Acorus calamus

Calamus, also called sweet flag, is a medicinal plant of the Araceae family whose scientific name is Acorus calamus. The calamus grows along the edges of ponds, swamps and lakes and was already known as a remedy at the time of the ancient Greeks, in fact Galeno, the prominent Greek physician, used this plant as a diuretic. Nowadays the plant is considered an aromatic bitter. Calamus is able to stimulate digestion, is an antispasmodic and has carminative and diuretic properties. The remedy finds therefore applications in case of lack of appetite, stomach disorders such as sour stomach, ulcer, digestion problems, intestinal fermentations and swollen belly. You can use the mother tincture of calamus, 30 drops 3 times a day, a quarter of an hour before meals to stimulate appetite, or after meals for a digestive and anti-fermentation effect, you can also combine it with gentian for a more effective result. Always ask your herbalist in order to use correctly the calamus, do not take it together with barbiturates as it may potentiate the effect, excessive doses may cause vomiting.