Calamus Oil

Common Name	:	Calamus Essential Oil
Botanical Name	:	Acorus calamus
Country of Origin	:	India
Parts Used	:	Root
Extraction	:	Steam Distillation

Extraction:
It is extracted using the fresh roots or the unpeeled dried root by steam distillation.

Chemical Composition:
It contains acorenone, b-gurjunene, isoshyobunine, b-asarone, calamendiol, a-selinene, a-calacorene, calamusenone, camphone and shyobunone.

Description:
Calamus Oil is prepared from calamus, a red-like aquatic plant that grows up to 1 meter. It has sword-shaped leaves and small greenish-yellow flowers. This plant generally grows beside lakes and streams. Its leaves resemble to Yellow Flag and thus, popularly known as Sweet Flag. Calamus plant parts have peculiar, agreeable fragrance. This plant is mostly grown for its rhizomes.

Uses:
Calamus Oil is widely used as an aromatic stimulant and tonic especially for vertigo, headaches, nervous complaints and dysentery. It is also used in herbal medicines as an aromatic bitter.

Some other uses of calamus oil are mentioned below:

• Soap making ingredients
• Lotions and massage oils
• Diffusers, potpourri
• Scent, air fresheners, body fragrance
• Perfume oils, aromatherapy products, bath oils, towel scenting
• Facial steams
• Hair treatments

Therapeutic Properties:
Calamus Oil has a vast usage in United States, British and other Pharmacopceias. Some of its therapeutic uses include the following:

• It is used as a carminative in order to remove discomfort caused by flatulence and also checks the growth of bacteria behind this problem
• To increase the appetite and benefit digestion; used as fluid extract, infusion or tincture
• It is also used as a stomachic and flavouring agent
• Used with inhalations blends

Precautions:
The essential oil has carcinogenic properties. Should be avoided during aromatherapy.

Blends with:
Cananga, labdanum, olibanum, cinnamon, cedar wood, amyris, oregano, patchouli, spice and other oriental bases.

Essential Oil Properties:
It is bactericidal, carminative, hypotensive, insecticide, anticonvulsant, antiseptic, spasmolytic, stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, stomachic, tonic, vermifuge.

Summary:
Calamus oil has a warm, spicy odor, reminiscent of a sweet forest. It is widely used in medicines, perfumery and other products.