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)

Kohler's Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887

Calamus (Acorum verum, Acorus of Dioscorides)
Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

 Pseudoacorus
New Kreuterbuch, Matthiolus, 1563

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:
-Headache, Vertigo, Dizziness, Dullness of the Senses
-Loss of Speech, Poor Memory

2. Moves the Blood and Qi, Clears Damp, resolves Stagnation:
-Anxiety with Palpitations; Arrhythmia
-promotes Menstruation

3. Clears Damp, moves Qi, benefits the Stomach:
-Colic, Indigestion, Diarrhea

4. Warms the Kidneys:
-Edema from Cold and Damp
-lack of Bladder control

5. Resists Poison:
-classically used against various Poisons

6. Emetic
-decoction has been used as an emetic

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