Other diseases

Calamus herb medicinal properties and contraindications. Fungal infections of nails. What are the contraindications to the use of calamus?

Seeing a plant with tall, sharp leaves on the bank of a river or swamp, not everyone will realize that they are looking at one of the most healing plants - marsh calamus. This herb has many medicinal properties - relieves inflammation, kills germs, improves gastric function. And that's not all the features of this plant. We will tell you more about them in our article.

What does calamus look like and where does it grow?

This is a perennial plant. The leaves are sharp, triangular, up to 5 cm wide and reach one meter high. They grow together from below at the main stem. Root system very developed, it is thick and sinuous, growing up to one and a half meters in length.

It grows in very moist soil on the banks of swamps, rivers and lakes. Thanks to its branched roots, it easily establishes itself in the soil.

Calamus habitats:

India;
Southeast Asia;
Siberia.
Europe and the European part of Russia;
North America;
Brazil.

Did you know? The homeland of calamus is south and east Asia. The plant came to the Slavs during the Tatar-Mongol invasion.

Chemical composition of rhizomes

About 5% of the rhizome is essential oil. It consists of sesquiterpenes (their physical properties and determine the main smell of the plant) - asarone (10%), β-pinene (1%), β-calamen (10%), calamenon, calamendiol, isocalamendiol, sesquiterpene alcohol calameol, D-camphene (7%), D-camphor (8.7%), borneol (3%), eugenol, methyleugenol, caryophyllene, elementene, curcumene, proazulene, acoron, isoacorone, acolamone, calarene, neocarone, acetic and valeric acids, phytoncides and other substances.

In addition to the essential oil, calamus rhizomes contain the bitter glycoside acorin, the bitterness acoretin and the glycoside lucenion, the alkaloid calamine, tannins (catechol tannins), resins, mucus, acoric acid and palmitic acid, starch (up to 20%). Also present are .

Medicinal properties

It's hard to believe that the root of a marsh plant has so many beneficial and healing properties. Among them:

cough expectorant;
choleretic;
anti-inflammatory;
antibacterial;
tonic.

In addition, this herb improves digestion and stimulates digestive function by increasing the secretion of gastric juice, it increases choleretic processes. Calamus helps women improve the functioning of their ovaries and make menstruation less painful.
Helps men increase potency. Powder from the roots helps wounds, even purulent ones, heal faster. Calamus tinctures are useful for colds, helping to get rid of cough and increase the body's strength.

Important! The whole plant has medicinal properties, but it is the roots that are most often used..

Application

Thanks to its composition and bright aroma, calamus has found its use in both medicine and cooking.

In cooking

The root of the herb is also used in cooking, which, due to the presence of essential oils, has spicy aroma, And fresh leaves. The leaves are used quite rarely. Most often they are added to salads for additional vitamin supplementation. The root is widely used in baking confectionery and bread, giving them a piquant spicy aroma.

Did you know? When used in compotes, jams and syrups, in addition to the smell, it extends shelf life. In alcoholic beverages, the root is used as a flavoring agent. It is also used as a seasoning for meat, fish or first courses.

Due to the lack of insects that can pollinate calamus, in our area it is forced to reproduce vegetatively.

In folk medicine The healing properties of calamus did not remain unnoticed by people . Decoctions, tinctures, powders are made from the roots, and all this is actively used in folk medicine

. The rhizome is used to cure ailments associated with the stomach, toothache, skin diseases, hemorrhoids, female cycle disorders, and impotence.

Recipes for use

For diarrhea

To treat diarrhea, you need to pour two teaspoons of powder into one glass of boiling water. After infusing for twenty minutes, strain. Drink a quarter glass half an hour before meals.

For pancreatitis

To improve your condition, you should take a sip of the drink before and after meals. The recipe is simple: pour a teaspoon of powder into a glass of cold water and leave for 12 hours. Then filter the liquid. Serve warm.

For hemorrhoids

To normalize the condition of hemorrhoids, take sitz baths from the decoction for 20–30 minutes. To prepare, 30 grams of root are poured into one liter of water and boiled or infused in a thermos.

For skin diseases For treatment skin ailments
Boil for a short time and leave for an hour. The temperature of the bath broth should not exceed 38 °C. Lie down for no more than half an hour.

For tooth pain

Rinsing your mouth with a decoction of calamus relieves toothache. Rubbing it into the gums also helps. alcohol tincture. It penetrates directly to the root and reduces inflammation.

For the tincture, take crushed calamus and mix with vodka in a ratio of 1:5. Leave for fourteen days, shaking occasionally. Then filter and store in a container that does not allow Sun rays.

For menstrual irregularities

To normalize female cycle, drink this drink: take one teaspoon of powder per 200 ml of boiling water. Leave for 20 minutes, then filter. Drink half a glass thirty minutes before meals.

For impotence

The tincture helps well against impotence. To prepare it, crushed rhizome (100 g) is poured with vodka (1 liter). Leave for fourteen days in a cool place where the sun's rays do not reach. Use three times a day.

Masks for healthy hair

A calamus mask helps strengthen hair roots, their growth, and eliminates dandruff. To prepare the mask, mix two tablespoons of calamus rhizome and oatmeal.

Pour 400 ml of boiling water for forty minutes. After this, add a tablespoon of honey and mix thoroughly. Apply this mask an hour before washing your hair.

Important! Calamus should not be consumed by pregnant women or those prone to epilepsy.

Procurement of medicinal raw materials

Harvesting time occurs in autumn and early winter, when the water level in rivers and swamps decreases. The calamus is pulled out of the ground with a pitchfork, washed thoroughly and allowed to dry out for several days. Then the rhizome is cut into pieces of 10 to 20 cm. If the root is thick, further divide it lengthwise.

Pieces of calamus are placed outdoors, but not under the scorching sun. To preserve essential oils in the composition, the temperature should not exceed 35 ° C. You can dry it in a special dryer, but do not forget about the temperature regime.

Dried pieces become very brittle and are easily ground into powder. The color of this powder is yellow-brown and has a pronounced spicy odor. This medicine can be stored for up to three years in a dry place, poured into paper bags.

Contraindications and harm

People prone to low blood pressure should not take calamus, as the drug will enhance this effect. It is also prohibited to use during any bleeding. When the recommended dose is increased, vomiting may occur.

Calamus is a very valuable and healing plant. It is difficult to underestimate its importance in folk medicine. After all, it helps to cure many ailments. If you are against using traditional tablets, then try recipes based on the rhizome of this medicinal herb.

Historical age of this amazing plant dates back more than three thousand years. The ancient healers of India and China mentioned it in their recipes. Medieval healers used calamus to treat typhoid, cholera, colds. It was applied to wounds to prevent decay.

Calamus root was used as a spice, and its essential oil was added to various fragrant and antiseptic mixtures. Scientists cannot even now say where exactly the plant’s homeland was, but it is absolutely certain that Hippocrates successfully used it in his medicinal compositions.

Calamus is a genus of herbaceous perennials. According to various sources, species diversity There are from two to six species represented, but only two of them are officially recognized. These are marsh calamus (or common calamus) and grass calamus.

A typical place where calamus grows is the shores of freshwater bodies of water; most often it can be found near swamps, lakes and small rivers. There are many known ethnic names for common calamus: cinquefoil, Irnaya root, Tatar grass, Ir, Gair, reed calamus.

Calamus fruits have unique ability– they can be carried by animals. This may be why it is believed that the plant came to Europe with the advent of the Mongol-Tatars. It was also believed that the Tatars took the roots of fragrant grass with them on campaigns and scattered them in reservoirs, believing that in this way the water would become clean and safe for use. Hence another name - “Tatar potion”.

Quickly taking root along the banks of reservoirs, the rose root spread throughout the entire European part of the continent. The marsh calamus is a bush 60-120 cm high. Bright green fleshy leaves up to 1 meter long, sword-shaped, grow above the rhizome like a fan and have a spicy swamp smell. The leaf is up to 2.5 cm wide. Because of the shape of the leaf, in the European part of Russia, calamus is more often called marsh cinquefoil.

The plant has a massive creeping rhizome that can stretch up to 1.5 m in length. C outside the root is covered with a brownish crust, inside there is light pink pulp, edible, bitter in taste. The smell of calamus root is somewhat reminiscent of cinnamon or tangerine. It is quite suitable for food, therefore it is used as a spice in culinary production. Included as a component in compositions recommended by traditional medicine. Calamus oil is extracted from the rhizomes and is used in practical medicine, cosmetology and perfume production.

The stem of the plant is straight, with three pronounced edges and sharp, like a saber blade, ribs. The flowers are greenish-yellow, collected in an eight-centimeter, spadix-like inflorescence emerging from the center of the leaf. Flowering occurs in May-July. The fruit is a red or greenish berry, and while the fruits are formed everywhere, the seeds ripen only in the Asian part of the mainland.

Due to the shape of the leaf, calamus is called marsh cinquefoil

Chemical properties

Calamus contains a whole range of useful compounds, which makes the plant universal remedy from many diseases. It contains elements such as ascorbic acid(about 150 mg), starch (25–40%), acetic and valeric acids, as well as the alkaloid calamine, a group of phytoncides, choline and iodine, resinous substances and gum.

The roots of the plant contain up to 48% essential oils. They are extracted by steam distillation from pre-crushed rhizomes. The essential composition includes camphor oil and a number of terpenoids - asarone, acarone, borneol, camphene, pinene.

Thanks to such an extensive chemical composition, the plant has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, vasodilating and analgesic properties.

Calamus contains a lot of useful compounds

Spreading

The growing area of the plant is quite defined, although extensive. Icy root is common in countries South-East Asia and Europe, as well as in the Northern and South America. In the territory Russian Federation often found in the European part, southern Siberia and the Far East.
Favorite habitats of calamus are river banks, lakes, ponds, streams and swamps; thickets of grass can be found in abandoned meadows and ditches.

It is believed that marsh cinquefoil came to Russian territory in the 13th-15th centuries; in the 15th century the plant was recognized in Western Europe, but the coast North America it reached only in 1783, and since then has been actively cultivated.

The seeds of the plant in Asia are carried by insects and animals, but in Europe the grass reproduces using rhizomes. In the spring, during the period of ice melting and flooding, pieces that break off from the main root are carried by the current and take root in new places. The common calamus is considered a plant that promotes the development of ponds, since quiet, swampy creeks are especially suitable for its habitat, and you can not only get a plant harvest, but also clean the pond.

Calamus habitats - river banks, lakes, ponds

Application

Traditional medicine uses calamus rhizomes to prevent rickets in children, and also as an expectorant and antidepressant. The root of the herb helps cope with disorders gastrointestinal tract: if you add a little crushed powder to honey, heartburn and colic go away.

Baths with it have a wonderful relaxing effect, and hair washed with calamus decoction becomes stronger and thicker. The Chinese say that cinquefoil drives away evil from the home, and they place bunches of the plant at the windows and doors of their houses.

Ivy root is used in folk medicine to treat diseases associated with infections and infestations, in particular, it is very effective in the treatment of skin diseases, abrasions, wounds and eye diseases. Also medicinal properties Calamus root is used to relieve toothache. Traditional healers They believe that the herb of marsh cinquefoil helps with gynecological diseases and ailments of the genitourinary system, and can also be a good remedy for cancer in the early stages.

There are recipes based on calamus that help fight alcoholism and smoking. If you chew the root of this plant, you develop a strong aversion to tobacco. The plant can be a wonderful addition to indoor flower arrangements. Varieties such as variegated calamus and dwarf calamus are used as a decorative element. They are easy to care for and purify the indoor air from bacteria. Calamus is recommended for those who keep aquariums.

The use of calamus in folk medicine

Medicinal properties and harm

The medicinal properties of the plant are directly related to its unique component composition. Marsh cinquefoil is effective for treating the following range of diseases:

liver diseases, including hepatitis and cirrhosis;
cholecystitis and enteritis;
gastritis, colitis and stomach ulcers;
respiratory viral diseases;
flu;
sore throat, tonsillitis, laryngitis;
varicose veins and thrombophlebitis;
joint diseases;
headache and toothache;
hypertension;
renal failure;
gynecological diseases;
urological disorders;
neuroses and psychotic states;
wide range skin diseases from wounds to infections.

There are practically no contraindications for use, but it is not recommended to use calamus during pregnancy and lactation, with high acidity of gastric juice, with allergies and severe hypotension.

Collection, preparation and storage

Medicinal properties have been identified in the root of calamus, so this particular part of the plant is suitable for harvesting. Rhizomes are collected in natural conditions, on sites near the shore of a reservoir. Harvesting is carried out in the autumn-winter period, when the plant cells are full useful substances reaches the maximum level.

The root is cleaned of impurities, cut into pieces and thoroughly dried in special rooms in the open air while maintaining the temperature within 20-30 degrees. Dried rhizomes are checked: they should be brittle, pinkish in color, have a bitter taste and a characteristic aroma.

Dried roots should be stored in a dry, ventilated area, without access sunlight. Can be stored for up to 2 years. It is necessary to distinguish between common calamus and false calamus iris, calamus iris and reed reed. Despite all their external similarities, plants have completely different medicinal properties.

Calamus root has medicinal properties

Recipes

As medicinal component Flame root can be used in powder form and as a tincture or decoction. It is very useful to have a tincture of calamus rhizomes in your home. You can prepare it in different ways. Here are the two most popular methods:

Unpretentious and very useful “Tatar grass” can help in the prevention and treatment of a whole bunch of diseases. In addition, it exudes a pleasant aroma and has bactericidal properties. All types of acorn root can be successfully used in landscape design, and the presence of the plant in the home will help cope with depression and stress.

Calamus is a perennial aquatic plant with a brown color and a branched root system. The grass has a number useful properties and has several names. They magnify her oily root and reeds, Tatar potion and flat cakes. There are also some other names. Its root part is used for medicinal purposes.

Chemical composition

The plant contains various chemical substances, which nature itself, clearly not stingy, endowed it with. The composition is distinguished by the presence of:

Akorina.
Starch.
Ascorbic acid.
Squirrel.
Various mineral elements.
Colamina.
Essential oils.

The plant has a specific odor, which is due to the presence of aldehyde. In addition, the grass contains a lot of vitamins and iodine.

Benefits for the body

Yours therapeutic effect Calamus manifests itself thanks to the wide range of substances included in its composition. The rhizome is used for medicinal purposes. It is harvested in the fall. To do this, the root is dug up, washed, cut into separate small pieces and dried. This is done under awnings or in a drying cabinet.

Calamus is used in the form of various dosage forms. It is used in tablets called “Vicair”, gastric collections. The main indications for use are problems with the digestive tract, improving appetite and stimulating digestion. The medicinal plant has the following types actions:

With the use of calamus, blood vessels dilate.
Taking the herb can relieve pain, so the plant is used as a pain reliever.
The herb has an antispasmodic effect. Sometimes the cause of pain is a spasm of internal organs. The plant is able to eliminate pain by relieving spasms.
The herb has an antimicrobial effect, inhibiting growth and development microbial microflora at the cellular level.
Taking the herb can calm the nervous system. This is achieved by having sedative effect. In case of excessive stimulation, the nervous system comes into order after using calamus-based compounds.
Calamus is used to stop bleeding in various hemorrhages.
The herb has a diuretic effect, increasing the secretion and outflow of urine.
The plant is famous for its astringent effect and can increase the overall tone of the body.

When is calamus used?

In Rus', calamus powder has long been used to treat purulent wounds, sprinkling it on the wound surface.
In the form of infusions and decoctions, it is used to correct conditions associated with problems digestive tract.
With its use it improves its work bladder and digestion improves.
Calamus is an aromatic remedy and can improve secretory function stomach. Calamus powder can eliminate phenomena in which heartburn is one of the symptoms.
They use it for bathing.
People with tuberculosis are also advised to take calamus.
The herb can normalize work nervous system.
It will help with liver diseases and conditions caused by rheumatism.
With the help of calamus, you can increase appetite and normalize the functioning of the digestive system for those who need it. To whet your appetite, just chew dried calamus root.
Calamus can fight gum inflammation and eliminate nice smell from mouth.
The root will help relieve malaria, toothache, cough, and some infectious diseases.
Calamus can reduce the acidity of gastric juice.
Eliminate headache and lower arterial pressure You can also use the root of this plant in the form of infusions and decoctions.
If a person has been poisoned by hallucinogens, then calamus root will help neutralize their effects.
The plant is useful for men. It prevents hair loss by being prophylactic with baldness. In addition, it is able to enhance potency.
It will help women eliminate painful sensations at painful menstruation. Its use will be effective if there is amenorrhea and problems with the ovaries.

How to prepare a plant for future use?

For those who need the help of calamus, you can prepare it yourself or purchase it at a pharmacy in finished form. It is sold packaged in cardboard packs or in the form of Vikair tablets. In fact, this is the same marsh calamus.

Those who decide to stock up on it themselves need to know that the time to collect it is late autumn. The roots must be thoroughly cleaned and washed. Then they should be dried a little. They are not dried whole, but cut into pieces. If the drying process is carried out forcibly in an oven, then the temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. Otherwise, the root will simply lose its medicinal properties.

A sign of sufficient drying is that the roots begin to break well. The raw material has a bitter taste and a specific smell with a pink or white tint on the break. Externally, the roots are brown in color. Store the prepared raw materials in a dark, dry place in paper or fabric bags. The shelf life is 2 years.

The root of calamus can be used to disinfect water. To do this, just place a few dried roots of the plant in a carafe of water. The use of infusions and decoctions of the plant can improve appetite and stimulate the digestive tract. Therapy based on the use of calamus can even improve memory.

Calamus can lead to improved blood circulation. The herb is also used if it disrupts its function:

Respiratory system.
Activity of the heart and its vessels.
Nervous structures.
Urine excretion system.

Calamus in the form of a decoction will improve gastric secretion, will reduce pressure, eliminate pain. The plant will relieve conditions associated with depression of the nervous system.

Calamus is capable of eliminating many unpleasant phenomena in the gynecological field. For this purpose, a woman takes sitz baths with calamus. The product helps to liquefy and remove mucus. Under its influence, wounds and cuts heal quickly. Will relieve the plant from flatulence and diarrhea.

Plant bitterness is a good anesthetic. It will come to the rescue if there are cramps in the stomach. The plant in extract form is used as a diuretic. It can help restore sensitivity nerve endings spinal structures. The plant is used for problems with the liver and gall bladder.

Preparing remedies from marsh house calamus

Preparing the infusion. Dry raw materials must be thoroughly crushed. It is filled with water and boiled over a fire for a quarter of an hour. After this, the composition should be filtered. It should be taken before meals, half a glass.
Prepare an alcohol tincture. Calamus root is filled with alcohol. It should sit for a day. Take 25 drops. You can replace alcohol with vodka. There should be one tablespoon of dry raw materials, and 100 ml of vodka. Before use, dilute the tincture in half a glass of water. Its use will help with joint pain, migraines, digestive problems. The phenomena of flatulence and gout disappear.
Preparing candied fruits. First you need to prepare regular syrup. Chopped roots are dropped into it and boiled in syrup for 5 minutes. Then the composition is left alone for 12 hours. Then it must be brought to a boil again. Then the product is infused again for 12 hours. After this, the roots are dried like candied fruits.
Use of powder. They treat wounds and ulcers. To do this, they are sprinkled with powder. If you have a runny nose, you can clear your sinuses by inhaling calamus powder through your nose. If you add honey to it, then taking such a remedy will help improve memory. It is added to improve the taste, since the plant is classified as bitter.

Calamus for gums
To strengthen your gums, it can be used in two ways:

An infusion is used, which is prepared by adding a teaspoon of crushed root to a glass of boiling water. The infusion exposure is 2 hours. Then the composition should be filtered. You should rinse your mouth with the prepared infusion.
Tatar cinquefoil in powder form is mixed with propolis. This composition is used to clean teeth instead of toothpaste.

Quitting smoking
If there are no contraindications, then a person should chew the fresh root after smoking a cigarette. There is a feeling of nausea up to vomiting. This is the basis of the effect of using calamus against smoking.

If it occurs strong desire To smoke, you need to mix peppermint with calamus. They are taken in equal volumes of 1 teaspoon. The mixture is poured into a glass of boiling water. The drug is indicated for oral administration.

Strengthening hair
Hair roots will become stronger if you use a mask containing calamus and burdock. A decoction is prepared from them, which acts as a rinse.

Women

A composition that includes 100 g of honey, two tablespoons of calamus root and 50 ml of aloe juice will help you get rid of fibroids. The tincture is aged for three days and taken three times a day, one spoon at a time.
At hormonal disorders medicinal raw materials fits in cold water and infused for 8 hours. After this, the composition should be kept in a water bath for 30 minutes. Use a glass of the product before eating.
IN menopause It will be useful to use calamus root powder. One teaspoon per dose will be enough.

For men
The plant belongs to natural aphrodisiacs, capable of enhancing sexual desire. Such properties are especially pronounced in oil obtained from the plant. In a relationship reproductive system it exhibits a pronounced tonic effect. This leads to improved quality and quantity of seminal fluid. It is often included in complex therapy for treatment male infertility. One hundred grams of roots are poured with vodka. It is necessary to take the composition in a small spoon for two weeks.

Contraindications

They are found in almost any medicinal plant, including calamus.

The plant should not be used for a long period of time. There may be cases of individual intolerance to the components of the composition.
Tatar cinquefoil is contraindicated during pregnancy.
In the presence of acute processes from the urine excretion system, it should also not be taken.
For hypotensive patients, the plant also has limitations for its use.

The best option before starting to take calamus is to consult your doctor.

Video: healing properties of calamus

Calamus - among the people it has acquired many other names, they call it: marsh calamus, Tatar potion, ginger root. Translated from Turkish (agir) means ugly and unadorned. Calamus does not have the ability to self-pollinate, and there are no insects that can pollinate it in its homeland, so it can only be propagated by rhizomes.

The Far East, in particular the territory of China and the territory of the Indian peninsula, is considered to be the homeland. Nowadays, it also grows in Europe thanks to the Tatar-Mongol conquests. Nomads believed that the roots of this plant purified water, so they took dried calamus roots on their long hikes.

It is very common on the American continent and in the British Isles, where it was brought by Arab traders.

The marsh calamus is a low plant, perennial and herbaceous, the height of the stem does not exceed 70-120 centimeters. It grows especially well in damp places, along the edges of reservoirs, near ponds, and in marshy areas. It has a pleasant smell, vaguely reminiscent of cinnamon.

Preparation and storage of calamus

The healing properties are equally contained in both the upper part and the roots. The leaves are collected for storage in July and August. Dry them in shady places, with a ventilated space, spreading thin layer. Keep dried leaves It is necessary only in paper boxes or bags in damp rooms. Medicinal properties remain for up to 3 years.

The roots of calamus are stocked either in early spring, or in the fall. Thoroughly clean, wash, chop into small pieces and dry in the same way as leaves (under canopies) or in electric dryers at low temperatures.

Use in everyday life

The use of calamus is also possible in cooking: the plant’s oil is used as an additive to dough to give it a soft and pleasant smell; it is also successfully used in the manufacture of fruit drinks.

Composition and medicinal properties of adonis

Also in ancient medicine The medicinal properties of calamus were known; Mongolian doctors successfully used it for overwork, exhaustion of the body or poor nutrition. The plant gained fame due to its general strengthening properties, particular successes were noticeable in the treatment of high blood pressure.
Traditional healers widely use the roots of calamus in treatment: stomach and gastrointestinal ulcers are treated, it also has a therapeutic effect on stomach disorders and acute manifestations flatulence, reduces heartburn, increases appetite, has shown itself very positively in treating vomiting and reducing nausea. A decoction of the plant has disinfectant properties, can relieve pain and is a mucolytic agent.
The healing properties of the plant help with pulmonary diseases, great successes have been observed in the treatment of bronchitis, pleurisy; treats diseases very effectively urinary system, perfectly removes stones from the kidney canals and treats cholelithiasis, equally helps both women during menopause and men to increase their strength.
Calamus root is also used in the treatment of old and difficult to treat wounds: old wounds and painful ulcers should be sprinkled with crushed root. Alcohol infusion of calamus is washed purulent wounds, but diluted alcohol infusion make lotions.
Most skin diseases are treated with decoctions: scabies, diathesis. Treatment with baths with decoctions of this plant helps get rid of various neuroses, chronic diseases joints (arthritis, polyarthritis), and helps children get rid of rickets. Decoctions are good for hair growth and renewal. At purulent lesions lotions help the horny coverings.
Ancient healers used decoctions of calamus to treat vision and restore memory.

The use of calamus in folk medicine

Representatives of traditional medicine are widely aware of the medicinal properties of calamus in the treatment of various diseases. Alcohol and water tinctures and all kinds of decoctions are used.

Decoctions from calamus rhizomes for lung diseases

Brew 0.5 liters of boiling water with 3 tbsp. l. carefully chopped calamus roots, boil for 30 minutes. over low heat, cool, strain. Drink this decoction three to four times a day, half an hour before meals if you have lung disease.

Making a decoction for restorative baths and for skin diseases

For 2.5 liters of water, take 150 grams of roots, boil for no more than 5 minutes, let it brew for 60 minutes, filter. Baths with this infusion last no more than 30 minutes and at a temperature of 36-38 degrees.

Tincture on calamus leaves for gastritis and stomach ulcers

1 tbsp. l. dry calamus leaves pour 200 ml. boiling water, let it sit in a warm, dark place for up to half an hour, before use it must be filtered. Use 3 times a day, 1 tbsp. l. before eating.

Alcohol-based calamus tincture for dermatitis and skin wounds

1 tbsp. l. carefully crushed roots of the plant are poured with a 200 gram glass of vodka, allowed to brew in a cool place for 1 week, filtered. Take the composition in 1 dess. spoon, diluted with water after eating. Lotions are made from 1 tsp taken. tincture 0.5 cups of water.

Making a wine infusion from the roots for eye health

Take 1 tsp. roots, poured with 300 natural grape wine, allowed to settle for 24 days in the basement. It is recommended to take 10-30 drops diluted with a spoon of water to improve vision.

Preparation of a medicinal decoction of calamus for rinsing the mouth

A teaspoon of carefully crushed plant rhizomes is brewed with 200 ml of boiling water and allowed to settle. Rinse the mouth with a warm decoction for stomatitis and inflammation.

Preparing a decoction for significant hair loss

Ground calamus and burdock roots are taken in equal parts and steamed. Application: rinse your hair with this infusion every other day, the duration of treatment is up to 1 month.

Preparation of a composition for the treatment of fibroids in women

2 tbsp. l. roots are mixed with 100 gr. honey and aloe flower juice, taken 50 grams each. The tincture is kept in a dark, dry room for 72 hours, consumed 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day.

Contraindications

Along with big amount Calamus has medicinal properties and there are some cautions in its use. With an increased level of acid in the stomach, with severely low blood pressure and severe inflammation of the kidneys, neither tinctures nor decoctions should be used.
The use of various infusions or decoctions by pregnant women is prohibited.
Also, unchopped root can be dangerous; some people are simply too lazy to chop it and chew it whole; it can cause a strong gag reflex.

Calamus is a medicinal plant. healing properties which have been known to our ancestors since time immemorial. Even in ancient times, healers used it for treatment various diseases, but even in our time, marsh calamus is used very widely, especially its medicinal properties valued by supporters of traditional medicine.

The marsh calamus prefers to grow in shallow water and along the banks of reservoirs. You can recognize it by its tall, straight stem, which often reaches a height of 150 cm. Leaves grow from the green stem, about 1 m long, flat, narrow (no more than 3 cm wide).

The marsh calamus blooms in the spring, having previously released a peduncle. Instead of flowers, cylindrical inflorescences are formed on it, resembling cobs, which can reach 10...15 cm in length. In summer, small yellowish flowers appear from the cells of these cobs, after the end of flowering, seeds are formed. Surprisingly, the marsh calamus does not reproduce by seeds.

For propagation, this plant uses root cuttings. The rhizomes of calamus are located close to the surface of the soil, and they hold it in loose sand or silt with the help of lateral roots, so the calamus root can reach a length of up to 1.5 m. The thickness of the main roots often reaches 3 cm.

Unique chemical composition calamus root contributes to its widespread use in the treatment of many diseases, as well as use in cosmetology. In terms of content chemical substances this composition is very complex and includes essential oil, which makes up 5% of the total mass of the root, a number tannins(resin and mucus), bitterness, complex acids (acoric, ascorbic, palmitic), starch, vitamins and minerals. Asarinic aldehydes are responsible for the characteristic odor.

Remedies obtained from the root of calamus are used internally and externally depending on the disease. Wide range The use of the root of this plant is based on the effect it has on the human body, among which are bactericidal, healing, analgesic, tonic, etc.

For skin diseases various kinds diseases and illnesses are usually prepared various means from calamus root: decoctions, infusions, alcohol tinctures, ointments, powders, etc. Calamus root has shown high effectiveness in combating:

diseases of the digestive system: ulcers, cholecystitis, cirrhosis of the liver, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, hemorrhoids, etc.;
diseases of the nervous system: permanent stressful condition, various types of depression and neuroses;
problems arising in genitourinary system: impotence, prostatitis, disorders menstrual cycle, urolithiasis;
diseases arising from circulatory disorders: thrombosis, varicose veins veins, hypertension;
diseases respiratory system: laryngitis, pharyngitis, sore throat, ARVI, influenza, bronchitis, etc.;
skin diseases in which ulcers, pustules, cracks and wounds form;
joint diseases.

Calamus root also found its wide application in cosmetology and is used as an active ingredient in hair, nails, teeth and skin care products.

The list of contraindications to the use of products based on calamus root, although small, still exists. Therefore, it is important to familiarize yourself with it before starting treatment. Calamus root should not be consumed:

during pregnancy;
for bleeding of any kind;
at increased acidity gastric juice. IN in this case The use of calamus root is possible only if it is included in herbal teas containing components that are capable of extinguishing the released hydrochloric acid;
for kidney inflammation;
at acute ulcers stomach;
hypotensive patients suffering from low blood pressure;
with individual intolerance.

Since the range of diseases that can be gotten rid of by consuming calamus root is very wide, there are many traditional medicine recipes that involve preparing healing agents on your own at home. Below are some of these recipes.

For vision

Calamus root is widely used to treat various eye diseases(inflammation, retinal detachment, sharp decline vision). In this case, you can prepare homemade drops by mixing freshly squeezed calamus root juice with water in a ratio of 1:10, respectively. To prevent vision loss, you can simply wipe your eyelids daily. fresh juice root of this plant, without diluting it with anything. For nail fungus

From fungus

In order to quickly and effectively get rid of nail fungus, products prepared from calamus root can be used both externally and internally. In the first case, it is recommended to apply compresses, and in the second, take a decoction.

To do it yourself at home healing ointment, you will need 10 g of calamus and burdock roots and 5 g of marigold flowers, which are infused in oil for three days. After this, the mixture is filtered, and the resulting ointment is applied to the areas damaged by the fungus several times throughout the day. After 2...3 weeks, a significant effect will be noticeable.

Decoction recipe

To prepare a portion of the decoction, you need to take 15 g of crushed calamus root, add a glass of water and cook under the lid for 7...10 minutes, after which you need to let it cool and strain. It is enough to take a decoction of calamus root, just 1 tbsp. three times a day orally, and visible results in the fight against nail fungus will appear within 2 weeks.

From these two components you can prepare an effective alcohol tincture to restore vision, the decline of which has occurred as a result of injuries or eye diseases. Especially high efficiency its use has been documented in people suffering from cataracts.

To prepare an alcohol tincture from calamus root and calendula, you need to mix both of these components in dry form (calamus root must first be crushed), mix and pour in 0.5 liters of an alcohol base, which can usually be vodka or alcohol. For infusion, it is better to use a tightly closed dark glass bottle. It is placed in a dark place for 2 weeks. During this time, the bottle with tincture should be shaken periodically. Once the tincture is ready, it must be filtered and the raw materials must be squeezed out.

Take this remedy 1 tsp. three times a day half an hour before meals. The course of administration continues until the tincture in the bottle runs out, after which it is recommended to take a break for 1 month. After a pause, the course is repeated. To achieve the effect and improve vision after injuries, you should take three such courses with breaks between them.

Since the tincture is stored well and for a long time in hermetically sealed bottles, you can prepare it required amount at once. While taking this folk remedy You should not give up daily special eye gymnastics.

The use of calamus root in hair care helps to get rid of many problems, such as hair loss, dandruff and flaking of the scalp, etc. Decoctions, infusions and masks prepared on its basis will restore the hair structure and give it healthy appearance, thickness and shine. Below are several recipes for hair care products that you can prepare yourself at home.

Calamus root decoction to strengthen hair

3…4 tbsp. crushed raw materials, pour 1 liter of boiling water and let it brew for a couple of hours. Then strain the resulting broth and use it to apply over the entire surface of the hair, as well as rub it into the scalp in a circular motion.

Even more effective means against hair loss is a decoction obtained in a similar way with the addition of a small amount of crushed burdock root and 1 tbsp to the calamus root. hop cones.

Conditioner-rinse for hair growth

Here the proportions for preparing the infusion are free. Crushed calamus root just needs to be poured with boiling water, left to steep, strain through cheesecloth and used as a hair rinse after each hair wash.

Mask against hair loss

To prepare the mask, you need to mix 50 g of crushed calamus root with 0.5 liters of table vinegar in a small cooking container. The entire mixture is simmered over low heat for a quarter of an hour. When it boils, add 3 tbsp. water and mix. You can apply this mask to your hair only when it has cooled down.. It is best to do this before bed every day for 7 days.

Daily use of care products oral cavity, based on the use of calamus root, will help not only restore tooth enamel, but also get rid of bad breath, gum inflammation, periodontal disease, stomatitis. Most often, for these purposes, rinsing the mouth is carried out after each brushing of the teeth.

To do this, you can use a regular infusion of calamus root (2 tsp of the raw material is poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 12 hours, after which it is filtered and used as directed), or you can use a more an effective recipe, based on the action of two components - calamus root and propolis, which allows you to “patch” microcracks in tooth enamel, as well as get rid of various types of toothaches.

Tincture for mouth rinse based on propolis and calamus root

In fact, here you need to prepare two tinctures separately. In the first bottle, pour 0.5 liters of vodka or alcohol, half a glass of crushed dry calamus root, and in the second - 20 g of crushed propolis (it is much easier to grate it frozen) with the same amount of alcohol base.

Both mixtures must be infused for a week in dark place at room temperature. After the infusion time has passed, you can begin to treat your teeth by rinsing. To do this you need to mix 1 tsp. the resulting propolis tincture and 1 tbsp. Calamus tinctures.

It is quite difficult to rinse with such a thermonuclear mixture, so it is first diluted with a small amount clean water. The mixture must be diluted immediately before use, and not in advance. It is also not suitable for oral consumption, so after rinsing, which usually lasts about 2...3 minutes, it is spat out. The course of treatment in this case is 1 month. Even if your teeth stop hurting in the first days of treatment, you should not interrupt it.

You can use more to care for your oral cavity. simple method Application of calamus root: it is enough to add a small amount of its powder (about 0.5 g) to the toothpaste every time you brush your teeth.

The use of products based on calamus root is very useful for men's health, and in particular for potency, a decrease in which can be caused due to many reasons: stress, diseases, poor nutrition etc. The most effective remedy for restoring potency is an alcohol tincture prepared according to the recipe given below.

Tincture for increasing potency

To prepare it you need to grind 10 g fresh root calamus and pour 100 g of alcohol base. In a hermetically sealed dark glass bottle, this mixture is infused for 3 weeks at room temperature, after which it is filtered and consumed as directed. Taking this tincture is usually recommended in the morning in the amount of 1 tsp. 15 minutes before meals. The resulting tincture should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 1 month.

In pharmacies you can buy not only dry calamus root, but also ready-made products based on it. Of course, the prices of a particular product may vary depending on many factors in different regions of the country. For example, a package of calamus root in 50 g packaging can cost about 70...90 rubles. The price of a finished alcoholic tincture of calamus root ranges from 300...400 rubles. for 100 ml.

The most expensive product made from this plant can be considered calamus essential oil, 5 ml of which can cost at least 1,200 rubles. A cheaper way to purchase calamus is to collect and store it yourself. But it is quite difficult to find, since this plant grows in wetlands, and also to follow the collection technique (digging the roots out of the silt with a pitchfork), drying and cleaning.