Ulje korena kostusa

Dolomiaea costus is a perennial thistle of the family Asteraceae. It was formerly known as Saussurea costus. The plant is native to South Asia and China. It is commonly known as costus, Indian costus, kuth or putchuk. Its synonyms include Aucklandia costus and Saussurea lappa.

It is usually found at elevations of 2,500 to 3,000 m in India, including the Himalayas and Kashmir. The plant is cultivated as a medicinal plant, mainly in India, in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the roots are exported to China and Japan.

The main component of one steam-distilled root oil was costunolide, also named eudesma-5,11(13)-dien-8,12-olide, at 52.01 %. Elemene, phenanthrenone and caryophyllene oxide are also among the major components of that oil. Myrcene, p-cymene, β-ionone, sesquiterpenes, costolactone and a small amount of palmitic acid are among the main constituents given in another description. Differences between studies in the composition of the oil may be due to time of harvesting, local, climatic and seasonal issues, and the storage time of the roots. The oil is soluble in most fixed oils and in mineral oil, and insoluble in glycerin and propylene glycol.

Essential oils extracted from the root have been used in traditional medicine and in perfumes since ancient times. Pliny described the spice as having a burning taste and a very fine scent, but as otherwise useless. The plant has been greatly over-collected and has been placed on Appendix I of CITES. Costus is one of the most threatened medicinal plants of Kashmir Himalaya. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Kuth Act of 1978 regulates trade in the plant.

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