Costus Root

Costus is the root of the plant Saussurea lappa, a tall perennial plant that grows on high valleys in the Kashmir region. The root and oil from the root are used to make medicine. The plant was used by the Romans as a perfume and also as a culinary spice. In recent times, it is used in a variety of weight-loss products and alternative medicine treatments. It can be used alone, but most of the time combined with other herbs to achieve better results. The active ingredients in costus come from its essential oil. To obtain the oil, dried costus root is chopped and softened in warm water, then distilled with steam. The resulting active ingredients are then extracted, resulting in a yellow-brown fluid that has a musty odour.