Vetiver: Health Benefits and Therapeutic Uses (Vetiveria Zizanioides, Khas Grass)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Bhavaprakash Nighantu mentioned that the Vetiver is the root of the Veeran. Vetiveria Zizanioides is a member of the family Poaceae commonly known as the Khas-Khas, Khus grass in India, is a perennial grass with thick fibrous adventitious roots which are aromatic and highly valued. Its roots are known as Ushira.

It grows in a wide variety of ecological habits covering all biogeographic provinces of India. No wonder that this is one grass which has been extensively used by almost all the tribes. The oil extracted from the roots is useful in insomnia, depression, anxiety, nervousness, rheumatism, sprain, and headache apart from its use in perfumery and aromatherapy. Two species of Vetiveria are found in India, of which Vetiveria Zizanioides is the common source of the well-known oil of Vetiver, which is used in medicine and in perfumery.

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2. Common Names

• Synonym - Chrysopogon zizanioides
• Family – Poaceae
• Hindi Name – Khas
• English Name – Vetiver, Khas grass

3. Vernacular Names

• Bengali – Venarramula
• Gujarati – Sugandhi Valo
• Kannada – Mudivala
• Assamese – Usir
• Marathi – Bala
• Malayalam – Ramaceam
• Tamil – Vetiver
• Telugu – Vetivelu
• Urdu – Khas
• Punjabi – Panni

4. Synonyms

• Amrunala – The stems are like that of Kamala.
• Nalada – It gives a pleasant odor.
• Shitimulakam – The root is sitadravya.
• Ushira – It gives complexion.
• Vahumulam – It contains many roots.
• Varitara – Which grows in watery places.

5. Classical Categorization

• Charaka Samhita – Dahaprasamana
• Sushrut Samhita – Eladi, Sarivadi
• Ashtanga Hridya – Sarivadi
• Dhanvantari Nighantu – Chandandi varga
• Madanpal Nighantu –Karpooradi varga
• Kaiyadev Nighantu – Oshadi varga
• Raj Nighantu – Chandanadi varga
• Bhavaprakasha Nighantu – Karpuradi varga

6. Distribution

Vetiver is native to India, but the exact location of origin is not precisely known, some say that it is native to northern India, while others say that it is native to region around the Mumbai. As the specific name suggests, Vetiver grows particularly on riverbanks and in rich marshy soil. This grass grows throughout the plains of India up to an elevation of 1200m. It is mainly found in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar, and all the South Indian states.

This plant survives under long seasonal flooding as well as tolerating extreme temperatures and grows over a wide range of soil pH.

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7. Morphology

It is a perennial, aromatic grass that grows up to 2m in height.

Roots – Thick, fibrous, adventitious root, aromatic, the roots grow downwards up to 2 to 4 m in depth. Stout and contains oil with fragrance.

Leaves – Linear, narrow, erect, grassy, glabrous with scar-bid margins, 20 to 60 cm long x 0.5 to 1cm broad.

Flower – Inflorescences is a panicle up to 20 to 45cm bearing numerous racemes in a whorl on a central axis. Vetiver produces brownish purple-hued flowers. One floret in spike is bisexual, sessile, fruit oblong grain. The other spikelet is pedicelled and staminate. The lower spikelet is reduced to the lamina.

There are flowering and nonflowering Vetiver plants, the wild-growing variety commonly found in North India both types are found. As not all Vetiver plants flower and the germination rate of the seeds is low. The vetiver propagates itself through axillary shoots.

8. Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa (Taste): It has Tikta (astringent) taste.
• Virya (Potency): It is Sheeta in nature (cold).
• Vipaka (Post-digestive taste): It is Katu (bitter) taste.
• Guna (Qualities) – Laghu.

9. Chemical Constituent

The chemical constituents present in the plant are benzoic acid, epizizianal, khositone, khusimol, khusimone, terpenes, vetivene, vetivenate, vetiverol, vetivone, zizaene. The main constituents of Vetiver oil are sesquiterpene, cloven, and khusimol.

10. Identity, Purity, and Strength

• Foreign Matter – Not more than 2%
• Total Ash – Not more than 9%
• Acid-insoluble ash – Not more than 6%
• Alcohol-soluble extractive – Not less than 4%
• Water-soluble extractive – Not less than 5%
• Volatile Oil – Not less than 1%

11. Ayurvedic and Pharmacological Actions

Ayurvedic Actions

It is a digestive astringent, antipyretic, reduces sweating, reduces burning sensation, beneficial in skin disease, galactopoietic, antiemetic, purification or bringing normalcy of semen, and complexion promoter.

Vetiver oil is regarded as a stimulant diaphoretic and refrigerant. It is widely used as a cooling agent, tonic, and blood purifier. It is used for skin diseases, boils, burns, epilepsy, fever, scorpion stings, snake bites, soreness in the mouth, headaches, toothache, rheumatism, UTI, hyperacidity, vomiting, erysipelas, wounds, burning sensation, and worms. Leaf paste is used in rheumatism lumango and sprain. Root extract is used for headaches and toothache. Vetiver oil possesses sedative properties and is used in aromatherapy for relieving stress, anxiety, nervous tension, and insomnia. Roots are used for sharbat or soft drinks during seminars and for scenting clothes.

• Doshakarma – Kaphapittahara
• Dhatukarma – Raktaprasadan
• Malakarma – Mutrajanana

Pharmacological Actions

The various pharmacological actions are as follows: anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial, antidepressant, antifungal, antioxidant, aphrodisiac, hepatoprotective, mosquito repellent, and sedative.

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12. Health Benefits

It is used for epilepsy, boils, burns, fever, thirst, poisoning, wounds, bad smell of body, snakebite, and soreness in the mouth. The root extract is useful for headaches and toothaches. Vetiver oil is regarded as a stimulant, diaphoretic, and refrigerant. The paste of leaf when locally applied for rheumatism, lumbago, and sprain gives relief.

13. Therapeutic Uses

Fever – Shandangapaniya prepared from Vetiver, PRPATAKA, Ushira, Chandan, Udichya, and Nagara is used in fever.

Intrinsic Hemorrhage – Vetiver, Kaliyaka, Lodhra, mixed with an equal quantity of sandalwood and sugar taken with rice water alleviates intrinsic hemorrhage.

Vomiting – Vetiver and honey are given to check thirst and vomiting.

Boils – External application of Vetiver destroys boils caused by perspiration.

14. Official Part Used

Root

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15. General Doses

• Root Powder – 3 to 6g.
• Flower Juice – 25 to 50ml.
• Arka – 25 to 50ml.
• Infusion – 50 to 100ml.

16. Formulations

Sadanga Kwatha Churna, Sadangapaniya, Ushiradi choorna, Ushiradikwath, Ushiradi taila, Ushirasava, Yogaraja guggulu.