre tall. It is commonly seen in India including Himalayas, Kashmir, Jammu & Western Ghats. It’s roots has been traditionally used for many medicinal purposes and is recently been subjected to many research studies.
Qust Al Hindi In Sunnah
Narrated Um Qais bint Mihsan:
I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “Treat with the Indian Costus, for it has healing for seven diseases; it is to be sniffed by one having throat trouble, and to be put into one side of the mouth of one suffering from pleurisy”.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5692]
Narrated Um Qais:
that she took to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) one of her sons whose palate and tonsils she had pressed because he had throat trouble. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Why do you pain your children by getting the palate pressed like that? Use the Ud Al-Hindi (certain Indian incense) for it cures seven diseases one of which is pleurisy.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5715]
Benefits Of Qust Al Hindi
- Tonsilitis
- Asthma
- Lung infections
- Cold
- Intestinal Worms
- Intestinal diseases
- Skin Discolorations
- Scars
- Hypothyroidism
Side Effects
Allergy – Some people are allergic to Qust Al Hindi (Indian costus). Allergic reactions include vomiting, diarrhea, itching etc. Such people should avoid using Qust Al Hindi (Indian costus).
Make sure that the Qust Al Hindi roots you are using is thoroughly cleaned because if may contain many contaminants.
Precautions
Not recommended for young children
Not recommended pregnant & lactating mothers.
Usage
You may take 0.5 tsp Qust Al Hindi powder with 1 tsp of honey.
You may mix it with black seed oil, olive oil or coconut oil and apply on scars and skin discolorations.
Research
The results of phytochemical screening suggest that, Saussurea costus roots are rich source of various bioac[1]tive constituents such as alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, fl avonoids, phenols, quinones, resins, ster[1]oids, tannins and terpenoids.
These phytochemical constituents are important for the use of health care.
[Bioscience Biotechnology Research Communications 10(4): 601-611 (2017)]
S. lappa is a medicinally important plant. Various active compounds isolated from plant are reported to have medicinal properties e.g. the major components are sesquiterpene lactones such as costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone. S. lappa possesses various bioactivities such as antifungal, antidiabetic, anthelmintic, antitumor, antiulcer, antimicrobial, immuno-stimulant , anti-inflammatory and antihepatotoxic.
[Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 10.1016/S1995-7645(14)60204-2]
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