Traditional use: Used across Ayurvedic, TCM, Native American, and European traditions for thousands of years as a digestive stimulant, nervous system tonic, memory enhancer, and remedy for fevers, respiratory congestion, and rheumatic pain.

Potential benefits: Bitter compounds (acorin) support digestion and appetite; asarone constituents show nootropic, sedative, antispasmodic, and antimicrobial properties in preliminary research; used in Ayurveda as a medhya rasayana brain tonic.

Warnings: Beta-asarone is carcinogenic and genotoxic in animal studies — the FDA has banned calamus as a food additive since 1968; tetraploid varieties (highest asarone) must be avoided; contraindicated in pregnancy; not recommended for internal use without professional guidance.