Talk:Vacha
| Section/Chapter | Herb database/Vacha |
|---|---|
| Botanical name(s) | Acorus calamus L. |
| Family | Araceae |
| Availability | Available |
| Contributors | Team Dravyaguna |
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Publisher | Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre |
| DOI | Awaited |
Acorus calamus L., popularly known as Vacha, is a semi-aquatic perennial herbaceous plant native to temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, Europe, and North America. It is widely revered in Ayurveda as a powerful medhya (nootropic) and nervine tonic, highly valued for improving intellect, memory, speech, and managing cognitive or neurological disorders.
English name
Sweet flag
Therapeutic Uses
Colic pain (sula), Epilepsy (apasmara), Bronchial asthma (svasa), Cough (kasa), Constipation (vibandha), Insanity (unmada), Abdominal distension (adhmana), Ear discharge (karna srava), Smrti daurbalya.[1]
Other Varieties / Other Botanical names
- Calamus aromaticus Garsault
Raja Nighantu
Mentioned 2 types[2]
- Vacha – Acorus calamus
- Sweta vacha – Iris germanica
Synonyms in Charak Samhita
Vacha, Haimavati, Shadgrantha (rhizome of vacha has more than six nodes on it), Ugragandha (very strong odour), Golomi (rhizome of vacha has hairs over it resembling the hair of cow), Lomasa (rhizome is hairy).
Additional Synonyms in Bhavprakasha Nighantu
Shataparvika, Kshudra patri, Mangalya (auspicious drug), Jatilogra[3]
Ayurvedic Pharmacological Properties
| Sr.no. | Pharmacological criteria | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taste (rasa) | Pungent (katu), Bitter (tikta) |
| 2 | Potency (veerya) | Hot (ushna) |
| 3 | Post digestion effect (vipaka) | Pungent (katu) |
| 4 | Qualities (guna) | Light (laghu), Sharp (tikshna) |
| 5 | Actions (karma) | Pacify Kapha and Vata |
Reference in Charak Samhita and its actions
| Sr.no. | Reference in Charak Samhita | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 2/9 | Virechana (Therapeutic purgation) |
| 2 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 3/5 | Churna pradeha (external application) |
| 3 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 4/9(3) | Lekhaniya (emaciating) mahakashaya |
| 4 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 4/9(11) | Truptighna (anti-satiety) mahakashaya |
| 5 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 4/9(12) | Arshoghna (anti-hemorrhoids) mahakashaya |
| 6 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 4/9(25) | Asthapanopag (helping corrective enema) mahakashaya |
| 7 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 4/9(42) | Sheetaprashamana (pacifying cold) mahakashaya |
| 8 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 4/9(48) | Sandnyasthapana (restoring consciousness) mahakashaya |
| 9 | Cha.Sa. Sutra Sthana 23/15 | Santarpanajanya vikar chikitsa (treatment of disease of over-nutrition) |
| 10 | Cha.Sa. Vimana Sthana 8/143 | Tiktaskandha (group of bitter drugs) |
| 11 | Cha.Sa. Sharira Sthana 8/34 | Garbhasya pratimasik karma |
| 12 | Cha.Sa. Sharira Sthana 8/38 | Sukha prasavartha |
| 13 | Cha.Sa. Sharira Sthana 8/47 | Jatamatra balak paricharya |
| 14 | Cha.Sa. Sharira Sthana 8/61 | Kshirajanan karma |
| 15 | Cha.Sa. Kalpa Sthana 1/14 | Vamanartha (for emesis) |
| 16 | Cha.Sa. Kalpa Sthana 7/16 | Preparations of Trivrut |
| 17 | Cha.Sa. Kalpa Sthana 7/54 | Trivrutadi Modaka |
| 18 | Cha.Sa. Kalpa Sthana 7/58 | Hemantkalina Trivrut Yoga |
| 19 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 1/1/25 | Body purification before rasayana treatment |
| 20 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 3/204 | As an ingredient of Vatsakadi kashaya |
| 21 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 3/250 | As an ingredient of Jeevantyadi anuvasana basti |
| 22 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 3/267 | In formulation of Agurvadi taila |
| 23 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 3/307 | In Vishamajwara for Dhoopana |
| 24 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 5/70 | Ingredient of Hingusauvarchaladya ghrita |
| 25 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 5/80 | Ingredient of Hingvadi churna |
| 26 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 5/86 | Ingredient of Shatyadi Churna |
| 27 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 5/44 | Ingredient in Bhallatakadya Ghrita for Kaphaj Gulma |
| 28 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 6/38 | Trikantakadhya Tail/Ghrit in Vata-kaphaj prameha |
| 29 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 7/68 | Ingredient in Triphaladi Churna |
| 30 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 7/100 | Kwath prayog in Kapha-Pittaj Kushtha |
| 31 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 7/103 | Bahyaprayogarth tail in Kushtha |
| 32 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 7/113 | Ingredient in Kanakakshiri Taila |
| 33 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 8/75 | As a Swedana (fomentation) dravya |
| 34 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 9/45 | Ingredient in Mahapaishachik Ghrita |
| 35 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 9/64 | Used as Nasya and Anjana prayogartha |
| 36 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 9/69 | Ingredient in Siddharthakadi Agada |
| 37 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 10/25 | Ingredient in Brahmi Ghrita |
| 38 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 10/27 | Ingredient in Vachadi Ghrita |
| 39 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 10/34 | Ingredient in Palankashadi taila |
| 40 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 10/42 | As a Nasya dravya |
| 41 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 10/64 | Ingredient in Atattvabhinivesh nashak yoga |
| 42 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 13/109 | In treatment of Udara roga (for parisheka) |
| 43 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 13/104 | In treatment of pleehodara (takraprayoga) |
| 44 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 13/124 | As an ingredient of gavakshyadi churna |
| 45 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 13/126 | As an ingredient of narayan churna |
| 46 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 13/134 | As an ingredient of hapushadya churna |
| 47 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 13/158 | In formulation of pippalyadi lavana |
| 48 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 13/163 | In formulation of Ksharvatika |
| 49 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 14/41 | Used in swedana kriya (fomentation therapy) |
| 50 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 14/53 | As an ingredient of traushnadi churna |
| 51 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 14/131 | Used in anuvasan basti |
| 52 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/99 | Churna of this drug with combination of ativisa, musta, devdaru etc. given in ama and shoola yukta mala |
| 53 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/101 | Churna with hingu, ativisa, abhaya used in Sama and Vatakapha adhika grahani with kostha shoola |
| 54 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/103 | Used in condition of shoola in kaphapittaja grahani |
| 55 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/125 | As an ingredient of candanadhya ghrita |
| 56 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/134, 15/137 | As an ingredient of Kiratadhya churna |
| 57 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/182 | As an ingredient of Bhunimbadhya Kshara |
| 58 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 15/189 | Used in preparation of Pancham Kshara |
| 59 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 17/143 | As an ingredient of Tejovatyadi ghrita |
| 60 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 18/36 | As a ghrita dravya |
| 61 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 18/53 | As an ingredient of chitrakadi leha |
| 62 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 18/112 | As an ingredient of kataphaladi kwath |
| 63 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 18/161 | As an ingredient of guduchyadi ghrita |
| 64 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 19/20 | As a pramathya dravya |
| 65 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 19/22 | As an ama pachak dravya |
| 66 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 19/27 | As an ingredient of dipaniya and sangrahi gana |
| 67 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 19/45 | As an anuvasana dravya |
| 68 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 19/105 | As a kwath dravya |
| 69 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 19/118 | As piccha basti dravya |
| 70 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 23/70 | As an ingredient of Gandha hasti agada |
| 71 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 23/80 | As an ingredient of Maha-Gandha hasti agada |
| 72 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 23/212 | Used in treatment of Vishvambhara etc. kita poison |
| 73 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/20 | As an ingredient of Dviruttarahingvadi churna |
| 74 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/21 | As an ingredient of Vachadi churna |
| 75 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/22 | As an ingredient of 2nd Dviruttarahingvadi churna |
| 76 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/61 | As an ingredient of Pashanbhedadi churna |
| 77 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/85 | As an ingredient of Pushkarmuladi yoga |
| 78 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/97 | Used in kaphaja hrudroga (heart disease) |
| 79 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/138 | Used in Vataja Pratishyaya (rhinitis) for Nasya karma |
| 80 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/152 | Used in Kaphaja Pratishyaya (rhinitis) for Pradhamana nasya |
| 81 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/153 | As an ingredient of Bhargyadi taila |
| 82 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/209 | As an ingredient of Khadiradi gutika |
| 83 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/223 | As an ingredient of Devadarvyadi taila for Karnashoola |
| 84 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 26/226 | As an ingredient of Kshara taila |
| 85 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 27/31 | As an ingredient of Urustambha nashak Yoga |
| 86 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 27/36 | As an ingredient of Swarnakshiradi yoga |
| 87 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 27/41 | As an ingredient of Piluparnyadi Yoga |
| 88 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 28/154 | As an ingredient of Bala taila |
| 89 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 28/161 | As an ingredient of Amrutadi taila |
| 90 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 28/168 | As an ingredient of Mulakadhya taila |
| 91 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 29/149 | Apply lepa for Vatakaphaja Vatarakta |
| 92 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 29/152 | As an ingredient of Triphaladi kalka in tridoshaja shola |
| 93 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 30/54 | As an ingredient of Pippalyadi yoga |
| 94 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 30/252 | Used in treatment of Stanya dosha, for vamana |
| 95 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 30/273 | Used in treatment of Dorgandhya Stanya dosha |
| 96 | Cha.Sa. Chikitsa Sthana 30/277 | Used in treatment of Pichhila stanya |
Dose
Churna
- 60–120 mg (therapeutic dose)
- 1–2 g (for inducing vomiting)[1]
Important Formulations
As per A.P.I.[1]
- Vachadi Taila
- Vacha Lashunadi Taila
- Sarasvata Churna
- Sarasvatarishta
- Manasamitra Vataka
- Chandraprabha Vati
- Khadiradi Vati
- Hingu Vachadi Churna
Current Availability
Available
- In India: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka.
- Out of India: China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Europe, Germany, Russia, Canada, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Australia, Oceania.
Phytochemical Composition
The therapeutic potential of *Acorus calamus* is derived from its diverse secondary metabolites concentrated in the rhizomes:
- Volatile Essential Oils: Rich in beta-asarone, alpha-asarone, and sesquiterpenes.
- Phenylpropanoids: Eugenol and calamenene derivatives.
- Bitters and Glucosides: Acoretin and tannins.
Pharmacological Activities & Therapeutic Efficacy
Nootropic and Neuroprotective Effects
- Mechanism: Active constituents like asarone readily cross the blood-brain barrier, enhancing cognitive functions, neurotransmitter levels (such as acetylcholine), and offering protection against oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration.
- Scientific Evidence: Experimental studies demonstrate significant memory enhancement, reversal of cognitive deficits, and reduction of neuroinflammation in animal models of amnesia and dementia.[4]
Anticonvulsant and Sedative Actions
- Mechanism: Ethanolic extracts modulate gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor systems and suppress central nervous system hyperexcitability, justifying its historical role in managing epilepsy (*apasmara*).
- Scientific Evidence: Laboratory evaluations show prolonged latency periods and reduced severity of chemically induced seizures in rodents.[5]
Anti-Inflammatory and Gastroprotective Efficacy
- Mechanism: The volatile oil fraction exhibits strong inhibition over pro-inflammatory mediators and protects gastric mucosal linings against ulcerogenic stimuli.
- Scientific Evidence: Research validates its ability to reduce paw edema and decrease gastric ulcer indices in experimental ulcer models.[6]
Safety, Toxicity, and Dosage
- Precautions: Due to the presence of beta-asarone in certain varieties, high doses or long-term uncontrolled usage of crude wild varieties should be monitored. Pregnant women and young children should use standardized preparations strictly under qualified guidance.
Summary of Therapeutic Profile
| Indication | Active Biomolecules | Primary Pharmacological Action |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Decline & Memory Loss | Alpha-asarone, Beta-asarone | Nootropic, Acetylcholinesterase inhibition |
| Epilepsy & Neurological Spasms | Volatile essential oils | Anticonvulsant, CNS depressant |
| Digestive Colic & Abdominal Distress | Sesquiterpenes, Phenylpropanoids | Carminative, Anti-inflammatory |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Anonymous. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India. Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, Part I. 1986; Volume II:74.
- ↑ Dr. Indradev Tripathi, Raj Nighantu of Pandit Narahari, ed.2006, Chaukhambha Krishnadas Academy, Varanasi; Pippalyadi Varga – 52.
- ↑ Prof. K.C. Chunekar, Bhavprakasha Nighantu, Reprint 2015, Chaukhambha Vishvabharti, Haritakyadi Varga, verse no. 102, p. 42.
- ↑ Mukherjee, P. K.; Kumar, V.; Mal, M.; Houghton, P. J. (2007). "Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from plants (Review)". Phytomedicine. 14 (4): 289–300.
- ↑ Jayaraman, R.; Anand, S.; Latha, R. (2003). "Effect of Acorus calamus on seizure models in mice". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 88 (2): 157–161.
- ↑ Vohora, S. B.; Shah, S. A.; Dandiya, P. C. (1990). "Central nervous system and anti-inflammatory studies on Acorus calamus". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 28 (1): 53–62.