AKA: Sweet Flag, Calamus, Muskrat Root, Rat Root

Uses: Calmative, cough suppressant, joint pain relief, cure for diarrhea and upset stomach, body cleanser, ritualistic incense, mild hallucinogenic.

What does it look like?

Until it finally blossoms and shows off its distinctive green flowers, the acorus calamus resembles the hundreds of other forest plants that have the same long sword like leaves that rise off of its branched rhizome. If you get close enough to one, you may be able to smell its roots which is said to have sweet lemony odor that would make a good candy flavor.

Its long history

Like a lot of plants with a long list of therapeutic healing properties, Calamus is thought to have come out of the mountains of Central Asia and India where it was cultivated and used for a variety of Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicines. In the 40 centuries that people have been using it, Calamus has spread throughout the world. It was used as sacred incense for both ancient Sumerian and Egyptian rituals and was mentioned by the ancient Greek Hippocrates.

 It had even made its way to Europe where it was used to freshen up churches and keep the bugs out of them.  By the 17th Century, it cultivation had spread to Central Europe and then soon after, thanks to the European settlers, it made its way to the shores of the New World.

The indigenous tribes of North America found many medicinal uses for this root that the European settlers brought over. They called it muskrat root, because of the small fur bearing mammals fondness for the plant. It is believed that the traveling tribes would sow the plant along the way to be harvested when needed, and as a way to attract the muskrat, along with its valuable fur.

Medicinal Uses

In Central Asia, Acorus Calamus has been used as a medicine for over two thousand years being a traditional folk cure for everything from arthritis to nervousness. Dioscorides, the classic Greek practitioner of medicine used the smoke of the plant breathed through a funnel as a treatment for the cough. The Chinese have used the root to help cure dizziness, deafness and epilepsy, and have also been rumored to incorporate the sweet flag along with sweet leaf (cannabis) and other ingredients to make a hallucinogenic.

Along with a cure all for headaches and diarrhea, some Native American tribes incorporated the plants mild hallucinogenic properties into their tribal ceremonies. The Cree would say the plant helped them travel great distances without touching the ground. Other tribes, including the Ojibwas of the Great Lakes area, have reported to use for both recreational and ceremonial purposes.

Until 1916, the peeled dried rhizome of Acorus Calamus was listed in the US Pharmacopoeia for treatment for stomach problems (heartburn, flatulence, and diarrhea) and even today it is used in parts of Europe to help stimulate salivary gland and produce more stomach juices.  It is also still used in Ayruvedic Medicine as a way to help revive and rejuvenate the mind and body.
While it is no longer listed as a medical treatment by the modern medical establishment, there still exists research that verifies its use as a traditional folk medicine. Small amounts of the plants are shown to help reduce stomach acidity and large amounts have been found to help increase it, explaining its effectiveness for a large range of stomach disorders. There is also proof that the plant does suppress the central nervous system, and has even been looked into as a way to treat epilepsy. There is also some scientific proof that the vapors of the plant do act as an effective insect repellent.

The extract, essential oil, etcetera

The extract of the plant has found use an effective pain reliever and cough suppressant. It is added to powders and balms for coughs, asthma and bronchitis and used for pain relief from headaches and toothaches. The essential oil (extracted from the dried root via steam distillation) is used for anticonvulsant, antiveratrinic and antiarrhythmic purposes.

Acorus Calamus can also be used as an infusion, a tincture, or a straight fluid extract. Because of the tranquilizing effect of asarone, it can also be used as an essence, but this can be poisonous when fresh. The oil should also not be used in aromatherapy, but is safe as an herbal medicine.

Calamus is thought to display good tonic properties, but seems to work best in conjunction with other tonics and stimulants. When used this way, it works well as a carmative, easing gas and bloating. It also works as a mild stimulant. The rhizome can also be used as a sedative and analgesic when extracted via alcohol helping to treat stomach and eating disorders.

Powdered Calamus root can help relieve the symptoms of motion sickness. You can also use Acorus the traditional way, by chewing on the root or infusing it in water overnight.

Warnings

Taking too much Acorus Calamus can over stimulate the stomach and cause vomiting. Calamus grown in India has also been found to contain the suspected carcinogen beta-asarone, but plants grown in North America do not contain this compound.

Hair loss and thinning: Take 1 tablespoon of acorus calamus root, add 1 tablespoon of burdock root and 2 table spoons of hops.  Pour 1 L of water and boil it for 10 minutes. Rub the infusion into your scalp 2-3 times a week.