Nagarmotha or musta is used in IBS, Psoriasis, Eczema, Acne, pimples and to enhance the quality of breast milk. It is effective in fever, cough, cold, and diarrhea
Related article – Ayurvedic Treatments and Home Remedies for Indigestion
Table of content
About musta or Cyperus rotundus
Ayurveda Medicinal Properties of Musta.
Health Benefits of Cyperus Rotundus or Musta According to Ayurveda
Health Benefits of Cyperus esculentus or JalaMusta According to Ayurveda
About musta or Cyperus rotundus
Musta or Cyperus rotundus is also known as java grass, nutgrass, and coco grass. It belongs to the family of CYPERACEAE. It is a herb that grows to a height of 4.5 ft height. Its roots are tubers and resemble nuts. Usually, the tubers are used for medicinal purposes. This grass is largely found in Africa, South Asia, and Central Europe.
This herb is administered to improve milk secretion in lactating mothers, relieve burning sensation in cystitis and UTI, and reduce thirst and body temperature in fever. Nut Grass is also recommended in the treatment of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), herpes, diarrhea, and dyspepsia.
Synonyms of musta in India
It is called by different names in the local languages of India.
- Musta is Motha or nagarmotha in Hindi,
- Nutgrass, Purple nutsedge, Nutsedge, Java Grass, Coco grass, in English,
- Tunge Gadde in kannada,
- Tunga Mustalu, in telagu
- Muthakach or korai kilangu in tamil
- Muthanga in malayalam
Chemical Composition of Cyperus rotundus:
Major biomolecules of this plant, which are reasons for its medicinal properties are cyperene, humulen, selinene, zierone, campholenic aldehyde, longiverbenone, copaene, limonene, etc.
Musta in Ayurveda
Texts of Ayurveda refer to this herb with different names. Like
- Krodeshta- the herb which is liked by pigs.,
- Hima- It cools the body,
- Varida, Abda, Ambhoda, Ambudhara, Jalada, Jalavaha – One which grows in wetlands.
- Sugandhi – A herb with a good fragrance
- Gangeyi, Gangeya – The one which grows on the holy banks of river Ganga
- Granthila –The one which has tubers like granthi or nodes.
- Mustakam- grows in form of bushes
- Kuruvinda- It is widely available in Kuru Pradesh
- Prachya- Usually grows in eastern regions
Types of Musta (Based on texts of Ayurveda)
Various texts of Ayurveda mention the following types of this herb.
- Musta (Nagaramusta) – Cyperus scariosus
- Bhadra Musta – Cyperus rotundus
- Kshudra Musta ( kasheruka ) – Sciprus grossus – Water chestnut
- Jala Musta- Cyperus esculentus (Earth almond) – grows in moist places
Ayurveda Medicinal Properties of Musta.
Texts of Ayurveda explain the benefits of this herb as follows.
This herb is bitter (tikta rasa), pungent (Katu rasa) and astringent (kashaya rasa) to taste. It is light to digest (laghu ) and dries up body tissues (Rooksha). It gets a spicey taste after digestion (vipaka). It acts as a body coolant (sheeta veerya). It balances Kapha dosha and Pitta Dosha.
Health Benefits of Cyperus Rotundus or Musta According to Ayurveda
Ayurveda acharyas recommend musta in the treatment of various diseases. Here is the list of diseases and how nagarmotha can be used.
In IBS and Diarrhoea
According to Charakacharya this herb is superior to all other herbs which are used for IBS, Diarrhoea, and dysentery. This herb with its Grahi (absorbent) property helps to reduce the frequency of stools in IBS and Diarrhoea. Apart from this it also helps to boost Agni ( body fire or strength of disgestion), kindle appetite (deepana), improve digestion (pachana) , and ease the digestive process in these conditions. This also helps to relieve fever associated with diarrhea. It is very common to experience acidity or gastritis in these conditions. Musta helps to relieve these symptoms too.
In fever
This herb is highly recommended for fever. It acts as a body coolant and reduces fever (jwarahara). Musta relieves thirst in fever (trushnahara).
In Indigestion
Nagarmotha improves taste (aruchihara) and relieves indigestion by improving the strength of digestion
Improves skin health
This grass helps to detoxify blood or rakta dhatu (raktajit) and improve skin complexion and glow. Its ayurvedic herbal face pack is very beneficial in acne, pimple, scars, and marks.
Acts as antimicrobial
This herb is praised as “jantughna and krumivinashini”, which means it helps to eliminate parasites of the digestive system and also cleanses wounds which are infected.
Health Benefits of Cyperus esculentus or JalaMusta According to Ayurveda
- Jalamusta normalizes Vata dosha (vatahara) is usually recommended for skin ailments like acne, pimple, oily skin, pigments and dark circles.
- It is praised as “kantida” which means a herb that improves skin glow, texture, and complexion.
- It reduces itching (kanduhara) and is very useful in skin diseases (kushtaghna).
- It detoxifies the body (vishahara) and can also be used as the best ayurvedic detox for the skin.
- This herb is used as a substitute for karpura (camphor).
- Ayurveda acharyas eulogise this herb as “Medhya” which implies that it boosts memory and concentration. Usually, this herb is used along with shankhpushpi in takradhara treatment.
- Jalamusta is highly recommended for herpes. This can be used as internal medicine and external application for genital herpes and oral herpes. This medicinal property is known as “visarpahara”.
Home Remedies with Nagarmotha
Make your clothes smell fresh
Keep a few tubers between clothes. It acts as a deodorant.
When stomach grumbles
Mix a half teaspoon of musta powder with 1 teaspoon of honey to relieve gas in the stomach and improve the taste.
In Acidity and Gastritis
Boil 1 tablespoon of Cyperus Rotundus tuber powder in 2 cups of water, till the water reduces to one cup. Filter this decoction and add 3 grams of ginger powder to this. Consume this when you have acidity.
To eliminate intestinal parasites.
Papaya is known for its anti-parasitic properties. Seeds of papaya and tubers of musta must be mixed in equal quantities and powdered. Administration of this powder helps to eliminate pinworms.
For improving the quality of breast milk
Sometimes due to dosha imbalance mother’s milk may get vitiated and trouble baby’s digestion. For this, the tuber of musta is blended with the juice of banana plant and fed to the mother. This improves the quality of breast milk.
The decoction of musta also prevents swelling of the breast and clogging of milk ducts.
Use this as a deodorant
Fine powder of this tuber can be applied on the body or on wounds to keep them dry and clean.
For IBS or (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Mix a pinch of musta powder with a glass of buttermilk and drink it three times daily. This controls repeated bowel movements.
Summer drink
Musta tea or infusion helps to get rid of common cold, cough, fever, and lose motion
In Skin problems
Fine powder of nagarmotha mixed with vidanga, lodhra, turmeric, etc can be dusted on affected skin areas in psoriasis, dry eczema, etc. Before dusting, the affected area must be massaged with sesame oil.
Consult Dr.Savitha Suri for ayurvedic remedies. Email drsavithasuri@gmail.com . WhatsApp + 91 6360108663
Author : Dr. Savitha Suri Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
Reference: Studies on the activity of Cyperus rotundus Linn. tubers against infectious diarrhea
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