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Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch.
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English Name |
Common Aucklandia, |
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Latin name |
Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch. |
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Family & Genus |
Asteraceae, Saussurea |
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Description |
Perennial herb, 1.5-2m high. Taproot scabrous, cylindrical, diameter 5cm, surface yellowish brown, with sparse root. Stems erect, upper part densely pilose. Basal leaf blade cordate or hastate triangular, 24cm long, edge with large serrature, margin of tooth ciliate, with long winged stalk, the winged stalk crenately lobed; cauline leaves of lower part and middle part ovate or triangular-ovate, 30-50cm long, margin serrate, decurrent to the base of petiole or irregular split winged shape, leaf edge irregularly lobed or sinuate, short spines sparsely present, upper leaves triangular or ovate, sessile or short winged stalk; Sparsely hispid on leaves, below light green to brown, with short hair, cauline leaves smaller, leaf base wing-shaped, decurrent amplexicaul. Capitate inflorescence simple stem end and axillary, usually 2-3 clustered at apex of stalk, almost no peduncles, axillary ones simple, with long peduncles, or dense fasciculate corymbs; Involucre hemispherical shape, diameter 3-4cm, black, initially covered by arachnoid tomentum, glabrous later, involucral bracts 7 layers, erect, apex cartilaginous spine-shaped. The outer layer triangular, 9-25mm long, middle-layer lanceolate or elliptic, 1.4-1.6cm long, inner layer linear long elliptic, 2cm long. Flowers dark purple. Achenes trigonous, length 8mm, light brown, with dark spots, apex with dentate small crown; Pappus one layer, light brown, plumose. Flowering: May to August, fruiting: September to October. |
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Distribution |
Cultivated in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Yunnan. |
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Part Used |
Medical part: roots. Chinese name: Muxiang. |
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Harvest & Processing |
After cultivation of 3 years, collected on sunny days from late Sept to late Oct, excavated the roots, removed earth, stalk and petiole, cut the big ones into 2-4 pieces and baked to dry under low temperature of 50-60℃. |
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Chemistry |
Contains costuslactone and saussurine, etc. |
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Pharmacology |
Stomach-tonifying, cholagogic, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial; toxic. |
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Properties & Actions |
Taste pungent, bitter, and warm in nature.Promoting qi-flowing for suppressing pains, regulating middle jiao and abducting stagnation. |
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Indications & Usage |
Used for fullness in chest and hypochondrium, gastric and abdominal swelling pain, vomiting and diarrhea, dysentery and tenesmus.Oral administration: decocting, 3-10g; or made as pills or powders. |
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Examples |
1. All moving pains due to qi dysfunction of stomach: common aucklandia, grind with warm water, prepare with hot liquor and swallow.
2. Abdominal pain: common aucklandia, boswellin, commiphora myrrha 5 fen each. Decoct in water and swallow. |
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