Khas seeds are commonly called Khus, Khas grass, Cuscus or Khas Khas. The botanical name for poppy is Vetiver zizanioides, which belongs to the family Poaceae. This plant is mainly used for perfumery and medicinal benefits. This herb is also used for flavoring drinks, making mats and also for cooling purposes.
Khas plant has various chemical constituents present in it such as benzoic acid, furfurol, vetiverol, vetivenyl vetivenate and vetivene. Oil extracted from this plant contains furfurol, benzoic acid, vetivene, vetivenyl vetivenate, 5-epiprezizane, terpinen-4-ol, Khusimol, Khusimene, Khusimone, a-muurolene, Calacorene, selinene, ß-humulene, a-longipinene, d-selinene,d-cadinene, valencene, Calarene, gurjunene, Epizizanal, a-amorphene, 3-epizizanol, Iso-khusimol, Valerenol, vetivazulene, ß-vetivone, a-vetivone. Thus, it is an important medicinal plant. Various health benefits of khas plant are discussed in this article.
Health Benefits of Khas
Khas has the following health benefits:
- Anti-inflammation – Khas plant has anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, it is used for inflammation in nervous and circulatory systems.
- Antiseptic– Khas herb is also an effective antiseptic herb.
- Sedative – The oil obtained from this herb has sedative properties. Thus, it is used for relief from emotional outbursts like anxiety, anger, epilepsy, nervousness, restlessness and hysteric attacks etc.
- Khus is used as a tonic bath, hence, it is used to get rid from lice and thus, it is used in high quality soaps.
- Joints Pain – This herb is used as a pain reliever in diseases such as muscular aches, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, dryness and skin cracking.
Other benefits of khas includes
- The essential fragrant oil extracted from the roots of this herb is used in high quality perfumes because of it’s fixative properties.
- The mats woven from its grass spreads aroma in the home and act as a coolant for rooms during summers.
- This herb is tied in the muslin cloth and added to water in earthen pots to provide aroma and distinct flavor to it.
The oil extracted from khas khas has no side effects, non-sensitizing, non-irritant and thus, considered to be safe.