Japanese sweet flag

The root is antifungal, antibacterial, antiperiodic, antirheumatic, antispasmodic, aromatic, cardiac, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenaggue, febrifuge, sedative, stimulant, stomachic, tonic and vermifuge. It is also powdered and applied to bleeding gums. It is used internally in the treatment of digestive problems - particularly gastralgia and diarrhoea, cough, bronchial asthma, neurasthenia, depression, epilepsy etc. Externally, it is used to treat body parasites, dermatosis and haemorrhoids. The root can be harvested at any time of the year, except when the plant is in flower. The root contains an essential oil consisting of asarone and asaryl aldehyde, plus a bitter glucoside acorin. Asarone increases the hypnotic effect of barbiturates and ethanol, lowers blood pressure and is antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus, streptococci and mycobacterium. The whole plant is anodyne, antiperiodic, antispasmodic, digestive, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, sedative, stimulant, stomachic, sudorific, tonic, vermifug. Source: https://pfaf.org/