Acorus Calamus: A Review
Keywords:
Acorus, Diseases, ProtectionAbstract
We found that Ayurveda, can serve as a “goldmine” for novel anti-inflammatory agents to treat chronic diseases. The current review is an attempt to provide description of one of the important ayurvedic plant and its treatment in various types of diseases. It is used in ailments like bronchitis, nervous disorders, colic, chest pain, diarrhoea, flatulence, ingestion, rheumatism, cough, fever, depression, tumors, skin diseases, acts as cryoprotective, inflammation and other nervous disorders. It is anti-microbial, anti-cancerous and also shown anti-diabetic potential. A number of active phytoconstituents have isolated and characterized from leaves and rhizomes, containing important essential oils. Its important therapeutic potentials are present in the rhizome part of the plant. Constituents, α-asarone and β-asarone are the predominant bioactive compounds found in this plant. At higher doses, genotoxicity and mutagenicity of α- and β-asarone have been reported in various studies, this limits its use. Ayurvedic plant with their active chemical components and the inflammatory pathways that they inhibit are yet clearly to understand.
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