Acoruscalamus: Parts used, Insecticidal, Anti-Fungal, Antitumour and Anti-Inflammatory Activity: A Review

Abstract

Acoruscalamusis a herb used for the appetite and as an aid to the digestion. It is used for fevers, stomach cramps and cholic. Their rhizomes were used for toothache and powdered rhizome for congestion. The rhizome part is also used to treat several diseases like asthma and bronchitis and as sedative. Native tribes treated cough by making a decoction of the plant as a carminative and also for cholic. It is a main medhya drug, which has the property of improving the memory power and intellect. Acoruscalamusis used in the conditions of vata and kapha, stomatopathy, hoarseness, flatulence, dyspepsia, helminthiasis, amenorrhea, dysmenorrheal, nephropathy, calculi, stragury.Acoruscalamusleaves, rhizomes and its essential oil has many biological activities16 like antispasmodic, carminative and also used for treatment of epilepsy, mental ailments, chronic diarrhea, dysentery, bronchial catarrh, intermittent and tumors. It also has the insecticidal, antifungal, antibacterial, tranquilizing, antidiarrhoeal, antidyslipidemic, neuroprotective, antioxidant, anticholinesterase, spasmolytic, vascular modulator activities. The parts used in most of the experimental studies are the leaves, roots and stem of the plant. The dry rhizome contains some of the yellow aromatic oil, calamus oil that are responsible for their medicinal and insecticidal properties. Studies were also done on their rhizome part and in its oils in order to identify the active constituents and its medicinal values.