Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) ( www.frlht.

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Botanical Name: Cyperus rotundus L.

Family: CYPERACEAE
Used in: Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Tibetan, Chinese
Habit: - Herb
Distribution:
It is distributed in the tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of the world. Common
through out the plains. It has been recorded in various countries namely, Bhutan, Brunei,
Bangladesh, India, Myanmar (earlier Burma), Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam,
Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines and Cambodia. This species is globally distributed in the tropical,
subtropical and temperate regions of the world. Within India, it is found throughout up to an
elevation of 1500 m. common along the rice fields and water courses.

Common uses -
The rhizomes of Mustaka is used in the form of powder and decoction to treat fever,
diarrhoea, erysipelas, rheumatic ailments, alcoholism, loose teeth, cough, vomiting, thirst,
epilepsy, wound due to accident and eye diseases.Fever:Water boiled with musta, parpata
(Fumaria indica ), usira (Vetiveria zizanioides ), candana, (Santalum album) balaka(Coleus
vettiveroides ) , and sunthi (zingiber officinalis) and cooled should be given to improve digestion
and to pacify thirst and fever (CS.Ci.3.145). Diarrhoea Musta rhizomes (60 gms) should be boiled
in milk with three times reduces to milk its intake checks diarrhoea with mucus and pain (10-15
gms) (SS.U.40.47; AH.Ci.9.39,) Arthritis (Vatarakta) In kapha predominant arthritis decoction of
musta, draksa (Vitis vinifera) and haridra (curcuma longa) mixed with honey should be taken.
(AH.Ci.22.14) wound Root of musta pounded finely with cows ghee is applied as paste on the
wound (5-10 gms) (Cd.44.53) to promote quick healing.

Languages (No. of
Vernacular Names
Names):
accam, araikkali, araikkalippul, avittam, ayali, ayil, ayirpul, campankorai 2,
cankam 2, catatatikam, celakam, celam, celatam, celekam, cevakam 2,
cevvetakam, erumainkkuppul, eruvai 2, eruvaippul, kaivarttam, kancukam 2,
kankeyam, karkkoli 2, karkoli 3, karkoli@, karkolippul, karuvukatitam,
karuvukatitappul, kerukam, kolavunavu, kontankilanku, kora, korai, korai
kilangu, korai kizhangu, korai-k-kilanku, korai-kizanghu, koraikkilanku,
Tamil (92) :
koraikkizhangu, koraippul, koraippurkilanku, korankilanku, korutan,
kotakilanku, kotani, kotanikkilanku, kulamaccam, kunram 2, kupaiyatitam,
kupaiyatitappul, kuruvintakan, kuruvintakkilanku, kutiraivavikam,
kutiraivavikappul, masta, muthakasu, muttakkacu, muttati 2, nanal, netila,
paiyam, panritonripputu, panritontuputu, panrittonri, panrittonti,
panrittontipputu, pathalamulam, perunkolikam, perunkolitam, talaikkorai,
 tattaikkoraikkilanku, tiraiyappul, tiratkorai, tirkkakantam, tulam, tulam 2,
tunga-gaddai, tunkamuttu#, tunkamuttukkilanku, tunkumustu, ural,
vacanaippulkilanku, vacciracalakkilanku, vacciracalam, vacciracelatam,
vaccirakentam, vacciratilatam, varaki, vicciral#, vicciram, viccirappul,
visakkani
abda hullu, abdahallu, abdahullu, bhadra hullu, bhadra mushti, chandra hullu,
gaekina gedde, gaeku, gonarda, gopura, jaekina gedde, jalad, jeykina gadde,
Kannada (21) :
konnaari baeru, konnaari gedde, konnari gedde, koranari gedde, koranari-
gadde, tangahullu, thunge hullu, tungegadde
Malayalam (3) : karimuttan, kora-kizanna, muttanna
a, abda, abhrabheda, ambhodhara, ambuda, arnoda, bhadrakshi,
bhadramusta, bhadramuste, gangera, gangeya, ghana, granthi, gundra, hima,
Sanskrit (36) : jalada, jaladah, kachhola, kakshottha, kasheru, krodeshtha, kuru, kurubilva,
kurvinda, kutannata, megha, mesa, musta, mustaka, payoda, rajkaseruka,
valya, varahi, varida, varivaha, vindakhya
Urdu (3) : habu-ul-zillam, nagarmotha, sad kufi
Arabic (1) : suad
bara-nagar-motha, doongia, doongla, khal, korehi-jhar, moth, motha, mothee,
Hindi (12) :
mothi, motho, mutha, nagarmotha
bhadra-tunga-muste, bhadramuste, bharamuste, gandala, kaivartakamuste,
kaivarthaka muste, mustakamu, shakatunga, shakha-tunga-veru,
Telugu (15) :
shakhatungaveru, thungamustha, tunga-muste, tunga-musthalu, tungamuste,
tungamusti
Marathi (6) : barik motha, barik-moth, bimbal, bimbol, lavola, motha
English (4) : coco grass, common nutsedge, nutgrass, purple nutsedge
Tibetan (2) : gla sgan, gla-gan

Parts Used (No. of

Trade Name
Names):
ROOTS (3) : KONNARI GEDDA, NAGARMOTHA, NAGARMOTHA, MUSTHA
ROOT (3) : KORAI, KORAIKIZHANKU, NAGARMOTHA
TUBERS (1) : KORAI KIZHANGU
RHIZOME (1) : MUTHANGA
NAGAR MOTH (SOUTH) (GOL), NAGAR MOTHA, NAGARMOTH, MUSTA,
Not recorded (5) :
NAGARMOTHA, NAGARMOTHA ROUND
POWDER (1) : NAGARMOTHA