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Kachoor कचूर
Curcuma zedoaria
Part used: Rhizome
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Curcuma zedoaria
- Part used: Rhizome
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Rhizome powder 1–3 g per day in divided doses, with honey or warm water.
Kachoor in other languages
Introduction
Kachoor (Curcuma zedoaria), known in Sanskrit as Shati, is a rhizome of the ginger family with a camphor-like aroma quite unlike its relative turmeric. The cut rhizome is pale, faintly bitter and strongly fragrant.
Classical Ayurveda values it chiefly as a respiratory and digestive drug. It appears in the Shwasahara and Kasahara groups for cough and breathlessness, and in aromatic compounds for a sluggish appetite and a coated tongue.
Classification
Family Zingiberaceae. The dried rhizome is the officinal part. Rasa: Katu and Tikta. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Kapha and Vata.
Uses & benefits
Given for cough, breathlessness, hoarseness and the loss of appetite that accompanies a lingering cold. Its aromatic bitterness makes it a Deepana and Mukhashodhana drug — it clears a coated tongue and stale mouth. Externally the paste is applied to bruises and sprains for its Shothahara action.
Kachoor for cough and congestion
The warm, aromatic rhizome loosens Kapha in the chest and throat. It is a component of several classical cough formulations and is traditionally given with honey where the cough is loose and productive.
Kachoor for appetite and the mouth
As a Deepana and Mukhashodhana drug it is chewed or taken as powder to clear the tongue, freshen the mouth and restore appetite after illness.
Dosage — how much to take
Rhizome powder 1–3 g per day in divided doses, with honey or warm water. In cough it is commonly given with honey; in digestive complaints with warm water before food.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Kachoor?
The citations held for Kachoor in this catalogue are: Charaka Samhita (Sutrasthana 4 — Shwasahara and Kasahara groups); Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Haritakyadi Varga — Shati).
What does the Charaka Samhita record about Kachoor?
Listed among drugs relieving breathlessness and cough. Reference: Charaka Samhita — Sutrasthana 4 — Shwasahara and Kasahara groups.
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Kachoor?
Katu-tikta rasa, ushna virya; indicated in kasa and shwasa. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Haritakyadi Varga — Shati.
What is Kachoor traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Given for cough, breathlessness, hoarseness and the loss of appetite that accompanies a lingering cold. Its aromatic bitterness makes it a Deepana and Mukhashodhana drug — it clears a coated tongue and stale mouth. Externally the paste is applied to bruises and sprains for its Shothahara action.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Kachoor?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Kachoor classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Kachoor carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Kachoor is used medicinally?
The part used is Rhizome.
How much Kachoor is taken, and how?
Rhizome powder 1–3 g per day in divided doses, with honey or warm water. In cough it is commonly given with honey; in digestive complaints with warm water before food. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Kachoor be avoided?
Heating and drying; excess can aggravate Pitta and cause burning or hyperacidity. Avoid in active peptic ulcer. Not advised in pregnancy. Note that Kachoor (Curcuma zedoaria) and Shati of some texts (Hedychium spicatum) are treated as distinct drugs on this site — check which your prescription intends.
Where does Kachoor grow?
Native to north-east India and Indonesia, cultivated in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and the Western Ghats. Prefers warm, humid ground with good drainage; rhizomes are lifted in the dry season.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Haritakyadi Varga — Shati
Katu-tikta rasa, ushna virya; indicated in kasa and shwasa. - Charaka Samhita — Sutrasthana 4 — Shwasahara and Kasahara groups
Listed among drugs relieving breathlessness and cough.
Safety & precautions
Heating and drying; excess can aggravate Pitta and cause burning or hyperacidity. Avoid in active peptic ulcer. Not advised in pregnancy. Note that Kachoor (Curcuma zedoaria) and Shati of some texts (Hedychium spicatum) are treated as distinct drugs on this site — check which your prescription intends.
Where it grows
Native to north-east India and Indonesia, cultivated in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and the Western Ghats. Prefers warm, humid ground with good drainage; rhizomes are lifted in the dry season.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kachoor the same as turmeric?
No. Both are Curcuma species, but Kachoor is Curcuma zedoaria — paler, more camphorous and used mainly for the chest and appetite, where turmeric (Haridra, Curcuma longa) is used for the blood and skin.
How is Kachoor usually taken for a cough?
As a fine powder with honey, or as part of a compound formulation. Honey is the traditional vehicle because it carries the drug to the chest and suits a productive cough.
