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Botanical Classification |
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Kingdom |
Plantae |
Division |
Magnoliophyta |
Class |
Liliopsida |
Order |
acorales |
Family |
acoraceae |
Genus |
Acorus |
Species |
Calamus |
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Family |
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Botanical – araceae
Ayurvedic – saran kul
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Other Names |
- English : Sweet Flag
- Hindi : Bacc, Gorbacc
- Kannada : Baji
- Malayalam : Vayampu
- Sanskrit : Vaca Ugragandha
- Tamil : Vasampu
- Telugu : Vasa
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Habitat |
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Throughout India ~ areas elevated upto 1800 m. in marshes, also cultivated.
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Morphology |
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A semi-aquatic rhizomatous perennial herb, rhizome creeping, much branched, as thick as the middle finger, cylindrical or slightly compressed, light brown or pinkish brown externally, white and spongy within; leaves bright green, distichous, ensiform, base equitant, thickened in the middle, margins wavy; flowers light brown densely packed in sessile cylindric spadix; fruits oblong turbinate berries with a pyramidal top; seeds few, pendant from the apex of the cells.
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Chemical Constituents |
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It yields a light brown to brownish yellow volatile oil known as CALAMUS OIL. The important constituents are asarone and its ~-isomer. Other-constituents are calamenol; calamene, calamenone, methyleugenol. eugenol and a-pinene and camphene, lJtesence ofsmciJl quantities of palmitic, heptylic and butyIic acids, asaronaldehyde, calamol, calamone and azulene has also been reported. Sesquiterpenic ketones like acorone, calarene, calacone, calacorene, acorenone, acolamone, isoacolamone, epishyobunone, shyobunone, isoshyobunone and acoragermacrone, and alcohols like isocalamendiol and preisocalamendiol are also present.
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Pharmacology |
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Root extract exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Aspergilius niger (Comp. Physiol. Ecol. 1987, 12, 49; Chem. Abstr. 1987, 107, 151207 b). (Z, Z) 4, 7-Decadienal isolated from oil and synthesised (Essential Oil Res., Proc. Int.Symp Essent. Oils, 16th 1986, 215; Chemical. Abstract. 1987, 106, 72677 f); two new compounds - (Z)3-(2,4,5-tnmethoxyphenyl)-2-propenal and 2,3-dihydro-4,5,7-trimethoxy-l-ethyl-2-methyl-3-(2,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)indene (1)-isolated from rhizomes and their structures elucidated and confirmed by synthesis (Phytochemistry 1986, 25, 553).
According to ayurveda it contains
- Gunna (properties) – tikshan (sharp) and laghu (light)
- Rasa (taste) – tickt (bitter) and katu (pungent)
- Virya (potency) – ushan (hot)
- Prabhav (action) – brain tonic
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Toxicology |
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It has no toxic effect on human body if taken in limited amount
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Plant part used |
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Rhizomes
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Indication |
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- Arthritis
- Paralysis
- Mental disorders
- Convulsions
- Nervous disorders
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- Renal calculi
- Cough, cold and asthma
- Skin disorders
- Stammering
- Throat related problems
- Obesity
- Fever
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Uses |
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Paste- it is used in relieveing pain and is applied locally in case of arthritis, paralysis and joint pains. It s also used in application on painful pile masses.
Powder – it is used in mind relate problems like convulsion, epilepsy, psycosis, stress, depression and any kind of nervouor disorders. It also ued in digestive trat related disorders like loss of appetite, constipation, distension, pain abdomen, piles etc. It is very effective in respiratory disorders like cough, cold, throat disorders, asthma etc. It is beneficial in urine related problems and good results have been seen in renal calculi. Its actins have also been seen on menstrual disturbances. Good results have also been seen on skin disorders. It is also helpful in obesity for decresing fatty deposits in the body. Used in removing stammering problems in individuals. It helps in lowering down the temperature of the body. It imporoves the genaral body condition.
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