Acorus calamus: Scientific Description and pharmocological activities

Common Names:
 

in English: calamus, cinnamon sedge, flag root, gladdon, kalmoes, kalmus, myrtle flag, myrtle grass, myrtle sedge, rat root, sweet calamus, sweet calomel, sweet cane, sweet flag, sweet grass, sweet myrtle, sweet root, sweet rush, sweet sedge

in Brazil: acoro verdadeiro, calamo aromatico, cana-cheirosa, cana-odorifera, tunel-de-cobra

in China: bai chang, ch’ang, ch’ang jung, ch’ang p’u, pai ch’ang, shui-ch’ang-p’u

in India: agar, agre-turki, agreturki, agri-turki, akaraveci, akkitam, arpakeci, arpakecu, athi baje, athibaje, ativacam, attakam, avatampati, ayakam, ayamavati, ayavaci, ayavari, ayavariti, bac, bacc, bach, bacha, bachh, baj, bajai, baje, baje gida, bajegida, bajo, balabaj, bare, barian, barin, bhadra, bhuta nashini, bhutanashini, boch, bodhaniya, bojho, bojo, burhia mandardo, cakatai, camanam, canakantakam, canakantam, canakappulitam, canattanam, cantankotan, cantatikam, capinakam, capinam, cataikantam, cataikkantam, cataikkentam, catakantam, catakkotan, catakkotanam, catinam, catiyattakam, cattukantam, cavukanti, cetilolam, cirakakkoni, cirakkoli, cirakoni, citakentam, civayoki, cukkulakantam, cutuvan, dagade, donia, emavati, galani, gandhilovaj, ganghilovaj, ghodavach, ghor buch, ghora bhandi, ghorabach, ghorbach, ghur, ghur baz, goda-vaj, godavaj, golomi, gorabach, gorbacc, gorbach, gorbuch, gudbach, gudbach kam bal wala, gudvach, gurbach, haimavati, haimdvati, hnim-rimtui, ikshuparni, imavari, iraccollan, irusimulam, irutimulam, jalaja, jatila, kanga, kantakapasanam, kantam, kantamacceti, kantamam, kapatakkatti, kapatamitti, kavana, kayamalaki, kayamalakikam, kayamavati, kayimavati, kayiravati, khorasani bach, khurasani bach, kiravanattukkati, kshudrapatri, kulanjan, kulomicai, lang-abap, latree, mangalya, masha, matali, mattiri, mattirikam, mokai, motai, mukkikam, mukkil, naaru baeru, naglachh, napittari, narattam, narram, nattam, nattuvacampu, nokomolitong, oak hidak, okhidak, percollamaruntu, percollan, petiyaikkattumuli, petiyaikkattumulikai, peyarcollan, peyarcollatatu, phlang bet, pillaimaruntu, pillaivalarppan, puccikolli, pullai-valathi, rakshoghni, rusimulam, sadgrantha, safed bach, safeda bach, schleshmaghni, shadagrantha, shadgranth, shadgrantha, shadgranthagolomi, shataparvika, smarani, suatang, themepru, tikshna, tikshnapatra, u-bet, ugragandha, ugragandhaha, ugragantha (ugra, strong; gantha or gandha, smell), ugragranthi, vaca, vacampu, vacha, vacha-ugra-gandhaha, vasa, vavambu, vekhand, ukkirakantai, ukkirakantam, ukkirakanti, ukkirakentai, ukkirakentam, ukkiram, ukkiri, umiyal, uraippan, uromakkilanku, vaca, vacai, vacampu, vacar, vacavaci, vach, vacha, vadaja, vaembu, vaj, vajj, vasa, vasamboo, vasambu, vasampu, vash, vashambu, vashampa, vashampe, vashanapa, vayambhu, vayambu, vayampu, vayambu, vekhand, vekuvacamutaiyayoki, vekuvacamutaiyoki, veni, verkkattai, vicamattiri, vijaya, wadaja, waj-e-turki, wasa

in Indonesia: daringo, dringo, jerango

in Japan: shobu, suruku-kusuri

in Laos: hang khao nam

in Malaysia: deringu, jerangau, jerango, jerangoh, jeringau, jeringu

in Nepal: bojho, bonjho, shete, syueda

in Okinawa: sobu

in Papua New Guinea: eseue, gakoc, lep, lepe, titik, wamala

in Philippines: acoro, bueng, dalau, dalaw, darau, daraw, dengau, dengaw, lubigan

in Tamang: sete

in Thailand: haang khaao phaa, kha chiang chee, wan nam, wann nam

in Tibetan: shu-dag, su dag

in Vietnam: th[ur]y x[uw][ow]ng b[oof], x[uw][ow]ng b[oof], b[oof] b[oof] n[ees]p

in Arabic: vaj, vash

Scientific Names (Synonyms)

Acorus americanus (Raf.) Raf.

Acorus angustatus Raf.

Acorus angustifolius Schott

Acorus asiaticus Nakai

Acorus belangeri Schott

Acorus brasiliensius Schott ex Nees

Acorus calamus var. angustifolius (Schott) Engl.

Acorus calamus var. belangeri (Schott) Engl.

Acorus calamus var. calamus

Acorus calamus var. spurius (Schott) Engl.

Acorus calamus var. verus L.

Acorus calamus var. vulgaris L.

Acorus calamus-aromaticus Clairv.

Acorus casia Bertol.

Acorus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Schott

Acorus commersonii Schott

Acorus commutatus Schott

Acorus elatus Salisb.

Acorus europaeus Dumort.

Acorus flexuosus Raf.

Acorus floridanus Raf.

Acorus gramineus Aiton

Acorus gramineus var. crassispadix Lingelsh.

Acorus gramineus var. japonica M.Hotta

Acorus gramineus var. macrospadiceus Yamam.

Acorus gramineus var. pusillus (Siebold) Engl.

Acorus griffithii Schott

Acorus macrospadiceus (Yamam.) F.N.Wei & Y.K.Li

Acorus latifolius Z.Y.Zhu

Acorus nilghirensis Schott

Acorus odoratus Lam.

Acorus palmita Licht.

Acorus pusillus Siebold

Acorus rumphianus S.Y.Hu

Acorus spurius Schott

Acorus tatarinowii Schott

Acorus terrestris Spreng.

Acorus triqueter Turcz. ex Schott

Acorus undulatus Stokes

Acorus verus (L.) Raf.

Acorus xiangyeus Z.Y.Zhu

Description:

According to Flora of Pakistan

• Perennial herb up to 80 cm tall.
• Rootstock stout, 1-1.5 cm broad, creeping, with long fibrous roots from the lower surface.
• Stem erect, glabrous, grooved at one side, and ribbed at the opposite.
• Leaves ensiform or linear, 55-100 x 8-1.5 cm.
• Spathe leaf-like, up to 46 cm long, not enclosing the spadix.
• Spadix 5-6.5 cm long, cylindrical, obtuse, 1-1.4 cm broad.
• Filaments 2 mm long, flat, anthers less than 1 mm long, ± orbicular.
• Ovary 3 mm long, obconical;
• seeds obconical, 2 mm long.

Chemicals

Eugenol, Acoradin, (+)-Camphor, beta-Asarone Curcumin, Methylisoeugenol, Cyclohexane, delta-Cadinene, Isocaespitol, Acoragermacrone, Preisocalamendiol, Shyobunon, Epishyobunone, Isoshyobunone, Isoacolamone, Acolamone, Aristolene, (-)-Cadala-1,4,9-triene, Isocalamendiol, Calacone, beta-Guaiene, Calamusenone, Acoronene, Acoric acid, Calarene, Acorenone, cis-Methyl isoeugenol, Isosinomenine

Pharmacological activity

Chewed roots used as hallucinogen and stimulant, also eaten as a stimulant on long journey; in excessive doses known to induce strong visual hallucinations. Rhizomes contain an aromatic oil suspected of causing dermatitis in hypersensitive individuals. Stembark chewed to relieve toothache; bark decoction as a gargle for toothache. Powdered roots or the fresh rhizomes vermifuge, anthelmintic; dried root powder given with honey for epilepsy; rootstock paste antiseptic to wounds; root juice in case of itching; root extract taken for diabetes and stomachache. Rhizomes antibacterial, febrifuge, pungent, aromatic bitter, neuroprotective, mild hallucinogen, carminative, antimalarial, antidiabetic, antifungal, emetic, tonic, stomachic, analgesic, antispasmodic, antiasthma, antidysenteric, insecticide, larvicidal, adulticidal (against adult of Aedes aegypti), used for gastrointestinal disorders, colic pain and diarrhea, sore throat, toothache, fever and bronchitis, cough and cold; rhizome chewed for sore throat and cough; paste of fresh rhizome applied to abdomen to treat cholera and smallpox; rhizome eaten for gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhea and dysentery; rhizome infusion drunk for snakebite; powdered mixture of rhizomes of Helminthostachys zeylanica and Acorus calamus taken to treat impotency. Household insect repellent; planted for keeping away snakes. Ceremonial, ritual, worship, amulet, cultivated near houses to protect from evil spirits, to keep away night spirits, to chase away ghosts; garland made from the rhizomes put around the neck to check cold and cough. Veterinary medicine, leaf paste applied externally on wounds of animals to kill the worms; administered to dogs to make them fierce watchdogs.