Name – उशीरम्

Botanical name – Vetiveria zizanioides

Description – Tufted aromatic rhizomatous herbs. Leaves linear, erect, rigid, hairy at base. Inflorescence lax, oblong, paniculate. Spikelets linear-lanceolate, yellowish-green or olive-green.

Chemical Constituents- It contains an essential oil with a ketone fraction varying from 20% to 90%. Oil consists of sesquiterpene hydrocarbon isobisabolene, ketone epizanone; oil contains allokhusiol, epikhusinol, isovalencenol, khusiones, lemvojunenol, vetiselinenol, zizanoic acid, zizanene, khusiol, cyclocopacamphenol zizanol, khusol, khusinol, epoxy alcohol, khusinol oxide, khusenic, isokhusenic acids, khusimene, khusimol.

Use – Vetiver oil obtained from roots is diaphoretic, stimulant and refrigerant, used in colic, flatulence and obstinate vomiting. Provides relief when applied in rheumatism, lumbago and sprains