10 Top Health Benefits and Uses of Vacha (Acorus Calamus)

What is Vacha?

Vacha has been used by sages and rishis since ancient times due to its ayurvedic medicinal benefits. As a medicine, it has been used since the time of Hippocrates. There are many advantages of Vacha such as clearing nasal congestion, improving memory, asthma, voice clarity, sedative, skin and hair care, etc. The Sanskrit meaning of Vacha is to make speech clear. It needs moist soil and grows by water margins. Vacha (Acorus Calamus) has been recognized in the Pharmacopoeia of Austria, Germany, Holland, Hungry, Italy, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and Switzerland. The medical recognition of this plant in these developed countries itself shows the medicinal significance of Vacha.

Different names of Vacha

• English: Sweet flag, Calamus root, Kalamus, Sweet sedge, Myrtle flag, Sweet-rush
• Hindi: Bacha, Ghorbach, Gorbach, Meethibach, Vekhanda, Safedbach
• Sanskrit: Bhadra, Bhutanashini, Bodhaniya, Galani, Golomi, Ikshuparni,
  Jatila, Lomasha, Kanga, Mangalya, Kshudrapatri, Rakshoghni, Schleshmaghni, Shataparvika, Shadagrantha,  Tikshna, Ugra, Ugragandha, Vacha, Vijaya
• Punjabi: Bariboj, Wach

Nutritional facts of Vacha

Vacha contains essential oil such as asarone, calemen, calamenos, and calameon. On chemical analysis, it has been found that the herb contains a volatile oil from 1.5% to 3.5%. The oil contains asaryl, asarole, and aldehyde.  It also contain sacorin – a bitter glycoside and an abandoned quantity of elements like Eugenol, Asarone, Pinene, Caffeine, Starch, and Tannin in small quantity. Leaves contain oxalic acid and calcium.

Medicinal benefit of Vacha

The rhizome of Vacha is very pungent and bitter in taste. It helps to promote memory, longevity, and good voice. The medicinal properties of Vacha are: thermogenic, aromatic, emetic, carminative, anthelmintic, laxative, stomachic, emmenagogue, expectorant, diuretic, anodyne, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, anti-convulsant, anti-septic, anti-inflammatory, sudorific, antipyretic, insecticidal, tranquilizing, nervine tonic, sedative, tonic and lekhanya.

10 best uses of Vacha

It has many pharmacology and therapeutics uses.

1. Sinus congestion: To overcome sinus congestion, common cold, and sinus headache, it is suggested to use its powder into the nose, which causes sneezing thus cleanses the respiratory tract.
2. Best antidote: Its root is the best antidote for the ill-effects of marijuana.
   The side effect of all psychedelics can be neutralized by using calamus root.
3. Cough & Fever: Along with decoction of liquorice root, it has positive impacts upon cough, fever, and colic in children. For dry cough, one should chew its root. When a small piece of Vacha is chewed for a few minutes, it gives relief to sore-throat. In nutshell, Vacha clears the respiratory channels and removes the obstructions whenever comes in the normal functioning of the respiratory process.
4. Improve memory: It is used to enhance memory. The mix of a pinch of vacha powder, honey (1/2 tablespoon), and milk (1 cup), when taken both in the morning and evening for one month, helps to improve memory, intelligence, and wisdom.
5. Asthma: It is effective against asthma and chronic bronchitis. It is suggested to take two glasses of calamus tea, which leads to vomiting. The herb is a broncho-dilator and acts as a chest decongestant. This formulation clears the passage by expelling out impurities from the stomach and lungs and as the result, the patients feel comfortable and easy.
6. Voice clarity: When the churn of Vacha is used with water or honey, helps to remove sluggishness in the tongue during speech. Since it enhances speech, it is of great use for salesmen, executives, teachers, researchers, and intellectuals, and other professionals. It is also good for those who appear for interviews, examinations, and lectures.
7. Sedative: Neuropharmacological actions of asarone oil revealed its sedative
   and tranquilizing action. Asarone also reduced spontaneous action and caused a reduction in anxiety and causes a prolonged calming effect.
8. Dilates blood vessels: It dilates the blood vessels in the brain, increases the blood circulation, and thus used in coma, crebro-vasuclar diseases, cerebrovascular accidents, transient ischaemic attack, etc.
9. Skincare: For skin care, the extract of Vacha, lactose is used in making bath preparation. This preparation gives a moisturizing effect on the skin.
10. Hair care: The extract of a calamus root is one of the major constituents in the formulation of general tonic in respect of hair care. To prevent loss of hair, mix one teaspoon powdered root in 2 teaspoon cold coconut milk and make a paste. Then apply on the affected area and allow it to remain for half an hour before rinsing it off.

10 top benefits of Vacha

1. Skincare: Take the equal amount of powder of Acorus calamus, symplocos racemosa, and rice powder. Now pounded it with cow’s milk and apply on the pimples and acne. The regular application helps disappear in three days if applied properly and religiously.
2. Impotency: To enhance your sex life, take the equal proportions of Vacha, Withania Somnifera, Piper longum, Saussurea Lappa, and Datura Seeds. Make a fine powder and sieve it. Now take 1 gm of it and mix with 10 gm of cow’s ghee and rub gently on the male genital organ daily. Continue for 21 to 41 days.
3. Strengthens male organ: Take the equal portion of Acorus calamus, Sida cordifolia, Sida spinosa, Saussurea Auriculata, Scindapsus Officinalis, Physalis Flexuosa and Neriumodorum. Make a fine powder of all these herbs and mix with butter. If a male organ is besmeared with this daily, a very thin one will attain the normal size.
4. Improve mental performance: Take the 10-gram powder each of Vacha, Brahmi, and Shankhapushpi. Mix and take 1 teaspoonful twice a day with water or honey. This is a very effective formulation used in the management of mental disorders.
5. Memory tonic: Take Vacha powder (1/2 teaspoon) and Brahmi powder (1/4 teaspoon). Mix and take it with butter and mishri and take it early in the morning. It sharpens memory, intellect, and refreshes the mind.
6. Piles: Take 10 grams each of Vacha root, Indian Hemp, and ajwain. Make a fine powder of these and use them as fumigation in the painful condition of Piles.
7. Loss of appetite: Take 10 grams each of Calamus root, Asafoetida, Aconitum heterophyllum, Long pepper, Black pepper, Ginger, TerminaliaChebula, and Saunchal Salt. Make a fine powder and mix them well all together. It can be used in case of loss of appetite, indigestion, etc.
8. Urinary Stones: Take       Calamus rhizome (two-ounce), Coriander(one ounce), piper nigrum (1 piece), and Water (1 pint). Boil it and reduce to 12 ounces of water. This is a decoction used for the ailments of urinary stones. One ounce of this decoction is given to adults thrice a day and add one teaspoon full of sugar in case of children, twice or thrice a day. It should be continued till the symptoms subsidies.
9. Calamus tea: Calamus rhizome (Small piece) and Water (2 cup ). Cut calamus rhizome into small pieces and allow to boil on mild heat
   till the water is reduced to half. Now, add milk and sugar. Now, the calamus tea is prepared.
10. For abscess: To cure abscess, one should take mustard seed, terminaliachebula, asafetida, Vacha, moringaoleifera, and calotropisprocera. After pounded with amla juice, besmear the affected part and bandage with the silky cloth for some time. It will subside the swelling.