Nut Grass
Botanical Name(s): Cyperus Rotundus
Family Name: Cperaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Poales
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Cyperus
Species: C. rotundus
Popular Name(s): Coco Grass, Purple Nut Sedge, Red Nut Sedge, Mustaka.
Parts Used: Rhizomes
Habitat: Weed found all over India.
Description
Nut grass is a perennial shrub that attains a height of up to 40 cm. it has a dark green thin stem and the leaves are long and sharp, with a width of 1/6 to 1/3 inch. While the flower stem has a triangular cross-section, the flower is 2 to 8 inch in length, has three-stamina and a three-stigma carpel. It is also bisexual. The plant bears flowers in summer and fruits in winter. It has tuberous roots or rhizomes that are fragrant. The plant is native to Africa, southern and central Europe and southern Asia. It is found throughout India. Common Indian names of the herb are motha and nagarmotha in Hindi, mustak in Sanskrit and motha in Gujarati.
Plant Chemicals
(+)- aromatic oil (0.5-0.6%), stable oil, alkaloids, minerals, vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, carbonates, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, epoxides, ketones, monoterpene, aliphatic alcohols, cyperene, seniline, cyperenone, sesquiterpenes cyperone, luteolin, auresidin, cyperene-1, cyperene-2, muskatone, patchoulenone, rotuno, kobusone, isokobusone, selinene, saponon-olenolic acid-3-0 neohesperidoside (I).
Uses & Benefits of Nut Grass
- The paste of nut grass is used in treating skin related ailments like scabies and eczema and helps in relieving itching.
- The paste is used in increasing the size of the breasts. It also purifies the breast milk, improves eyesight and helps in eye related ailments.
- The extract from the roots is instilled into eyes in conjunctivitis, to reduce the pain, redness and ocular discharges.
- Nut grass, when taken in powdered form, improves digestive system, removes worms from the gastro-intestinal tract, curbs infection and purifies blood.
- The powder is massaged to reduce the subcutaneous fat deposition in case of obese people.
- It normalizes the menstrual disturbances and breast discomfort and maintains normal body temperature.
- Nut grass proves useful in diseases like psychosis and epilepsy and mental diseases.
- The herb helps in healing wounds and uterine contraction and provides strength to the body.
- It is used as a diuretic to treat ulcers and as an emmenagogue and an ingredient in warm plasters.
- The herb proves to be a keen stimulant in appetite, digestion and digestion of ama.
- Nut grass is an effective remedy for distaste, vomiting, diarrhea, colitis and dyspepsia.
- It is considered the best herb for treating any type of fever.
- The root is often used for developing high memory.
- Nut grass is beneficial in treating cough and asthma, since it alleviates the kapha.
- The herb harmonizes liver, spleen, and pancreas. It helps in curing thirst, bronchitis, dysuria and poisonous affections.
- It is often used as an insect repellent for perfuming clothing.
