Costus root · Mu Xiang
Aucklandia costus Falc. (syn. Aucklandia lappa) · Root
Name and part used
Mu Xiang is an aromatic cylindrical gray-brown root with longitudinal grooves; cut surfaces may show dark oil spots.
Traditional context
Qi-moving and abdominal-pain relief are traditional descriptions; severe or persistent abdominal pain needs medical evaluation. HKBU notes Aucklandia lappa is protected and wild commercial trade restricted. The medicinal root is yellow-brown, firm, and aromatic.
Modern evidence
Research on costunolide and volatile oils does not remove sourcing, misidentification, or interaction risks.
Safety
Volatile oils may irritate; review liver disease, pregnancy, and liver-metabolized medicines. Choose legal cultivated supply, never wild-harvested material.
Pairing in reference texts
Mu Xiang pairs with Zhi Ke or Sha Ren in some qi-regulating texts; this is not an abdominal-pain treatment instruction.
Growing, care, and harvest timing
No sufficiently reliable species-specific source was found for habitat, cultivation, and harvest age. Do not infer timing from a related species; add an agronomic source before publishing a recommendation.
FROM PLANT / SOURCE HABITAT TO DRIED MATERIAL · REFERENCE WORKFLOW
- Use only legally cultivated and documented material; wild Aucklandia lappa is protected and international trade is restricted.
- Harvest roots from permitted cultivation, clean soil and lateral roots under source standards.
- Dry whole roots, slice after drying, and prepare processed forms only under an official monograph.
- Check characteristic strong aroma, oil spots on cut surfaces, and absence of mold; retain sustainable sourcing records.
These are post-harvest study notes, not directions to prepare a remedy for self-treatment. Processing reference ↗
How to read formula amounts
Displayed amounts belong to the cited formula and source; they are not a general safe ratio, treatment dose, or home-decoction instruction. Do not transfer amounts to another formula or adjust them by body weight.
HKBU formula record containing this herb: Shen Su Yin / Ginseng and Perilla Beverage
Traditional action in the source: Boosts qi, releases the exterior, rectifies qi, and dissolves phlegm
Ingredient images and source amounts are shown for comparison only; this is not a treatment recipe.
HKBU source-recorded composition
Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Ren Shen) 3 fen (6g), Perillae Folium (Zi Su Ye) 3 fen (6g), Puerariae Lobatae Radix (Ge Gen) 3 fen (6g), Pinelliae Rhizoma (Ban Xia) 3 fen (6g), Peucedani Radix (Qian Hu) 3 fen (6g), Poria (Fu Ling) 3 fen (6g), Aurantii Fructus (Zhi Qiao) 0.5 liang (4g), Platycodonis Radix (Jie Geng) 0.5 liang (4g), Aucklandiae Radix (Mu Xiang) 0.5 liang (4g), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chen Pi) 0.5 liang (4g), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Zhi Gan Cao) 0.5 liang (4g)
The ingredients and amounts below are one HKBU-recorded version; texts, historical units, processing, and modern products can differ. This is comparative reference data, not a home-preparation recipe or personal dose.
Open complete HKBU formula record ↗