sweet flag

1. A perennial herb (Acorus calamus) native to Eurasia and naturalized in North America, growing in marshy places and having grasslike leaves, minute greenish flowers borne on a thick spadix, and aromatic rhizomes used in medicine and perfumery. Also called calamus.

2. A similar plant (Acorus americanus) native to North America.

sweet flag

A perennial herb, the rhizone of which contains mucilage, sesquiterpenes and volatile oils (azulene, camphor, cineole, eugenol, pinene and others); it is carminative, spasmolytic and mildly sedative.

Chinese medicine
In traditional Chinese medicine, sweet flag has been used for deafness, seizures and vertigo.

Herbal medicine
In Western herbal medicine, sweet flag has been used for fever, gastrointestinal complaints (dyspepsia and flatulence), menstrual disorders, toothache and tobacco addiction.

Toxicity
Aserone, one of sweet flag’s volatile oils, is carcinogenic; the FDA has classified sweet flag as “unsafe”.

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

This may be due to the ovicidal action of the active component "asarone" of sweet flag as shown by Schmidt and Risha (1990) and Zaidi et al.

Sweet flag extract in petroleum ether at 1000, 500 and 250 ug/g completely inhibited emergence of adults.

Each value is mean of 3 plants (neem, sweet flag, turmeric); 4 concentrations (1000, 500, 250, 125 ug/g) and 3 replications; Values having same letters in a column are non-significant (P [?] 0.05).

Each value is mean of 3 plants (neem, sweet flag, turmeric); 3 solvents (petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol) and 3 replications; Values having same letters in a column are non-significant (P [?] 0.05).

It was also found that petroleum ether extract of sweet flag was the most effective growth inhibitor.

Similarly in petroleum ether extract of neem, 33.7 adults emerged which were also significantly lower than rest of the treatments except petroleum ether and acetone extract of sweet flag. However, ethanol extract of sweet flag was the least effective showing 59.1 adults.

Growth Inhibiting Effects of Plant Extracts Against the Grain Moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Oliv.) (Gelechiidae: Lepidoptera)

Acorus calamus L.: (*,+); Sweet Flag; abundant in large dense colonies in localized sites; Units 1 and 4 fens and Unit 1 swales; BSUH 11006.

Asclepias incarnata L.: Swamp Milkweed; rare to infrequent; low wet areas in fields and Sweet Flag swales; BSUH 11082.

Lycopus uniflorus Michx.: Northern Water Horehound; infrequent, though locally common in Sweet Flag swales; Sweet Flag swales and wet fields; BSUH 10468, 10559, 11557.

Scutellaria lateriflora L.: (+); Skullcap (Maddog skullcap); infrequent; wet meadows, stream banks and Sweet Flag swales; BSUH 10579.

Stachys tenuifolia Willd.: Smooth Hedge Nettle; abundant; wet meadows, floodplain woods and Sweet Flag swales; BSUH 10580.

The flora and vegetational communities of Wilbur Wright Fish and Wildlife Area, Henry County, Indiana

Plants such as Japanese sweet flag (Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'), Hinoki false cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Lutea'), Gold Coast juniper (Juniperus chinensis 'Aurea'), and some hostas give the illusion that rays of sunshine are penetrating the gloom.

Shady secrets; Northern exposure: from deep gloom to glory. (Garden)