The efficacy and function of Acorus calamus

As people's living standards improve, they pay more attention to health preservation. Many people know that the traditional Chinese medicine Acorus calamus is good for the body and can treat many diseases. Let’s learn about it today.

[Other names] Nichang, Shuichang, Shuisu, stem cattail, Baichang, Stream cattail, Lansun, Changcattail, Changyang mud cattail, Cattail sword, water star anise grass, domestic cattail, stinking cattail, large-leaf cattail, earth cattail

[Source] Medicinal material source: The rhizome of Acorus calamus, a plant of the Araceae family.

[Original form] Acorus calamus, perennial herb. The rhizome is horizontal, slightly flat, branched, 5-10mm in diameter, with a yellowish-brown, fragrant outer skin, and numerous fleshy roots, 5-6cm long, with hair-like fibrous roots. The leaves are basal, membranous on both sides of the base, the leaf sheath is 4-5mm wide, gradually narrowing upwards; the leaf blades are sword-shaped linear, 90-150cm long, 1-3cm wide in the middle, wide at the base, folded in half, gradually narrowing above the middle, herbaceous, green, shiny, the midrib is obviously raised on both sides, and there are 3-5 pairs of lateral veins, which are parallel, slender, and mostly extend to the tip of the leaf. Inflorescence stalk is triangular, 15-50cm long; leaf spathe is sword-shaped and linear, 30-40cm long; spadix is ​​obliquely upward or nearly erect, narrowly conical cylindrical, 4.5-8cm long and 6-12mm in diameter. The flowers are yellow-green, with tepals about 2.5mm long and 1mm wide; filaments about 2.5mm long and 1mm wide; ovary is oblong, about 3mm long and 1.25mm thick. The berries are oblong and red. Flowering period is from February to September.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Grown on waterside, swamp wetlands or lake floating islands below 2600m above sea level, and also cultivated.

[Cultivation] 1. Biological characteristics: likes warm and humid climate, likes sunshine, and can tolerate severe cold. It is advisable to choose moist black soil rich in humus for cultivation. It can also be planted in low-lying places such as swamps, streams, ponds, etc.

[Properties] 1. Property identification: The rhizome is oblate and cylindrical with few branches; 10-24cm long and 1-1.5cm in diameter. The surface is off-white to brown-red with fine longitudinal lines; the internodes are 0.2-1.5cm long, with larger triangular leaf scars on the upper side and sunken dot-shaped root scars on the lower side, with brown hairs remaining on the nodes. It is hard, with a spongy fracture surface, off-white or light brown; the cross-section has an obvious endodermal ring, with many small cavities and vascular bundle dots; the odor is strong and specific, and the taste is bitter and pungent. The best ones are those with thick rhizomes, yellow-white surface, and without scales, leaves and fibrous roots.

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[Pharmacological action] 1. Effect on the central nervous system: Intraperitoneal injection of Acorus calamus alcohol extract in rats can prolong the sleep time caused by sodium pentobarbital, and can also prolong the disappearance time of the righting reflex caused by ethanol or ether. It has a significant inhibitory effect on the conditioned escape response of rats. Similar to chlorpromazine, it can also lower the body temperature of rats and significantly reduce the aggressive behavior of mice kept in separate cages. However, the alcohol extract had no significant effect on the spontaneous activity of mice; nor did it affect the aggressive behavior and fighting reaction of rats induced by dehydrated morphine, and had no protective effect on the poisoning of mice caused by amphetamine. Chlorpromazine had a significant effect on the above-mentioned effects of dehydrated morphine and amphetamine. Intraperitoneal injection of alcohol extract in mice has a protective effect against convulsions and death caused by pentylenetetrazol. Although clonic convulsions can still occur in mice in the drug group, their severity and frequency are greatly reduced, the incubation period and survival time are also greatly prolonged, and the mortality rate is reduced. It has no protective effect against strychnine convulsions and electric convulsions in mice, and has no analgesic effect on the writhing reaction of mice caused by acetic acid, and the pain reaction caused by the hot plate method and mechanical tail pressure method.

[Processing] Take the original medicinal materials, remove impurities, wash, soak in clean water for 2-4 hours, take out and steam until thoroughly moistened, slice, dry in the sun or in an oven, and sieve out the ash.

【Nature and flavor】 Spicy; bitter; warm

【Meridian】 Heart; Liver; Stomach

【Functions and indications】Resolving phlegm and invigorating the orifices; removing dampness and strengthening the stomach; killing insects and relieving itching. It is used for coma caused by phlegm, stroke, epilepsy, palpitations and forgetfulness, tinnitus and deafness, abdominal pain caused by food stagnation, dysentery and diarrhea, rheumatic pain, eczema, and scabies.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct 3-6g; or make into pills or powder. For external use: take appropriate amount, decoct in water for washing or grind into powder for application.

[Note] Patients with Yin deficiency and Yang hyperactivity, excessive sweating and slippery semen should take with caution. "Qingdao Handbook of Chinese Herbal Medicine": "It is contraindicated for those with insufficient Yin blood, excessive sweating, and spermatorrhea."

[Additional prescription] The rhizome of this product is fat and white, so it is called Baichang. They grow near water, so they are often named after water. The one that grows in streams is called stream sun. Sun is a fragrant herb with a unique fragrance, hence the name Su, or it may be called stinky cattail.

【Discussions by various scholars】 1. "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Water calamus grows in many streams and swamps. Its leaves are similar, but there is no ridge in the center. After being picked, it is light and has many residues, which is not as good as stone calamus. It is not suitable for medicinal use, but it can be ground into powder and mixed with oil to treat scabies. Nowadays, the two kinds of calamus sold in drugstores are often mixed together, which is particularly difficult to distinguish." 2. "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Acorus calamus, also known as orchid sun, grows in water and dries up when it loses water. The one with dense roots has a strong smell." 3. "Compendium of Materia Medica": "There are two kinds of calamus: one with large roots, fat white nodes and sparse nodes is white calamus, commonly known as mud calamus; the other with thin roots and slightly dense red nodes is stream sun, commonly known as water calamus. Both leaves have no sword ridges. The smell of stream sun is better than that of white calamus, and it can kill insects, but it is not suitable for consumption."

[Clinical application] It is used for patients with sweating, phlegm, heat, convulsions, and unclear consciousness. Acorus calamus can be used in combination with Coptis chinensis, Rhizoma Cibotii, Semen Cassiae, Uncaria rhynchophylla, etc. to extinguish wind and resolve phlegm, clear the heart and open the orifices; if phlegm and fire disturb the mind, causing restlessness, palpitations and forgetfulness, it can be used in combination with tranquilizing and soothing drugs such as Yuantan, Poria, and Dragon Bone; to treat sudden onset of epilepsy, it can be used together with anti-epilepsy and expectorant drugs such as Quanxie, Baifuzi, and Arisaema. Acorus calamus also has the functions of aromatically clearing turbidity, promoting qi and strengthening the stomach, so it is also used for symptoms such as epigastric pain, chest and abdominal fullness, poor appetite, and greasy tongue coating caused by dampness and turbidity blocking the middle of the stomach. It is often used together with Patchouli, Cardamom, and Tangerine Peel, which has the effects of promoting qi and removing congestion, relieving fullness and awakening the stomach. In modern clinical practice, it is used to treat acute bacillary dysentery and enteritis. It is often ground into powder and put into capsules for oral administration, which has a good therapeutic effect. Acorus calamus is also used to treat chronic bronchitis, cough and sputum. It can be decocted alone or ground into powder for oral administration.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Above we introduced what calamus is. We know that calamus has very comprehensive effects and functions, so we can use calamus as a means of regulating the body in daily life.