Acorus, Calamus, Shi Chang Pu 石菖蒲

Sweet Flag
Vacha (Ayurveda)
Vasambu (Siddha)
Shi Chang Pu 石菖蒲 (TCM)
Shu Dag  ཤུ་དག  (Tibetan)
Waj e Turki (Unani)
 Picture
Picture Kohler’s Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887

Picture Picture
Calamus (Acorum verum, Acorus of Dioscorides)
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578
  Pseudoacorus
New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563
Picture Local variety of Calamus used in Tibetan Medicine. (Adam, 2016)

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Botanical name:


Acorus calamus (syn A. vulgaris, A. aromaticus, A. odoratus; Calamus aromaticus)

Parts used:


Root

Temperature & Taste:


Warm and dry. Pungent, Bitter

Classification:


2A APERIENT MEDICINES.   2B ATTENUATERS.   2C INCIDERS.   2G. CLEANSING.   2H. CARMINATIVES.   2I. ANTISPASMODICS
2S. STRENGTHENING MEDICINES
3C. ALEXIPHARMICS.   3D. CORDIALS & CARDIACS.   3F. LITHONTRIPTIC.   3G. EMMENAGOGUE.   3K. EXPECTORANT.   3M. ARTHRITIC.
3N. EMETICS
4a. CEPHALIC.   4c. CARDIAC.   4e. STOMACHIC.   4f. SPLENETIC.   4g. HEPATIC.   4i. UTERINE.   4k. ARTHRITIC

Uses:


1. Clears Wind-Damp-Phlegm, Benefits Brain and Nerves: (TCM, West, Tibet, Ayurveda)
-Special medicine to restore Memory and Brain function
-Epilepsy, Headache, Vertigo, Dizziness, Paralysis
-Dullness of the Senses, Deafness, Loss of Speech, Stuttering, Head Trauma
-promotes alertness and increases intelligence and memory (Ayurveda)

2. Moves the Blood and Qi, Clears Damp, Resolves Stagnation: (TCM, West, Tibet, Ayurveda)
-promotes Menstruation, used for stoppage or painful Menstruation
-moves the Blood; internally and externally for Bruising, Trauma, Blood stagnation
-“improves the complexion” (Avicenna)

3. Clears Damp, Moves Qi, Benefits the Stomach: (TCM, West, Tibet, Ayurveda)
-promotes appetite and digestion; Indigestion, Colic, Diarrhea
-obstructions of the Liver and Spleen

4. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine, Warms the Kidneys: (West, Tibet, Ayurveda, TCM)
-Edema or obstructed Urine from Cold and Damp
-lack of Bladder control
-Arthralgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis (TCM, Tibetan Medicine)

5. Resists Poison: (West, Tibet, TCM)
-classically used against various Poisons
-Infectious and Epidemic diseases; Plague; both to preserve and cure

6. Emetic
-decoction has been used as an emetic

7. Externally:
-applied as a fomentation for colic and abdominal pain
-applied to Wind-Cold_damp type nerve, muscle and joint pains
-“useful for treating corneal thickness and opacity” (Avicenna)
-externally for Sores and Scabies
–Pityriasis and Leukoderma (Avicenna)
-decocted in wine and gargled to clear Phlegm and Damp from the Head
-pain of the stomach or abdomen, powder, fry and apply the powder while hot (TCM)


Dose:


… available in PRO version

Substitutes:


… available in PRO version

Main Combinations:


Calamus, Galangal
Calamus, Peony
Calamus, Rue

1. Epigastric pain and distention, nausea, poor appetite from Damp-Cold-Phlegm, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
2. Warm and strengthen the Kidneys, Brain and Nerves; Epilepsy, Poor Memory, increase Libido, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
3. Epilepsy, Hysteria, Headache, Vertigo, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
4. Poor Memory, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
5. Also for Poor Memory, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
6. Strengthen the Brain, Mental Fatigue, Stress, following Brain Injury, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
7. Wind-Phlegm-Heat diseases of the Head such as Epilepsy and Seizures, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
8. Schizophrenia, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
9. Stomach weakness, Gastritis, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
10. Stomach and Kidney weakness, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
11. Gastritis with irritation, Colic, combine Calamus with  … available in PRO version
12. As a diuretic, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
13. Chronic Internal Bleeding, Calamus with  … available in PRO version
14. Syphilis, make an ointment Calamus with  … available in PRO version

Major Formulas:


Syrup of Calamus (Wirtzung)
Electuary of Calamus (Mesue)
Medicine for Infants (Pillaru Marundu) (Siddha)

Cautions:


1. Very warm and dry, therefore not suitable for Yin deficiency.
2. Due to the potential Liver toxicity of ß-asarone, it should not be used long-term, or in those with Liver disease. The American Acorus calamus var. americanus does not contain ß-asarone so has been recommended.

Main Preparations used:


Distilled Water, Candied and Confected root, Distilled Oil, Extract