Abstract
In today’s world, most people live a fast-paced and demanding lifestyle where work deadlines, long hours, constant digital engagement, and personal responsibilities keep the mind occupied throughout the day. The modern routine often leaves very little space for rest, reflection, or self-care. This constant rush creates a cycle of stress that affects overall wellbeing, making it harder to stay focused, calm, and productive. In such a stressful environment to maintain clarity and steadiness an ayurvedic herb, Vacha (Acorus calamus) becomes particularly relevant because of its traditional role in supporting mental balance, alertness, and overall wellbeing. So let's learn about this amazing herb.
Description
Vacha is a significant and well known drug in the ancient texts. Its botanical name is Acorus calamus and is commonly known as sweet flag. In Sanskrit vacha literally means speech. In the Ayurvedic system of medicine vacha is mostly used as a nervine tonic and an anti- stammering drug. It is a strongly aromatic, semi aquatic perennial herb. Its rhizome is used for therapeutic purposes. It helps support better concentration, sharper thinking and overall mental coordination, thus helping people stay calm, focused and balanced amid daily work pressure and distractions. So, let's see its whole description along with its properties and actions.
Taxonomical Classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
- Superdivision: Spermatophyta
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Liliopsida
- Subclass: Arecida
- Order: Arales
- Family: Acoraceae
- Genus: Acorus
- Species: calamus
Synonyms
- Ugragandha (Having intense smell)
- Swaralu (Used for improving voice)
- Shadgrantha (Having rhizomes which has many nodes and internodes)
- Golomi (Hairs on rhizome resembles hairs of cow)
- Shataparvika (Having rhizomes which has many nodes)
- Lomsha (Having hairy structure)
- Kshudrapatri (Leaves are small or linear)
- Manglaya (Auspicious herb)
Other Vernacular Names
- English: Sweet flag
- Hindi: Bach, ghodbach
- Marathi: Vekhand
- Telugu: Vasa
- Malayalam: vayambu
- Tamil: Vashambu
- Gujarati: Gandhilovaj, Godava
- Kashmir: Vachi, Vaigandar
- Kannada: Baje, Vasa
- Nepali: Bojho
Habitat
Its habitats include the margins of small lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and various other wetlands. It grows in marshy and humid land in many regions. Its plants are found in Himalayan regions at the height of 6000 ft. It is commonly found in Manipur and Naga hills and in the lakes of Kashmir and around the farms.
Morphology
It is a tall, perennial wetland monocot, which is 0.5 - 1 metres tall. Leaves are 2-4 ft. long and ½ to 1 inch wide, green, fragrant and have wavering edges. Flowers are small, white and dense. Fruits contain many seeds and are pulpy. Its rhizome spread in the ground is thick like middle finger approx. 2.5 cm are stout, knobby and has a rough and wrinkled surface. It is fragrant and hairy and is brown in colour. The plant which has a strong smell is considered to be of supreme quality.
Chemical Constitution
The aromatic constituents namely Asaryl aldehyde in roots and asarone in leaves are responsible for the smell of volatile oil. It contains A-Asarone and B-Asarone. It also contains a bitter glycoside named acorine along with eugenol, pinene and camphene.
Classical Reference
- Acharya Charak: Lekhaniya (Scrapping), Triptighana (Thirst relieving), Arshoghana (Hemorrhoids destroyer), Asthapanopaga (Herbs used in medicated enema), Sheetprashamana (Reducing coldness), Sangyasthapana (Restoring consciousness) mahakashaya, Virechana varga (Used in purgation), Shirovirechana Dravya (Herbs used in treatment through nasal route), Tikta skandh (Bitter herbs).
- Acharya Sushrut: Pipplayadi gana, mustadi gana, vachadi gana, urdhavbhagahara (Herbs used to remove toxins from upper body orifices) and shirovirechana dravya (Herbs used in treatment through nasal route).
- Ashtanga Hridya: Tikta Skanda (Bitter herbs), Vachadi Gana, Mustadi Gana, Vamaka (Emetic) Gana, Vastakada Gana, Niruha Gana (Medicated enema).
- Ashtanga Sangraha: Vamaka (Emetic) & Virechaka (Purgative) Gana, Niruha Gana (Medicated enema), Shirovirechana (Herbs used in treatment through nasal route) Gana, Lekhaniya (Scrapping) Gana, Hridhya (Good for heart) Gana, Arshoghna Gana (Hemorrhoids destroyer), Sheetaprashamana Gana (Reducing coldness), Sangyasthapana Gana (Restoring consciousness), Vatsakadi & Haridradi Gana.
- Dhanvantari Nighantu: Shatapushpadi Varga
- Raj Nighantu: Pipplyadi Varga
- Bhavaprakash Nighantu: Haritakyadi Varga
Ancient Verses
1. Shloka No. 1
वचोग्रगंधा गोलोमी जटिलोग्रा च लोमशा ।
अन्या श्वेतवचा मेध्या षड्ग्रन्था हैमवत्यपि ॥ ६॥
Shloka interpretation: Synonyms of vacha are Ugragandha, golomi, jatila, lomasha, shadagrantha.
2. Shloka No. 2
वामनी कटुतिक्तोष्णा वातश्लेष्यरुजापहा ।
कण्ठ्या मेध्या च कृमिहृद्विबन्धाध्मानशूलनुत् ॥ ७॥
Shloka interpretation: Its action and therapeutic are emetic (vamani), pungent (katu), hot (ushana), beneficial for throat (kanthya), nootropic (medhya), antihelmintic (krimihara), constipation (vibandh) and colic pain (shool).
Varieties
According To Acharya Charak
- 1. Vacha (Acorus calamus)
- 2. Sweta Vacha (Iris germanica)
According To Bhav Prakash
- 1. Vacha (Acorus calamus)
- 2. Parseek Vacha (Baalvach) (Paris polyphylla)
- 3. Mahabhari Vacha (Zingiber zerumbet)
- 4. Dwipantara Vacha (Smilax china)
Properties
- Rasa (Taste): Katu (pungent), Tikta (bitter)
- Guna (Properties): Laghu (light), Tikshana (sharp)
- Virya (Potency): Ushana (hot)
- Vipaka (Post Digestive Effects): Katu (pungent)
- Prabhava (Effect): Medhya (enhances cognitive power)
- Dosha Karma (Action On Doshas): It alleviates Vata and Kapha Dosha and increases the Pitta Dosha.
Therapeutic Indications
- Vedanasthapaka (Relieves pain)
- Shothahara (Reduces inflammation)
- Sangyasthapana (Restores consciousness)
- Krimighana (Antihelmintic)
- Vamaka (Useful in therapeutic emesis)
- Kanthaya (Beneficial for throat)
- Medhya (Nootropic)
- Vatanulomana (Restore normal movement of Vata)
- Aadhmana (Used in tympanites)
- Vakshaktivardhana (Enhances eloquence)
Systemic Actions
Nervous System
Its tikshana guna (sharp nature) helps to remove the covering of Tamas guna and thus enhances the consciousness. It is helpful in apasmara (epilepsy), unmada (psychosis) and smriti daurbalaya (poor memory).
Respiratory System
As it has Kapha and Vata balancing activities, it is used in cough, rhinitis, sore throat and hoarseness.
Excretory System
It is used in constipation.
Digestive System
It has katu rasa (pungent taste) and ushana virya (hot potency) and is deepana (improves digestive fire) and is used in indigestion, anorexia, flatulence, etc. It has lekhana (scrapping) properties and thus helps to remove excess fat from the body.
Female Reproductive System
It has a stimulative effect on the uterus thus it is used for easy delivery, for this it is ground in water and applied on the abdominal area of the pregnant lady. In cases of weakness after delivery its decoction is very helpful.
Practical Uses And Benefits
- Half a pinch of its powder works well in loss of appetite, flatulence, distaste and dull abdominal pain.
- Vacha powder and White sandal (Santalum album) powder is used as a face pack in the treatment of blemishes and pimples.
- It is customarily used with honey in very minute quantities to infants on the 11th and 21st days of birth.
- A half teaspoonful of powder blend of Vacha (Acorus calamus), Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis), Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) mixed with honey is very useful in epilepsy and mental retardation.
- Its 0.5 - 1 grams powder along with honey twice a day is beneficial in anxiety and epilepsy.
- Its powder is kept in a cloth and inhaled to manage chronic rhinitis.
- In case of flatulence in children, its root can be ground in water and applied on the stomach.
- Sucking its stem twice everyday is very helpful in the treatment of stammering problems.
- Its juice is used in tinnitus and earache.
- Its fumigation helps to relieve pain in piles.
- It is to be administered with great care in the pitta type body constitution.
Part Used
Rhizome and roots
Dosage
Powder: 125–500 mg
Ayurvedic Formulations
- Saraswatarishtam
- Saraswata Churna
- Medhya Rasayana
- Manasamitra Vatakam
- Pratham Brahma Rasayana
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Conclusion
Vacha (Acorus calamus) is a classical Ayurvedic herb renowned for its multifaceted health benefits. Traditionally it has been used to enhance memory, improve mental clarity and support overall brain function. Its rhizome is considered a potent nervine tonic, aiding in calming the mind and reducing mental fatigue. With its unique aroma and multi-faceted benefits, Vacha remains an important herb in daily wellness practices, bridging classical wisdom with contemporary health needs. In this article its synonyms, chemical composition, properties, therapeutic uses, effects and dosage have been discussed. This herb should be used under the supervision of an Ayurvedic physician.
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