Everything You Need to Know About

Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus)

Botanical family: Acoraceae

Parts used: Roots

Overview and Health Benefits

Acorus calamus, commonly known as sweet flag, has long been valued in various traditional medicinal systems, particularly for its digestive, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties. The plant originated in Europe, but it has also been used extensively for centuries in traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India (McIntyre, 2005).

Key Benefits:

Digestive Aid: Sweet flag helps stimulate appetite, digestion and absorption of nutrients (McIntyre, 2005). It is also used to help alleviate spasms in the gut (Gilani et al., 2006) indigestion, gas, and bloating. Animal studies suggest it may help protect the liver (Ilaiyaraja & Khanum, 2011).

Neuroprotective Effects: Sweet flag has been traditionally used to ease anxiety, mental fatigue, poor memory, insomnia and other nervous complaints (McIntyre, 2005). Its mildly sedative and nervous system strengthening effects are to an extent attributed to the plant constituents asarone and beta-asarone (McIntyre, 2005). Preliminary studies suggest potential in protecting nerve cells, which could be relevant for conditions like Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases (Malik et al., 2024).

Respiratory Support: By opening the bronchi and supporting expectoration, Sweet flag can be useful to treat coughs and asthma (McIntyre, 2005; Shah & Gilani, 2010).

Anti-inflammatory Properties: Sweet flag may offer relief in conditions associated with inflammation, such as arthritis (Barua et al., 2017).

Antimicrobial Activity: Exhibits properties that could help in fighting certain bacteria and fungi (Shalini et al., 2023).

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Key Body Systems Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus) relates to

Digestive System

Respiratory system

Nervous system

Warming

Moistening

Key actions

Nervine
Antispasmodic
Anti-inflammatory
Sedative
Vulnerary

Key uses

Bloating and flatulence
Indigestion
Bronchitis
Coughs
Anxiety

Where to Find Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus)

Sweet flag is a unique, easy-to-spot herb. Look for its long, striking, sword-shaped green leaves and a distinct, spicy aroma. Look for its long, bright green leaves that grow straight up from the ground, resembling swords. These leaves can be quite tall, sometimes as long as a metre. You won’t find typical flowers on this plant. Instead, it has a greenish-yellow spike, kind of like a tail, poking out from one of the leaves.

You’ll usually find Sweet flag near water – think the edges of ponds, lakes, or in marshy areas. It loves wet, soggy ground and is common in regions with a temperate or slightly warmer climate, like parts of Asia, Europe, and North America.

If you’re thinking of picking some Sweet flag, remember to make sure you’ve got the right plant. A big giveaway is the smell – if you crush a leaf, it should release a spicy, sweet aroma. Always avoid picking plants from places that might be polluted, like near roads or factories. And remember, only take what you need, leaving plenty behind so the plant can keep growing. This is about being respectful to nature and ensuring these plants stick around for others to enjoy. If you're ever unsure about what you're picking, it's best to check with someone who knows their plants or look it up in a reliable guide. And please check the “Safety profile” section, as this herb should only be used under the supervision of a qualified medical herbalist.

References

Barua, C. C., Bodduluru, L. N., Haloi, P., Purukayastha, A., Patowary, P., Hussain, M. I., & Bora, M. (2017). Anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory activity of a polyherbal formulation against Freund’s complete adjuvant induced arthritis in Wistar rats. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 16(3), 482-489. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Prakash-Haloi/publication/316974313_Anti-arthritic_and_anti-inflammatory_activity_of_a_polyherbal_formulation_against_Freund's_complete_adjuvant_induced_arthritis_in_Wistar_rats/links/591b1ffda6fdcc701fd17297/Anti-arthritic-and-anti-inflammatory-activity-of-a-polyherbal-formulation-against-Freunds-complete-adjuvant-induced-arthritis-in-Wistar-rats.pdf

Gilani, A. U. H., Shah, A. J., Ahmad, M., & Shaheen, F. (2006). Antispasmodic effect of Acorus calamus Linn. is mediated through calcium channel blockade. Phytotherapy Research, 20(12), 1080-1084. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2000

Ilaiyaraja, N., & Khanum, F. (2011). Amelioration of alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats by Acorus calamus. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 8(4), 331-345. https://doi.org/10.3109/19390211.2011.615805

Malik, R., Kalra, S., Pooja, Govind, S., Meenu, Gahlot, V., Kajal, A., & Rimpy. (2024). Antioxidative and neuroprotective potential of Acorus calamus linn. and Cordia dichotoma G. Forst. in Alzheimer's type dementia in rodent. Brain Research, 1822, 148616. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148616

McIntyre, A. (2005). Herbal Treatment of Children: Western and Ayurvedic Perspectives. Elsevier.

Shah, A. J., & Gilani, A.-H. (2010). Bronchodilatory effect of Acorus calamus (Linn.) is mediated through multiple pathways. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 131(2), 471-477. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2010.07.024

Shalini, K., Guleria, S., Salaria, D., Rolta, R., Fadare, O. A., Mehta, J., Awofisayo, O., Mandyal, P., Shandilya, P., Kaushik, N., Choi, E. H., Chandel, S. R., & Kaushik, N. K. (2023). Antimicrobial potential of phytocompounds of Acorus calamus: in silico approach. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2023.2209653

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Overview and Health Benefits

Key Benefits: