Physico
Chemical Properties :
Colour = Yellow to brown
Refrective index at 25˚C = 1.5400 to 1.5500
Specific Gravity at 25˚C = 1.0700 to 1.80000
Optical Rotaition = +3˚ to Inactive
Flash point = 127˚C (Closed cup method)
Main Constituent :
Asarone, Calamenol, Calamene
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Steam distilled Essential Oil from dried rhizome of Acorus Calamus.
Uses :
The oil of Calamus is used as an ingredient in flavors, particularly
in liquors. The oil is employed also in perfumery. Because of its
peculiar, Warm and somewhat Spicy odour, it blends well into
compositions of the heavier oriental type.
Advance
Studies :
Due to high Asarone percentage this oil is useful in mental ailment (Menon
& Dandya-1967), as an insecticide (Mukergee & Govind-1960), in Ayurvedic
System of Indian Medicines (Nandkarni-1954), as an stimulant, emetic,
nauseant, stomachic, aromatic, expectorant, carminative, antispasmodic,
and nervine sedative. Due to its insecticidal activity it has been used
in combination with Neem Oil, cedar wood oil as Room Sprayer against
house hold insect. Its use has been restricted by IFRA due to high
percentage of Asarone in Indian Calamus Oil. A high concentrations
(0.5%) of b-Asarone have been shown to be positive in Ames mutagenic
test following activation (WHO-FAZ, 1981). Recently to enhance memory it
is being used in a drug called megamind plus.
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