Costus root oil and its chemical composition

                                                                                         

Costus root oil and its chemical composition
By Prashantkumar kudli shrinivas

It is obtained by the steam distillation of dried roots of the plant -Saussurea lappa.

It is a herbaceous perennial plant with yellow composite flowers growing in the Himalayan highlands.

Saussurea lappa, known as c0stus in English, is a tall, stout herb having an annual stem and perennial roots. It has very large heart shaped leaves: bluish, bluish purple or almost black flowers and hairy fruits.

Saussurea lappa is indigenous to India. It occurs in Kashmir and adjoining areas at altitudes ranging from 2,500 to 4,000 metres above the sea level. India still exports Costus and today the collection of Costus is a state monopoly. In Kashmir, the product is used by shawl merchants to protect their fabrics from moths.

The plant is well known both in the Ayurvedic and Tibbi medicine. The root has a pungent taste and a peculiar fragrance. It is a tonic, aphrodisiac, antiseptic and a stimulant. It strengthens functioning of the stomach and promotes its action. It is helpful in arresting secretion or bleeding. The essential oil has antiseptic and disinfectant properties. It relaxes the involuntary muscle tissues and serves as a cardiac stimulant. It relieves flatulence and is a diuretic. It is also useful in removing catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tubes.

Costus extracts have been manufactured on a smaller scale in France and a few other countries for several decades.

Costus root oil has a peculiar soft, but extremely tenacious odor, reminiscent of old precious wood. The odour is described as orris, green, hairy, woody, unripe melons.

In small concentrations, the oil will induce warm, woody and 'natural' notes to a perfume. However, this is limited to certain perfume types, e.g., oriental bases, chypres, violet bases, etc. It blends well with patchouli, opoponax, oakmoss, etc.

Overdoses of Costus oil may easily produce obnoxious effects, and the power of this oil is often under estimated. It is used upto 0.1% in oriental fragrance formulations.

Costus has a peculiar ability of producing diffusive power and intriguing topnotes, and at the same time it works effectively as a fixative of unusual tenacity.

As per IFRA guidelines, it should not be used as a fragrance ingredient due to potential skin sensitization.

But in flavours, it is recommended to use up to 2 ppm level .

The following are the chemical entities reported in the Costus root oil.

Heptadecatetraene,
12-Methoxy-dihydrocostunolide,
22-Dihydrostigmasterol
3-Isopropylpentanoic acid,
3-methylbutyric-acid,
4-ethyloctanoic-acid,
7*-octenoic-acid,
Alpha-humulene,
Alpha-phellandrene,
Alpha-costene,
Alpha-amorphenic-acid,
Alpha-amyrin-stearate,
Alpha-ionone,
Aplotaxene
Beta-sitosterol
Beta-selinine,
Beta-costene,
Beta-ionone,
Beta- elemene,
Beta-amyrin-stearate,
Betulin,
Camphene,
Caryophyllene,
Caryo-phyllene-oxide,
Cedrene,
Cedrol,
Cis-dihydroionone,
Costic-acid,
Costol,
Costunolide,
Costus-acid,
Costus-lactone,
Dehydrocostus-lactone,
Dihydro- dehydrocostus-lactone,
Dihydroaplotaxene,
Dihydrocostunolide,
Dihydrocostus- lactone,
Friedelin,
Guaia-3,9,11-triene-12-acid,
Heptano ic-acid,
Hexanoic- acid,
Inulin,
Isozaluzanin,
Kushtin,
Lactones,
Linalool,
Lupeol,
Myrcene,
Octanoic-acid,
Oleic-acid,
P-Cymene,
Palmitic-acid,
Pentadec-1-ene,
Phellandrene,
Saussurine,
Stigmasterol,
Taraxasterol.

About the author:
Prashantkumar Kudli Shrinivas has a vast industrial experience of Aroma chemicals,Essential oils,Perfumery and Flavour formulations.

E-mail: prashantkudli@yahoo.co.in


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