Kebuka

Sanskrit name : केमुक

Latin name: Costus speciosus (Koen) Sm.

Family: Zingiberaceae

Gana/Varga:          

Charaka	Krumighna, Tiktaskandha
Bhavapraksha Nighantu	Shaka Varga shloka 89-90
API	Part I Vol V
Dravyaguna Vijnana II (P.V.)	Garbhashaya sankochaka page 605-606

 

Synonyms :  Kemuka (Bp. Ni.) 

Vernacular names:                  

Hindi	Kemuka, Kebuka
Kannada	Changalva koshtu
Bengali	Kevu
Marathi	Peva
Gujarati	Pokarmula
Telagu	Chenglava koshtu
Tamil	Koshtam
Malayalam	Channakkuva
English	cane reed, wild ginzer.

Morphology:  

Habit: An erect plant 1.2- 2.7 m. high; root stock tuberous, inspid; stem subwoody at the base. Leaves : 15-30 by 5.7- 7.5 cm. subsessile, spirally arranged, oblong or oblanceolate-oblong, acute-acuminate, often cuspidate, glabrous above, silky pubescent beneath, base rounded; sheaths coriaceous; ligule 0. Inflorescence : very dense spikes ,Flowers white, numerous; bracts 2-3.2 cm. long, ovatee, acuminate, often pungently mucronate, bright red; corolla lip suborbicular, white with a yellow centre. Capsules globosly 3-gonous, 2 cm. diam., red. Seeds black, with a white aril.  

Distribution: More or less throughout India, Ceylon. 

Types: NA

Guna-Karma:

Guna	Laghu, Ruksha
Rasa	Tikta, Katu
Vipaka	Katu
Virya	Shita
Prabhava	Garbhashaya sankochaka
Karma
Doshaghnata	Kapha-Pittahara, Vatala
Anyakarma	Grahi, Dipana, Pachana, Hrudya, Krumighna, Pramehaghna, Jwaraghna, Medohara

Prayoga: Jwara, Kushtha, Kasa, Prameha, Rakta roga, Grahani, Krumi, Kashtaprasava, Sthaulya, Santarpanajanya anya vikara;

Chemical composition: Steroidal Saponins such as Diosgenin, Tigogenin, dioscin, gracillin β-sitosterol glucoside. seeds yielded three genins and glucose on acid hydrolysis, major genin was diosgenin.

Rhizome: steroids glycosides: prosapogenin B of dioscin, dioscin, gracillin, methyl protodioscin, methylprotogracillin, protogracillin.

Prayojya Anga: Kanda, Rhizome: Tuberous rhizome, horizontally branched, 4 to 6 cm long and 2 to 3 cm thick; outer surface grey to dark brown, longitudinal wrinkles and small circular leaf scars on upper surface; numerous nipple-shaped buds present throughout its length; numerous slender roots occurs along with rhizome, possesses rootlets which makes it slightly rough; fracture, short fibrous and hard, odourless and tasteless.

Sangraha Kala:Not specific

Matra: 3-6 gms after Shodhana; Swarasa 10-20 ml;

Vishishta Yoga: Krimighna kashaya, Asanaeladi taila.

Amayika prayoga:

Bahya:

1.     Dadru : Lepana of Fresh Kalka of Kebuka Patra on affected area.

Abhyantara :

1.     Kasa and Shvasa : Kebuka mula churna should be given with Madhu.

2.     Aruchi and Agnimandya: Kebuka mula churna should be given with hot water.

3.     Krimi and Shleepada : Kwatha of Kebuka mula should be given.

Research :

1.     Adaptogenic activity: alcoholic extracts of Costus speciosus rhizomes and Wedelia chinensis leaves on stress induced changes in brain neurotransmitters and enzyme monoamine oxidase levels in albino rats. The extracts were found to possess normalizing activity against cold immobilization stress induced changes in norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA),  5  hydroxy  tryptamine  (5-HT),  5-hydroxy  indole  acetic  acid  (5-  HIAA),  and  enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO).

2.     Antibacterial activity: methanol extract in vitro antibacterial  activities  against  pathogens  isolated  from  infected  burn  patients  (Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella) showed significant effect.

3.     Antifertility activity: saponin mixture showed antifertility activity in rats. A mixture of saponin isolated from the rhizomes of Costus speciosus effectively protected against pregnancy in rats, when fed at 5-500 µg/100 g body wt. for 15 days.

4.     Oestrogenic activity  : saponins  showed  oestrogenic  activity  in  sprayed  rats, significantly  increased  uterine  weight  and  uterine  glycogen  concentration  and  produced proliferative changes in uterus

Important references: