Medicinal Properties of Acorus calamus

Abstract

In Ayurveda many medicinal plants are described and are widely used by traditional practitioners for curing and controlling various diseases. Acorus calamus is one of the important herbs known for its medicinal properties. In the ancient medicine it was mainly used for its effect on central nervous system. It is a perennial, aromatic herb with creeping rhizomes commonly known as sweet flag and contains a wide variety of phytoconstituents having different medicinal properties. Exploring these properties can lead to a path for new drug discovery. This review is an attempt to summarize the important pharmacological studies done on Acorus calamus. Keywords: Acorus calamus, Sweet flag, Vacha, medicinal plants.