Calamus Root Essential Oil (India)
Product Name: Calamus Root Essential Oil (India)
Botanic Name: Acorus calamus
Botanical Name: Acorus calamus
Plant Part: Root
Extraction Method: Steam Distilled
Description: A perennial plant, Calamus Root grows to a height of 1m
with a spread of 0.5m. The rhizome is horizontal, creeping, cylindrical,
branched and up to 2m long, with a spicy aroma; the fruit are greenish berries.
Indigenous to the northern hemisphere, it prefers lake margins, swampy ditches,
or marshes in a protected position. It is frost resistant, but drought tender.
Aromatic Scent: Calamus Root has a refreshing scent similar to cinnamon.
Common Uses: The chemical constituents of Calamus Root Oil make it a
stimulant for the brain and nervous system. It is used to promote cerebral
circulation, and to help manage a wide range of symptoms including neuralgia,
epilepsy, memory loss and shock.
History: Calamus Root, also known as Sweet Flag, was well-known in
Biblical times and mentioned in Exodus 30: 22-25 as one of the ingredients of
the 'holy anointing oil'. This herb has traditionally been smoked, eaten, or
brewed into a tea, decoction, extract, tincture and syrup. Widely used north of
the equator, Calamus was used by the ancient Greeks, throughout Europe as a
medicinal, and by the aboriginal peoples of North America. In the British
Isles, its insecticidal and antimicrobial properties made it a favourite to use
for thatch. In Ayurvedic tradition, where it is known as Vacha, it is still
used as an aphrodisiac.
Cautions: Caution is advised on the use of this essential oil, since
large doses can cause mild hallucinations. The essential oil in the roots of
this plant contains the compound asarone. This has tranquillizing and
antibiotic activity, but is also potentially toxic. Use well diluted and avoid
during pregnancy
