|
|
| Medicinal Herbs -> Vachcha |
| |
Vacha literally means ‘speech’. Calamus thrives in wet, damp marshland and is a semi-aquatic perennial.
Its qualities treat similar ‘terrain’ in the whole system; sluggish, congested, heavy and wet conditions, like those of a marshland, are opposed by the warm, drying, penetrating and stimulating qualities of Vacha.
|
 |
| |
Vacha
Common name Calamus root (E), Sweet flag (E), Vach (H)
Sanskrit Vacha, Ugragandha
Latin Acorus calamus – Rhizoma (Araceae)
Energetics
Rasa (taste) Pungent, bitter, astringent
Virya (action) Heating
Vipaka (post-digestive effect) Pungent
Guna (quality) Dry, light, penetrating
Dosha effect VK-, P+
Dhatu (tissue) Plasma, muscle, fat, nerve, reproductive
Srota (channel) Nervous, digestive, circulatory, respiratory, reproductive
Constituents
Essential oil – acorin, calamine, acoretin, asarone1
Bio-Medical Action
Carminative, cephalic, nervous stimulant, anthelmintic, laxative, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory,
expectorant
Indications
1• Mind Its primary application is to open the mind, improve concentration, clarity and speech. Its
stimulating effect on majja dhatu makes it useful in treating depression and mental sluggishness
where there is mental ama. It actually scrapes mental ama and stagnation from the subtle channels
of the mind. This acrid root is also used in childhood developmental problems and in post stroke
speech difficulties. It encourages the flow of udana and prana vayu. By nourishing sadhaka pitta it
specifically strengthens the ability of the mind to receive information and recall from memory.
2•
GIT Its aromatic heating effect helps to calm the gastric nerves, prevent fermentation and clear
excess kapha with dyspepsia, flatulence and borborygmus; Vacha reduces both samana vayu and
kledaka kapha.
It is a rejuvenative to medadhatvagni and can help to reduce obesity.
Lungs Vacha clears damp, wet coughs from the lungs. It also has an affinity for the throat and
vishuddhi chakra; it clears ‘obstructions’ from the throat. Its purgative effect on the head make it an
excellent remedy for sinus congestion, nasal polyps and rhinitis from kapha aggravation. High doses
can cause vomiting and it is used as an emetic in panch karma.
3• Urine Used traditionally for urinary gravel and infections by removing the kapha deposits.
Ayurvedic Action
Deepana Awakens digestive fire
Pachana Digests toxins
Lekhaniya Scrapes out accumulations
Pramathi Removes accumulated doshas from the dhatus
1 Williamson
2 Paranjpe
3 Frawley and Lad
Vacha
Kriminashaka Destroys worms
Unmadaghna Benefits emotional problems
Apasmaraghna Used to treat epilepsy
SamjanasthapanaRestores consciousness
Manas rasayana Rejuvenative to the mind
Shirovirechan Purges the orifices of the head of kapha and ama
Sara Laxative
Combinations
• Brahmi, Gotu kola, Shankhapushpi for mental clarity and to remove speech impairments.
• Cardamom, Fennel, Ginger for cold, damp deposits in the GIT.
• Licorice, Vasa, Tulsi in lung congestion.
• Gokshura, Shilajit, Coriander for urinary gravel.
Contraindications
Not during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Use one month on, one month off.
Dosage
1–5g/day dried root or 1–5ml/day of a 1:5 @ 60% tincture.
Safety
No drug herb interactions are known.
Notes
• It is mainly cultivated in north India as an evergreen rhizome.
• Acorus gramineus also grows in India.
• Four varieties are mentioned in the Bhavaprakasha but Acorus calamus is the accepted species.
• It is sometimes purifed by boiling it in Ginger juice or milk.
• Always combine it with other aromatic herbs to offset the emetic nature; e.g. Fennel,
Cardamom and Peppermint.
• It is banned in the USA by the FDA due to containing B-asarone that is considered to be
carcinogenic. B-asarone is not present in all varieties.
|
| Post an Enquiry |
|
|
