Gently boil dried and crushed roots in water for about fifteen minutes, then strain. This liquid was traditionally used externally to cool the skin or in small amounts internally. Dosage should be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
Cut roots are left to macerate for several weeks in a neutral vegetable oil, away from light, then filtered. This fragrant oil was applied to the skin or used for massage in the traditions of the Indian subcontinent. Dosage should be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
A few fresh or dried leaves are infused in hot water for a few minutes. This simple preparation was used occasionally and in low doses in certain rural traditions. Dosage should be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
Dried vetiver root and sometimes leaves can be found at certain specialized herbalists or importers of Asian plants; the plant itself can also be cultivated in gardens in warm and humid regions.
The roots, the most valuable part, are traditionally harvested at the end of the dry season, when their aromatic content is at its richest.