Lobelia and Calamus Combination

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Lobelia and Calamus Combination Tea (Loose) 4 oz 513021 $16.41
8 oz 513022 $26.01
Lobelia and Calamus Combination Tea 25 tea bags 513023 $19.63
50 tea bags 513024 $30.23
Lobelia and Calamus Combination Cream 2 oz 513025 $27.62
Lobelia and Calamus Combination - Salve Ointment 2 oz 513026 $34.34
Lobelia & Calamus Combination Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5) 1 oz - No Flavor 522672 $20.16
1 oz - Strawberry 522673 $22.29
1 oz - Vanilla 522674 $22.29
1 oz - Chocolate 522675 $22.29
1 oz - Mint 522676 $22.29
Lobelia and Calamus Combination - 450 mg 100 capsules 513018 $23.21
Lobelia and Calamus Combination Powder 4 oz 513019 $21.48
1 oz 513020 $10.48

Lobelia

Lobeline has not proven to be very effective in smoking cessation, and even modest doses may cause some nausea. Large doses can be very toxic. Use of the nicotine patch is associated with a much higher smoking cessation rate and is preferred. Similarly, there are many prescription medications for asthma and stomach cramps that are both safer and more effective. Lobelia should not be used by pregnant women.
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Peggy
ZIN: 522674 - Lobelia & Calamus Combination Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
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  what I was looking for
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Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2015.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2013.
  great service!
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ZIN: 513023 - Lobelia and Calamus Combination Tea  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2012.
  great service
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ZIN: 513022 - Lobelia and Calamus Combination Tea (Loose)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2012.
  Great Value!
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ZIN: 513018 - Lobelia and Calamus Combination - 450 mg  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2012.
  Thank you
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ZIN: 513023 - Lobelia and Calamus Combination Tea  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2012.
  thank you
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ZIN: 513020 - Lobelia and Calamus Combination Powder  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2012.
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ZIN: 522673 - Lobelia & Calamus Combination Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
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Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2009.
  Lobelia & Calamus Combination Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5) - Chocolate Flavored
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  What I needed
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ZIN: 513026 - Lobelia and Calamus Combination - Salve Ointment  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2006.
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ZIN: 513019 - Lobelia and Calamus Combination Powder  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2005.
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ZIN: 513018 - Lobelia and Calamus Combination - 450 mg  Verified Purchase
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Calamus Root

Images Product Name Size ZIN Price Quantity Add to Cart
Calamus Root Tea (Loose) 4 oz 515055 $15.11
8 oz 515056 $23.61
Calamus Root Tea 25 tea bags 515057 $18.81
50 tea bags 515058 $28.74
Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5) 1 fl oz - No Flavor 428076 $17.89
1 fl oz - Strawberry 428077 $18.79
Calamus Root - Salve Ointment 2 oz 428078 $34.31
Calamus Root - Cream 2 oz 428079 $27.56
Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5) 1 fl oz - Chocolate 428218 $18.79
1 fl oz - Vanilla 428242 $18.79
1 fl oz - Mint 428300 $18.79
Calamus Root - 450 mg 100 capsules 510986 $23.02
Calamus Root Powder 4 oz 510987 $20.41
1 oz 510988 $10.70

• Can be used to help with stomach problems, mental focus, quitting smoking and much more.


• No artificial, colors, flavors, or alcohol!
• A pure glycerite in a vegetable glycerin base ideal for travel or a busy lifestyle!


• Delicious tasting strawberry flavoring masks everything but the wide-ranging health benefits of calamus!
• Great for children or anyone who has difficulty swallowing pills or taking natural "unflavored" dietary supplements.


• The best tasting calamus supplement to hit the market!
• Disinfectant properties beneficial for mouth, throat, or intestinal concerns.


• Pleasant vanilla flavor with no bitter aftertaste!
• Convenient bottle and dropper is ready to use with no messy powders or preparation!


• Fantastic mint flavor in a glycerin-based calamas infusion!
• No heating or synthetic processing in the extraction process!


• Known as "holy annointing oil" in biblical times when it was a key component in incense recipes.
• Historically used by Native Indians and settlers for a variety of health reasons from bowel pains to coughs.


• Try "sweet flag" for optimal digestion!
• Beneficial for a toned and rejuvenate healthy intestinal lining!


• Demonstrated anti-convulsant and anti-spasmodic properties in laboratory studies!
• Documented health use in Asia for the past 2000 years!
In China, Calamus Root is considered to have anti-arrhythmic, hypotensive, vasodilatory, anti-tussive, disinfectant and expectorant properties. Calamus has been historically used to help support lack of mental focus, stomach problems, acidity, and as an aid to quit tobacco smoking.

Calamus has been shown to be of low toxicity in animals, and adverse reactions are rare. Though recent studies have revealed the presence of B-asarone, a carcinogen, the variety is considered superior to the European because it seems to lack this ingredient. The Natives would chew the root while running long distances to increase endurance and stamina. Externally, it is added to the bath to quiet the nerves and induce a state of tranquillity. Tincture of Calamus can be useful as a anti-septic when directly, and frequently, applied to lice and skin rashes.

Calamus root, also called sweet flag or sweet sedge, is an acrid, aromatic herb that affects the heart, stomach, spleen, and liver. The stimulant, carminative, antispasmodic, expectorant, and emetic actions of the herb are effective for helping support stomach problems, lack of mental clarity, acidity, and tobacco or marijuana addiction. The biochemical constituents of calamus include and essential oil, amino acids, organic acids, and sugars.

Calamus is an invaluable supportive for hyperacidity associated with the stomach and intestines. It has a beneficial effect on the liver and can also be used in supporting flatulence, colic, dyspepsia and most problems with the stomach, intestines and liver.

Calamus root has been used by people of Asian cultures since ancient times. In India, it is commonly sold as a condiment-spice like ginger and can be used to help support concerns of the nervous system. Ayurveda emphasizes the use of calamus root to increase mental focus (probably by focusing the digestive power), and as such it can be used as an antidote to smoking marijuana (some even include some dried and ground calamus in their marijuana mixture). Perhaps it is from this tradition that it has been found that chewing calamus root would aid in quitting the tobacco habit as the combination of the two seems to cause a mild nausea and distaste for tobacco. The combination of gotu kola for clearing the mind and supporting mental tension and calamus for helping to focus it is standard product for the central nervous system in Ayurveda.

In China, calamus root is considered to have antiarrythmic, hypotensive, vasodilatory, antitussive, disinfectant and expectorant properties. It has been shown to be of low toxicity in animals and adverse reactions are rare. Though recent studies have revealed the presence of B-asarone, a carcinogen, the variety is considered superior to the European because it seems to lack this ingredient. While calamus is frequently mentioned in the Bible, it likely refers to another plant species, not A. calamus.

The Natives would chew the root while running long distances to increase endurance and stamina. Eventually it is added to the bath to quiet the nerves and induce a state of tranquillity. Tincture of calamus can be useful as a anti-septic when directly and frequently applied to lice and skin rashes.



Calamus Root
Acorus calamus L.

Family: Acoraceae.

Other Names: Calamus; sweet flag; flag root; acore vrai (French); bacc (Hindi); Kalmus (Gennan); calamo aromatico (Italian); cálamo aromático (Spanish).

Description: A reed-like, perennial, aquatic plant with bright green, sword-shaped leaves growing from creeping rhizomes. The leaves are aromatic, relatively broad (more than 15 mm wide), with a distinct midrib. Minute flowers are grouped together in small oblong spikes. Grassy-leaved sweet flag (A. gramineus) , is well known as shi chang pu in Chinese health. It is easily recognized by the non-aromatic, narrow leaves (less than 10 mm wide) which are without a distinct midrib.

Origin: The plant is indigenous to northern temperate zones (Europe, Asia, North America); in Asian tropics it occurs from India to New Guinea. A. gramineus occurs naturally in China, Japan and Southeast Asia.

Parts Used: Rhizomes (fresh, dried or powdered).

Therapeutic Category: Bitter tonic (amarum), stimulant.

Uses and Properties: The aromatic, bitter rhizomes can be used to help support indigestion and flatulence or to help stimulate appetite. Traditional uses are mainly as a digestive and carminative, but sometimes as an emetic, antispasmodic, stimulant and disinfectant. It appears to help support stomach cramps, chronic dysentery and asthma. It is believed to have a strengthening effect on the nervous system and has been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese health. The plant was found in Tutankhamen's tomb in Egypt, and is mentioned in the Old Testament (Exodus XXX).

Active Ingredients: The essential oil contains monoterpenoids (farnesenee, geranylacetate, camphene, p-cymene, linalool) and sesquiterpenol (acorenone), especially phenylpropanoids (beta-asarone = cis-isoasarone) in the Indian variety.

Health Effects: The spasmolytic properties of the essential oil and the sedative effects of the main component of the Indian variety, beta-asarone, have been demonstrated. Asarone and the monoterpenes show useful health-supporting properties.

Status: Pharm.

Preparation and Dosage: Tinctures are generally used but dried or candied rhizomes may be directly chewed or taken as an infusion in boiling water.

Dosage: One teaspoon of the dried root steeped in a cup of water; of the liquid extract, 10-30 drops; in formula, 3-9-grams.

Calamus, in the recommended dose, may help calm an upset stomach, and perhaps calm the nerves. Large doses are said to have "ecstasy-like" (MDMA, 3,4-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine) effects, but users run the risk of intractable vomiting if they take too much. There is no evidence that calamus grown in the United States is carcinogenic, but buyers would be well advised to avoid calamus products made from plants grown in India and Asia (A. Calamus L. var. Vulgaris L.). The possibility exists that taking large amounts of calamus may lead to a false positive urine urine-screening test.

General Herb Information - The Flag Family

Flag - Several plants are called flags that technically are not flags and do not belong to the same botanic family. Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus) belongs to the Arum family, while blue (Iris versicolor) , white (I. florentina) and yellow (I. pseudacolius) "flags" belong to the Iris family. These so-called flags are grown industrially chiefly for rhizomes. In the home garden they are grown for beauty of flower and leaf and for flower arrangements.

Propagation: Usually by division of rhizomes.

Nature of Plant: Blue Flag or Water Flag, likes a wet, rich, well drained soil but will grow in an average moist shady spot in the garden; the swordlike, blue-green leaves are about 1 inch wide and 2 1/2 feet long; flowers are small, outer segments being about 2 1/2 inches long; they are a vivid purplish blue, variegated with white, yellow and green markings and purple veins; this plant makes a vivid border for a brook or pool.

Sweet Flag or Sweet Grass grows almost in water but will grow in a shady spot, normally moist, leaves have wavy margins and a conspicuous midrib a little off center, are about 1 inch wide and from 3 to 5 feet long, have a lemony, aromatic odor, the rhizome has the hot taste of ginger (an other choice plant for the edge of a brook).

Yellow Flag or European Wild Flag, called "Fleur de lys", prefers much water but will grow in a moist, shady spot in the garden; leaves are 1 inch wide and 3 feet long; flowers are small, bright yellow veined with brown, outer segments 2 or 2 1/2 inches long, particularly suitable for a natural pool or along a water course.

White Flag is the Florentine Iris, White Flower de luce; flowers are really a pale blue, outer segments about 3 1/2 inches long; wide, light green leaves about 3 1/2 feet in length, very ornamental for flower garden.

Spacing of Mature Plants: Sweet Flag 1 foot, others 18 inches.

Cultural Requirements: About every 3 years, in spring or fall, dig up plants and divide or cut rhizomes so that each piece has at least 1 good bud, in cooler climates this should be done right after blooming so that plants will get established for winter.

Uses

Rhizome: (Health) Blue Flag - Cathartic, emetic in large doses, used in jaundice; Sweet Flag - Infusion for fevers, can be used to help support dyspepsia; White Flag - Emetic and cathartic in large doses;

(Culinary) Sweet Flag - Cut up fresh rhizome, boil in syrup and cool for confection, for flavoring cream, custard, rice pudding, because of spicy taste is often substituted for ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg; Yellow Flag - Roasted, ground and used like coffee. (Do not use Blue Flag for any culinary purpose);

(Household) White Flag - Thrown in fireplace to give pleasant odor, held in mouth as a breath sweetener to disguise garlic, liquor, tobacco; Sweet Flag - Dried and used as a supportive against moths and other insects, laid among clothes and furs for the same purposes.

Powdered Root: (Industrial) Sweet Flag - To scent hair powder and tooth powder, as snuff, oil of root improves flavor of gin, some kinds of beer, bitters, tonics, Benedictine, Chartreuse, vermouth, other liqueurs and cordials; White Flag - Orris powder, basis of powders with violet scent (Iris pallida and I. germanica, also used) in violet perfumes.

Leaf: Sweet Flag - For making mats and baskets.

Flower: Yellow Flag - Used instead of galls in making ink and for yellow dye.

Medicinal Usage

Calamus has many uses. The root has long been esteemed as an aromatic bitter to tone and settle the stomach and support indigestion, gas, and heartburn. Small bits of dried or candied calamus root are chewed for these purposes. The root is considered a stimulant, carminative, tonic, bitter, and aromatic.

Tribes of the Great Plains used a decoction of the root for fever and chewed the root for coughs, colds, and toothache. Teton Dakota warriors chewed the root and applied the resulting paste to their foreheads and temples to help them be fearless in the face of enemies.

During the Great Melancholy, calamus was chewed as a tobacco substitute, and some people claim chewing the root will deter the desire to smoke. At least it's a good oral fixation!

In Indian, European, and East Indian traditions, the root is considered can be used for clearing the throat of phlegm. In India, calamus root can be used as an insecticide, disinfectant, and for diarrhea, dysentery, and bronchial trouble. Aphrodisiac properties are also attributed to the root.

Hoffer and Osmond in The Hallucinogens report numerous uses of flag root, rat root, or sweet calomel by the Crees of Northern Alberta. One Indian informant stated that calamus dispelled fatigue on long walks and made him feel as though he were walking one foot off the ground. Hoffer and Osmond also report that large doses of calamus root in controlled experiments created an experience like that of LSD. Several tribes ascribed mystic powers to the plant, and Pawnee mystery ceremonies included songs about calamus. Whether the plant was used hallucinogenically by North Indians and whether, in fact, the plant is hallucinogenic remains a mystery to modern science.

The chief chemical constituent of the oil, asarone, resembles mescaline in structure though it has an opposite effect. Calamus oil also contains beta-asarone, eugenol, azulene, pinene, cineole, camphor, and other components. In rats and cats the oil and extracts of calamus have exhibited hypotensive, anticonvulsant, and central nervous system-depressant activities.

Experiments with rats have shown the Jammu variety from India to be carcinogenic. Because of this potential carcinogenicity, in 1968 the FDA forbade the use of calamus root, oil, and extracts in human foods. However, this blanket action covering all calamus products must be questioned as only the Indian variety was used in the testings. , European, and East Indian calamus oils vary considerably in composition.

General Herb Information

Most people glancing at boggy areas harboring calamus might pass it by as a grass, sedge, or cattail. Trudging through the bog, though, you will notice a sweet musky fragrance and will soon discover this arum with grasslike leaves. Calamus is a perennial inhabitant of marshy places in Europe, Asia, and North America.

The smooth slender leaves, 1 1/2 to 6 feet high arise from horizontal rhizomes creeping in all directions just below the soil's surface. The sword-shaped leaves are a light green color and have a prominent mid-rib. The minute flowers are borne on a fingerlike green spadix, protruding one-third to one-half way up the leaf stalk at a 450 angle. The tiny yellowish-green flowers are arranged on the spadix in diamond patterns.

Calamus inhabits the edges of slow-moving creeks, ponds, and marshes. Because its roots spread, it grows in thick mats. The branching rhizomes are about as big around as a finger. The undersides of the rhizomes are anchored by numerous stringy rootlets. The fresh rhizome has a spongy texture. A seldom-seen cultivar 'Variegatus' has yellow-striped leaves.

Despite its propensity to grow in water in wild habitats, it may be grown in a fairly rich, moist garden loam with a pH from 5 to 7.5. Calamus enjoys full sun, but will do well under partial shade. Plants are easily propagated by root divisions. Plant crowns with an inch or two of attached rhizome.

Commercial plantings of calamus have been made on upland soils which produce crops of corn or potatoes, yielding 2,000 pounds of dried root per acre.

Harvesting is easy with a sharp garden spade. Roots should be dried between 85° and 90°F. The root shrinks considerably when dried, losing 70 to 75 percent of its fresh weight.

Calamus Root

Acorus calamus L.

English Common Names

Sweet flag, sweet sedge, calamus, ratroot (rat root), calamus root, flag root, sweet calomel, sweet myrtle, myrtle flag, sweet cane, sweet rush, beewort, muskrat root, pine root.

Material from sweet flag used as a health agent or food additive is usually referred to as "calamus," which is also one of the common names of the plant. The "flag" in the name is a reference to the iris-like leaves (i.e., like those of yellow flag, Iris pseudacorus L., or blue flag, I. versicolor L.), while the "sweet" refers to the pleasantly aromatic odor and (bittersweet) taste of most parts of the plant, especially the rhizome. The native North variety may be called " sweet flag" whereas the variety introduced from Europe may be called "European sweet flag." The name rat root for sweet flag reflects the fact that the rodent consumes copious quantities of the root. Calomel is mercurous chloride, which was used for health benefits in early times, and gave its name to plants used for the same purpose.

French Common Names

Belle angélique (belle-angdlique), acorus roseau, acore odorant.

Morphology

Sweet flag is a perennial herb. The erect, sword-shaped leaves up to 2 m long emerge from a tortuous, branched, underground rhizome with V-shaped leaf scales. The rhizome is whitish-pink internally, cylindrical, 1-2 cm thick and up to a metre long. The numerous yellow and green flowers are on a spike-like spadix, which is subtended by a leaf-like spathe.

Classification and Geography

Although traditionally placed in the Araceae (Arum family), recent studies have suggested that Acorus deserves to be separated into its own monotypic family, the Acoraceae. It has been contended that A. calamus may represent the oldest extant lineage of monocotyledons (one of the two great groups of flowering plants). Most authors consider Acorus to have just one species, but recent studies suggest that two taxa exist in North America and at least three worldwide.

Sweet flag is found in temperate to subtemperate regions of Eurasia and the Americas. The diploid (with 24 chromosomes) A. calamus var. americanus (Raf.) Wullf [sometimes considered a species, A. americanus (Raf.) Raf.] occurs from North America to Siberia; the tetraploid (with 48 chromosomes) A. c. var. angustatus Bess. occupies eastern and tropical southern Asia; and a sterile triploid (with 36 chromosomes), A. c. var. calamus, is in Europe, temperate India, the Himalayan region, and eastern North America. Variety calamus is differentiated from var. americanus by its lack of fruit and aborted pollen that fails to stain in standard viability tests. This triploid is believed to have been introduced from Asia to Europe and North America. A hexaploid form (with 72 chromosomes) has been reported from the Kashmir area. sweet flag, the fertile diploid, occurs in every province of Canada, with a possibly introduced collection recorded from the District of Mackenzie. European sweet flag, the sterile triploid, is relatively uncommon in Canada, but has been recorded in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. In the US, sweet flag occurs as far south as Florida, Texas and Colorado. Sweet flag may have been widely dispersed around the United States by Natives who planted it along their migratory paths to be harvested as needed. The species can often be found growing close to the sites of Indian villages, camping areas or trails.

Ecology

Sweet flag is semi-aquatic, occurring in swamps and the edges of streams, marshes, ponds and lakes.

Medicinal Uses

The rhizome of sweet flag has been employed primarily as medicine, almost everywhere the species occurs. Such usage often evolved independently. Ancient Egyptians and classical Chinese, Indian, Greek, and Roman civilizations all appear to have used sweet flag, mostly medicinally. North Indians also used it extensively for health purposes for the support of a wide variety of illnesses, and often as a panacea. Early Europeans, Chinese, Arabs, and Indians considered sweet flag to be a strong aphrodisiac, and incorporated it into love potions. In North America and New Guinea, sweet flag has been occasionally used to induce abortion.

The oil of sweet flag has been established to have disinfectant, and antiamebic properties. Not surprisingly then, sweet flag has been used frequently for disinfectant purposes: as an antiseptic, antiprotozoal agent, and to help support diverse health concerns caused by microorganisms.

At least until the middle part of this century, calamus was accepted as a legitimate health-supporting agent in Western health science, employed primarily to help support digestive upsets and fevers. Calamus is still used to a minor extent by modern doctors, mostly in Eurasia, and is encountered in several multi-ingredient commercial drug preparations marketed in Canada. The antispasm property of calamus may be the basis of supporting digestive disorders and coughs, as traditionally used. Many experimental studies have established that one of the medical virtues of calamus is its ability to help support spasms. The North variety appears to have a greater antispasmodic effect than the other varieties.

Chemistry

Sweet flag oil has been found to have hundreds of compounds, particularly phenylpropanes, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenoids. Oil of the tetraploid is very high in the carcinogenic 13-asarone (often over 90%), while the triploids have less than 5% and the diploids have none.

Non-medicinal Uses

The fragrant oil of sweet flag has been tried for many centuries in perfumes. Indeed, the value of calamus used by the North fragrance industry has exceeded $30,000,000,000 in some recent years. Occasionally, sweet flag can be been used as an edible plant. Some North Indians roasted the rhizome as a vegetable. The rhizome was candied as a confection by Europeans and early colonists. Wild food collectors sometimes use the young leaves in salads. Up until the Second World War, sweet flag was employed in North America to flavor food products, tonics, and tooth powders. Calamus oil is still used in Europe as a flavoring in alcoholic beverages. The fragrant leaves were once employed to remove disagreeable odors and deter insects. The oil of sweet flag has insecticidal properties, and can be used as a flea repellent, moth repellent, and ant repellent, and has some potential for protecting stored food products against insect pests. Sweet flag leaves were also used to weave mats and reinforce the rims of bark containers.

Agricultural and Commercial Aspects

Sweet flag has commercial promise as a natural pesticide and disinfectant agent, flavoring ingredient, perfume component, and medicine. It has been commercially cultivated for its products in various parts of Europe and Asia, and is currently cultivated as an ornamental. As a cultivated crop, the plant has the advantage of rapid propagation by rhizomes, which can be harvested within 2 years of planting. The recent finding that native Canadian plants appear free of carcinogenic 13-asarone suggests that the food and health uses that have been thought unwise require reconsideration. However, additional phytochemical and scientific study is needed. From an agricultural viewpoint, a semi-aquatic crop would not be easy to manage, but offers the possibility of creating multi-use wetlands.

Myths, Legends, Tales, Folklore, and Interesting Facts
  • Moses related how God instructed him to prepare a sacred oil with "calamus" and other sweet-smelling herbs to anoint important ritual items:

    "Take thou also unto thee the chief spice,
    of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and
    of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty,
    and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel
    of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a kin.
    And thou shall make it a holy anointing oil,
    an essence compounded after the art of
    the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil."
    (Exodus 30:22-25)

    Whether or not the calamus of the bible is sweet flag or some other herb has been debated.

  • Cardinal Wolsey of London, England was notorious for extravagant expenditures to obtain pleasant-smelling calamus from distant locations to strew on the floors of cathedrals during festivals. Up until the 20th century, "strewing herbs" were widely used in households and public buildings for sanitary and deodorant purposes.
  • The omnivorous Brer Rabbit of Joel Chandler Harris' Uncle Remus fables exclaimed that "I done got so now dat I can't eat no chicken `ceppin she's seasoned up wid calamus root."
  • In India sweet flag was employed to narcotize cobras.
  • North colonists covered their floors with lemony-smelling sweet flag leaves in order to mask the poor sanitation of the times.
  • A powder made from sweet flag rhizomes used to be smoked or chewed as a solution (because of its mild sedative effect) for tobacco addiction.
  • In medieval Europe, it came to be appreciated that sweet flag is psychotomimetic (mood-altering), and indeed it was believed to be one of the ingredients in the hallucinogenic "flying ointments" used by witches. The use of sweet flag in North America is analogous to the use of coca leaves (Erythroxylon coca Lam.) in South America, to combat fatigue, ward off hunger, and increase stamina. The Cree Indians of Alberta used to say that they could consume sweet flag and "travel great distances without touching the ground?" Canadian trappers working for the Hudson Bay Company, also used sweet flag as a stimulant, chewing a small piece when tired. It is the asarones in the oil that are psychoactive, whereas other components in the oil relax smooth muscle tissue. The narcotic capacity is much too subtle to have attracted use as a recreational inebriant.
  • Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" contains 45 ballads under the title "Calamus." He referred repeatedly to sweet flag and is said to have hidden descriptions of the mental effects in the poetry.
  • "Orders for very large quantities of calamus root or extract might arouse suspicion as it is fairly easily converted by amination to TMA-2, which is scheduled" (http:I/www.Lycaeum.org/~iamlklaus/acorus.htm). (TMA-2, a controlled drug in the US, is a hallucinogen with at least 10 times the potency of mescaline. - Asarone is naturally converted to TMA-2 in the body by amination shortly after ingestion.)
  • "Calamus is also an aphrodisiac, especially when used as an additive in your bathing-water" (http://nepenthes.lycaeum.org/Plants/Acorus/calamus.html).
  • "AAAGHHHH! The taste is horrible!" (http:// www.hyperral.org/drugs/naturallcalamus.info).


Name

Acorus calamus L. Var. us Wuiff or A. calamus L. Var. Vulgaris L., (Araceae) commonly called calamus, calamus root, sweet flag, rat root, sweet sedge, flag root, sweet calomel, sweet myrtle, sweet cane, sweet rush, beewort, muskrat root, and pine root. In French, it is Acore wai or Roseau aromatique; in German, it is Kalmus.

Source

Calamus is a perennial herb that grows in swamps and marshes. The essential oil extracted from plants grown in Europe and Asia differs from the variety. Roots and leaves are separated from the dried rhizomes, then ground to produce a pale, pink-tinged powder with a spicy smell and a slightly bitter taste. Calamus from Asia and India often contains so much toxic beta-asarone that it cannot (or should not) be used commercially.

History

Herbalists in India were the first to discover this plant. Ayurvedic practitioners used dried calamus to help support insomnia, melancholia and memory loss. Some North Indians cultivated calamus and used it as a hallucinogen. In Europe, during the late 1800s, physicians used an alcoholic extract as a sedative and painkiller, although the main use has always been to calm upset stomachs (traditional herbalists call plants that calm the stomach "carminatives"). For many years, manufacturers used calamus as a flavoring in food and soft drinks. That practice was discontinued in the 1950s when it was discovered that one of the components of calamus oil caused health problems, at least in rats. Later studies showed that the offending component was not present in the variety of calamus grown in the United States, but commercial use of calamus as a food additive is still prohibited. Use of the plant by individuals, however, is legal.

Traditional Support Uses

Carminative, stomachic, stimulant and, in the Middle East, as an aphrodisiac.

Commission E Recommendations

This herb was not reviewed by Commission E.

Possible Effects

Many active constituents have been identified in the plant's oil, but the two compounds that have received the most attention are Alpha-asarone and Beta-asarone (cisisomer). Beta-asarone is the component responsible for causing immunity issues in experimental animals. It is only present in calamus grown in Europe and Asia. The structure of both of the asarone molecules bears some resemblance to the structure of "ecstasy" (MDMA, 3,4-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine). Asarones tend to decompose overtime.

Alpha-asarone is similar in structure to reserpine, used in the past as a sedative and as a support for high blood pressure. Calamus given to animals produces exactly those same effects. The structure of alpha-asarone also bears a very strong resemblance to a molecule called chlorpromazine used to help avoid vomiting, especially in surgical and medical treatments patients. In spite of the similar structure, alpha-asarone produces exactly the opposite result - it causes vomiting. Other active ingredients are almost certainly present, but there have been so few serious scientific studies that their nature remains a mystery. The main legitimate use for calamus is very much like that of chamomile - to help support stomach upset, and as a mild sedative.

Dosage

The standard dose is 1 to 3 grams, dry or as a tea, three times a day. Liquid extracts, composed of equal parts of water and a 50 percent alcohol solution with calamus oil dissolved in it, is taken three times a day in a dose of 1-3 mL.
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Delma
ZIN: 428218 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2018.
  Great!
???Ashley
ZIN: 428300 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2018.
  good value!
Dale
ZIN: 428078 - Calamus Root - Salve Ointment  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2017.
  Excellent service!
TAMARA
ZIN: 515058 - Calamus Root Tea  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2017.
  satisfied
Danny
ZIN: 428242 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2016.
  thankyou!
Clare
ZIN: 428079 - Calamus Root - Cream  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2016.
  what I was looking for
Keith
ZIN: 428218 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2015.
  great product
robert
ZIN: 510986 - Calamus Root - 450 mg  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2015.
  good service!
Paul D
ZIN: 428242 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2015.
  Great product
Ari
ZIN: 428079 - Calamus Root - Cream  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2014.
  good product!
brenda
ZIN: 428300 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2014.
  Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5) - Mint Flavored
Charlene
ZIN: 510987 - Calamus Root Powder  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2014.
  Quality product
Kamaria
ZIN: 515056 - Calamus Root Tea (Loose)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2010.
  Very Satisfied!
Aydee
ZIN: 510987 - Calamus Root Powder  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2010.
  Works great
waldron
ZIN: 428300 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2010.
  zooscape service!
cang
ZIN: 515055 - Calamus Root Tea (Loose)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2009.
  Calamus Root Tea (Loose)
Lei
ZIN: 515057 - Calamus Root Tea  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2008.
  Buy for effect

Don't buy this tea for the taste; in fact, mix it with something that tastes good. Buy it for the effect. Calamus root awakens the subtle energy channels and clarifies the mind.

Clare
ZIN: 428078 - Calamus Root - Salve Ointment  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2008.
  great product!
Natasha
ZIN: 510986 - Calamus Root - 450 mg  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2008.
  zooscape!
Joyce
ZIN: 428300 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2007.
  Good product!
Kofi
ZIN: 515057 - Calamus Root Tea  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2005.
  Calamus Root Tea
Shirley
ZIN: 428079 - Calamus Root - Cream  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2004.
  Great Value!
Dale
ZIN: 428077 - Calamus Root - Glycerite Liquid Extract (1:5)  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2004.
  great service!
Natasha
ZIN: 510987 - Calamus Root Powder  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2003.
  Satisfied
Dale
ZIN: 510988 - Calamus Root Powder  Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2003.
  Quality product

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure any condition or disease.