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Kusumbha

Carthamus tinctorius

Kusumbha (Carthamus tinctorius) is a plant drug, also called Kusuma, Barre and Kusumb. Linoleic acid in seed oil is well-absorbed (>80%). Carthamin (red pigment) has limited systemic absorption but good topical activity. Liposomal encapsulation of HSYA improves oral bioavailability by 5-fold.

Key facts
Botanical nameCarthamus tinctorius
FamilyAsteraceae · other entries in this family
OrderAsterales
Taxon identifiersGBIF 3138327 · Wikidata Q156625 · NCBI Taxonomy 4222
Names in other languages
Sanskritकुसुम्भ (kusumbha)
Hindiकुसुम (kusuma), Barre, Kusumb
EnglishBastard saffron. Safflower, Parrot seed. Bastard saffron, Safflower
TamilKartum, Kusam, Kusumb, Senturkam, குஸும்ப
MalayalamChendurakam, Chentukam, Kuyimpu
TeluguKusumbaa, Kusumulu, Sendurakam, Senturakam
KannadaKasube, Kusubeegida, Kusumekalu
MarathiKardi
BengaliBarre, Kusum, Kusum phool
GujaratiKarad, Kusumbo
UrduKusum
PunjabiKusum
OriyaKusum
AssameseAkharij, Jhartam

Sources: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; Flowers of India / "Names of Plants in India" Safflower page gives Hindi "कुसुम Kusum", Sanskrit "कुसुम्भ Kusumbh", Tamil "குஸும்ப Kusumba", Bengali কুসুম, Kannada ಕುಸುಬೆ.; Flowers of India / "Names of Plants in India", Safflower page: Sanskrit "कुसुम्भ Kusumbh".; Flowers of India, Safflower page: Tamil "குஸும்ப Kusumba".. How we source.

The evidence at a glance

12papers on this site for this drug, published 2013 to 2026, every one with a DOI.

  • 6Other clinical studies and reviews
  • 6Laboratory and animal studies

A count is not a conclusion and a tier is a study design, not a verdict. Everything listed here is laboratory or animal work, which does not show an effect in people. Each paper is listed with what it measured on the page below. See the research index for how papers are tiered.

Names and identification

LanguageName
EnglishKusumbha

Ayurvedic pharmacology (Dravyaguna)

PropertyValueDescription
Rasa (Taste)Katu, MadhuraPrimary taste
Guna (Quality)Guru, TikshnaPhysical quality
Virya (Potency)UshnaHeating/Cooling effect
Vipaka (Post-digestive)KatuPost-digestive effect

Dosage forms and preparation

Dosage Forms: Taila (Safflower seed oil), Churna (flower/seed powder), Kashayam (flower decoction), Capsule, Lepa (flower paste for external use)

Standard Dosage: 5-10 mL safflower oil daily; 2-4 g flower powder; 30-50 mL flower decoction; 500 mg capsule twice daily

Optimal Timing: Oil: with meals; flower preparations: after meals; decoction for emmenagogue effect: during relevant menstrual phase under guidance

Storage: Safflower oil in dark glass bottles, refrigerated (2-8°C) after opening. Flower powder in airtight, light-protected containers at 15-25°C. Nitrogen-flushed packaging extends oil stability.

Marker Compounds: Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), Carthamin, Carthamidin, Safflor yellow B, Linoleic acid, Oleic acid, Serotonin derivatives, N-feruloyl serotonin

Synergistic Combinations

Published research

Literature indexed in PubMed that concerns this subject, grouped by study type. A paper appearing here is a record of what has been published, not evidence that the subject works, and laboratory or animal results do not transfer to people. Study titles link to PubMed so you can read the source rather than take our word.

Other clinical studies and reviews6

  1. Bai H, Yang J, Wang R. 2025. Carthamus tinctorius L.: a comprehensive review of its ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical applicationsFrontiers in pharmacology. PMID 40918514 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2025.1609299
  2. Patel P, Wang JY, Mineroff J and others. 2023. The potential cutaneous benefits of Carthamus tinctorius oleosomesArchives of dermatological research. PMID 38060028 · doi:10.1007/s00403-023-02750-y
  3. Liang Y, Wang L. 2022. Carthamus tinctorius L.: A natural neuroprotective source for anti-Alzheimer's disease drugsJournal of ethnopharmacology. PMID 36041691 · doi:10.1016/j.jep.2022.115656
  4. Wu X, Cai X, Ai J and others. 2021. Extraction, Structures, Bioactivities and Structure-Function Analysis of the Polysaccharides From Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)Frontiers in pharmacology. PMID 34744747 · doi:10.3389/fphar.2021.767947
  5. Zhang LL, Tian K, Tang ZH and others. 2016. Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Carthamus tinctorius LThe American journal of Chinese medicine. PMID 27080938 · doi:10.1142/S0192415X16500130
  6. Asgarpanah J, Kazemivash N. 2013. Phytochemistry, pharmacology and medicinal properties of Carthamus tinctorius LChinese journal of integrative medicine. PMID 23371463 · doi:10.1007/s11655-013-1354-5

Laboratory and animal studies6

  1. Hu X, Yu Y, Wei C and others. 2026. Multi-component synergy of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) against hypertension-dyslipidemia: Network pharmacology and molecular docking studyComputational biology and chemistry. PMID 41391263 · doi:10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2025.108831
  2. Shen R, Zhao W, Wang Y and others. 2025. Multi-omics analysis reveals Angelica sinensis-Carthamus tinctorius herb pair ameliorates diabetic retinopathy comorbid with depressive symptoms via the gut-eye-brain axisPhytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology. PMID 40449450 · doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2025.156874
  3. Yang R, Lin F, Wang W and others. 2024. Investigating the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Carthamus tinctorius L.-derived nanovesicles in atherosclerosis treatmentCell communication and signaling : CCS. PMID 38475787 · doi:10.1186/s12964-024-01561-6
  4. Wu Z, Yang T, Qin R and others. 2023. Complete Mitogenome and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Carthamus tinctorius LGenes. PMID 37239339 · doi:10.3390/genes14050979
  5. Sardouei-Nasab S, Nemati Z, Mohammadi-Nejad G and others. 2023. Phylogenomic investigation of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) and related species using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS)Scientific reports. PMID 37069212 · doi:10.1038/s41598-023-33347-0
  6. Li L, Liu J, Li X and others. 2022. Sesquiterpenoids from the Florets of Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) and Their Anti-Atherosclerotic ActivityNutrients. PMID 36558507 · doi:10.3390/nu14245348

Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 11 October 2026. What that review covered.

Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same dravya is given, withheld or substituted depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already taking. A page cannot know any of that. Self-prescribing from a reference is how the wrong preparation, the wrong dose or the wrong anupana gets used.

Educational reference only. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or a recommendation to take anything. Traditional uses and research findings are reported as published, not as claims about what any product does. If you take prescribed medication, raise any interaction with the prescriber rather than acting on a page. See our editorial standards.