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The comminution and distillation time are two important factors, which affect the essential oil yield and/or composition of aromatic plants significantly. To find out the suitable comminution process and optimum distillation time for isolation of essential oil fromAcorus calamusL., an experiment was conducted. The comminuted rhizomes (sliced and powdered) were hydrodistilled for different durations and their yields and compositions were compared. Distillation of uncomminuted rhizome for 8 hours gave 2.37% of essential oil. However, in comminuted rhizomes, yield varied from 2.27 to 6.60% under different distillation durations. The resulting essential oils were analyzed using GC-FID and GC-MS. Twenty-seven constituents, representing 94.7–97.2% of the total oil compositions were identified. Major constituents of the oils were (Z)-asarone (84.8–91.2%), and (E)-asarone (2.5–5.2%). The comminution and distillation time showed noteworthy effect on the essential oil yield; however, they showed no major change on the essential oil composition ofA. calamus. It was concluded that powdering of dried rhizomes and effecting distillation for 4 hours are appropriate parameters for extracting maximum essential oil fromA. calamusat laboratory scale.ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHERCopyright of Journal of Essential Oil Research is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty one accessions of Acorus calamus were evaluated for essential oil composition and biological activities during 2009–2014. Essential oil from fresh rhizomes of A. calamus was obtained by hydro–distillation method, and analyzed by GC–FID and GC–MS. The essential oil yield ranged from 1.10 ± 0.28 to 2.50 ± 0.01%. β-asarone, shyobunone and α-asarone were the major constituents in the rhizome oil. Accession IHBT/AC/16 recorded the lowest β-asarone content (31.56%) and IHBT/AC/1 recorded the highest (91.27%). Two accessions, viz ., IHBT/AC/7 and IHBT/AC/16, representing triploid and diploid accessions that contain high and low β-asarone content, respectively, were tested for biological activities. The cytotoxicity of these accessions was evaluated against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT–29), human epidermoid carcinoma (KB) and human cervical cancer (SiHa) cells at 24, 48 and 72 h. Both accessions at 300 μg/mL and 72 h showed the highest activity against all the tumoral cells. The essential oils of two accessions showed promising larvicidal activities against 2nd instar larvae of Spodoptera litura and Plutella xylostella. However, P. xylostella larvae were more susceptible than the S. litura larvae, and essential oils of accession IHBT/AC/7 were more toxic than accession IHBT/AC/16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhizomes’ essential oils ofAcorus calamusL. grown in Estonia were analyzed using SDE micro-method for oil isolation, GC/FID with two columns of different polarities and GC/MS for identification and quantification of oil composition. The oil yield was 2.4–3.3%. Seventy-two constituents were identified from threeA. calamussamples comprising over 95% of the oils. β-Asarone (85.3%) was the major constituent in one sample (a characteristic of tetraploidA. calamus).Two samples (probably triploid caryotype) had lower percentage of β-asarone (9.3–10.2), but more acorenone (22.4–27.5%), shyobunone (8.2–13.7%), preisocalamendiol (8.1%) and isoacorone (2.8–5,0%). Strong negative correlations between the contents of β-asarone and other principal compounds ofA. calamusoil were found. The β-asarone-rich chemotype ofA. calamuswas found to be growing in Europe for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Acorus calamusessential oil (EO) and its major constituent β-asarone were subjected to insect repellant, mortality, oviposition deterrent and antifeedant efficacy onCallosobruchus chinensisL. The EO showed greater efficacy against all the test parameters than the β-asarone. The repellency experiments were carried out in a glass Y- shaped olfactometer having 60 ml aerial volume At 150 μl, the EO showed 97.3% repellency ofC. chinensiswhile it was only 74.7% in case of β-asarone. The EO caused 100% mortality ofC. chinensisat 0.05 μl/ml after 24 h exposure, while β-asarone could exhibit only up to 46.5%. In addition, the EO was found more efficacious in terms of oviposition, ovicidal, larvicidal and pupaecidal activity than the β- asarone. The fumigant activity ofA. calamusEO and β-asarone against adults ofC. chinensiswas determined through impregnated paper assay in plastic jars of 500 ml capacity .At 0.15 μl/ml EO caused 100% antifeedant activity, thereby, completely protecting the chickpea seeds from insect damage and weight loss. EO also exhibited non phytotoxic nature on treated chickpea seed germination. The findings recommendA. calamusessential oil as a safe alternative of synthetic insecticides and as suitable candidate for pest management strategy against losses of food commodities caused byC. chinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context: It was found that the essential oil of Acorus calamus rhizomes showed insecticidal activity. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition of the essential oil from A. calamus rhizomes, evaluate insecticidal and repellant activity against Lasioderma serricorne (LS) and Tribolium castaneum (TC), and to isolate any insecticidal constituents from the essential oil. Materials and Methods: Essential oil from A. calamus was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) flame ionization detector and GC-mass spectrometry. The insecticidal and repellant activity of the essential oil and isolated compounds was tested using a variety of methods. Results: The main components of the essential oil were identified to be isoshyobunone (15.56%), β-asarone (10.03%), bicyclo[6.1.0]non-1-ene (9.67%), shyobunone (9.60%) and methylisoeugenol (6.69%). Among them, the two active constituents were isolated and identified as shyobunone and isoshyobunone. The essential oil showed contact toxicity against LS and TC with LD50 values of 14.40 and 32.55 μg/adult, respectively. The isolated compounds, shyobunone and isoshyobunone also exhibited strong contact toxicity against LS adults with LD50 values of 20.24 and 24.19 μg/adult, respectively, while the LD50 value of isoshyobunone was 61.90 μg/adult for TC adults. The essential oil, shyobunone and isoshyobunone were strongly repellent (98%, 90% and 94%, respectively, at 78.63 nL/cm2, after 2 h treatment) against TC. Conclusion: The essential oil, shyobunone and isoshyobunone possessed insecticidal and repellant activity against LS and TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rhizomes of Acorus calamus and their essential oil are widely used in the flavoring industry and production of alcoholic beverages in Europe. Recent reports have confirmed the presence of several pharmacological components in the rhizomes of A. calamus. Objective: The objective of this study was to find out the efficacy of topical administration of ethanolic extract of A. calamus on dermal wound healing in rats. Wound healing is a natural process occurring in living organisms, which results in a complete or partial remodeling of injured tissue and ultimately progresses to the formation of a fibrous scar. Several natural products have been reported to augment the wound healing process. Materials and Methods: An ethanolic extract of A. calamus was prepared and its wound-healing efficacy was studied. An excision wound was made on the back of the rat and 200 μL (40 mg/kg body weight) of the A. calamus extract was applied topically once daily for the treated wounds. The control wounds were treated with 200 μL of phosphate buffered saline. Results: The granulation tissues formed were removed at 4, 8 and 12 days and biochemical parameters such as deoxyribonucleic acid, total protein, total collagen, hexosamine and uronic acids were measured. The amount of type I/III collagen formed in control and treated wound tissues was evaluated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The epithelialization time, tensile strength and histological examination of the wounds were also studied. Biochemical analyses of the granulation tissues revealed a significant increase in collagen, hexosamine and uronic acid when compared with the control. The tensile strength of extract treated wounds was found to increase by 112%. A significant reduction in lipid peroxide levels suggested that A. calamus possesses antioxidant components. Conclusions: The results strongly confirm the beneficial effects of A. calamus in augmenting the wound healing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acorus calamus L. (Araceae), is a semi aquatic perennial herb extensively distributed in western Himalaya. To explore the variability in volatile constituents of rhizome essential oils of A. calamus growing wild in foot and mid hills of Uttarakhand, India; twenty one populations were collected during spring season from an altitude of 215 m to 1827 m. The essential oil yield was found to vary from 0.68% to 5.80% in the different populations of A. calamus. GC-FID and GC-MS analysis of oil samples resulted in identification of forty constituents comprising 94.0-99.9% of oil compositions. Phenyl propanoids (81.9-96.9%) represented by β-asarone (69.8-95.6%), α-asarone (0.1-4.7%), (Z)-methyl isoeugenol (<0.1-4.4%), (E)-isoeugenol acetate (0.0-3.7%), (E)-methyl isoeugenol (0.1-2.9%) and ?-asarone (<0.1-1.6%) constitute the major fraction of essential oil composition. Other major constituents identified were a-selinene (0.1-7.2%), humulene epoxide II (<0.1-3.5%), p-cymene (<0.1-1.9%) and a-bisabolol (0.0-1.6%). Comparative results and subsequent statistical analysis based on euclidean multidimensional distance scaling showed considerable variations in rhizome essential oils composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acorus calamus, a medicinally revered aromatic plant, is in high demand in pharmaceutical and perfumery industries. Acorus calamus was intercropped with Morus alba, a bivoltine crop of North- Western Himalayan States, in 10' x 10' spacing under Factorial Randomized Block Design in Sericulture Farmhouse, Directorate of Sericulture, Premnagar, Dehradun, Uttrakhand in March 2008. The plots were harvested at the end of the maturity of the plant in January 2009 for biomass production and essential oil analysis. The yield of the biomass determined on dry weight basis was 28.96 - 32.25 gm. Essential oil from the rhizomes was isolated by hydro-distillation method using Clevenger's apparatus and yield of the oil was determined to be 1.55-1.57%. The β-asarone content in the essential oil estimated by gas chromatography was 87.32-93.03%. Statistical analysis revealed no significant adverse allelopathic effect of Morus alba on the biomass yield, and essential oil and β-asarone content of Acorus calamus intercropped with the tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]