[8] It has a large number of names in other languages, including kuṣṭha in Sanskrit; kust or qust in Arabic and Persian; kut, kur, and pachak in Hindi and Bengali, kostum, gostham, and potchuk in Tamil; upaleta and kur in Gujarati; kot or kust in Punjabi; changala in Telugu; sepuddy in Malayalam; kostha in Kannada; kuth or postkhai in Kashmiri; and kosht (קשט) in Hebrew; koto in Swahili; mu xiang in Chinese.

[14][15][16] It is usually found at elevations of 2,500 to 3,000 m (8,200 to 9,800 ft) asl in India; including the Himalayas, Kashmir, Jammu, Western Ghats, and the Kishenganga Valley.

[19] The root of Dolomiaea costus is mentioned in rabbinical writings as kosht (Hebrew: קשט), reflecting its arrowhead shape.

"Treat with the Indian incense, for it has healing for seven diseases; it is to be sniffed by one having throat trouble, and to be put into one side of the mouth of one suffering from pleurisy.".

[24] In Ayurveda, the name kushta refers to an ancient Vedic plant god mentioned in the Atharvaveda as a remedy for takman, the archetypal disease of excess or jvara (fever).

[12] In Ayurveda, kushta is a rasayana for Vata, considered to normalize and strengthen digestion, cleanse the body of toxic accumulations, enhance fertility, and reduce pain.

Its dried powder is the principal ingredient in an ointment for ulcers; it is also a hair wash.[11][24] Costus rhizome is used for curing woolen cloth in hill area of Uttarakhand.

As well, the dried sticks are commonly found cut up into thin slices to be used as lightings for shrines or as tonics for hot baths.

According to CITES trade data, China and India are the main exporters of the product itself with Hong Kong following close behind as a noted re-exporter.

Habitat loss continues due to road construction and military establishments in many of the cultivation areas, decreasing its yield globally.

Habitat destruction in the form of recreational activities and urbanization is as well limiting its ability to be cultivated, again decreasing global yield of this product.

[26][full citation needed] In another study, a camp workshop held in Lucknow assessed the plant as "Critically Endangered new" nationally in India, holding a population decline of 70% in the last 10 years.

[27][full citation needed] Another CAMP workshop for northern India assessed it as "Critically Endangered new" in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.