Pharmacological Evidence For The Oral Health Potential Of Acorus Calamus: A Scoping Review


(*) Corresponding Author
DOI: 10.30659/medali.8.2.125-137

Background: Acorus calamus contains diverse bioactive compounds with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, evidence regarding its potential applications in oral health remains dispersed across various experimental models.This scoping review aimed to map the available evidence on the pharmacological potential of A. calamus in oral health and identify current research gaps.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed and ScienceDirect, supplemented by Google Scholar and manual reference screening. Original English-language studies published between January 2022 and July 2026 were included. Data on plant preparation, experimental model, pharmacological activity, principal findings, and relevance to oral health were extracted. Study selection followed the PRISMA-ScR framework.

Results: Twenty-three studies met the eligibility criteria. Most employed in vitro models, while only one combined laboratory investigations with a randomized clinical trial. The evidence consistently demonstrated antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities, with additional reports of antifungal, wound-healing, and oral formulation potential. Rhizome-derived preparations were the most frequently investigated. However, studies directly evaluating oral tissues, oral microorganisms, or clinical oral outcomes were limited, and substantial methodological heterogeneity was observed.

Conclusion: A. calamus demonstrates promising pharmacological properties with potential applications in oral healthcare. Nevertheless, clinical translation remains limited by the scarcity of oral-specific and clinical evidence. Further standardized preclinical studies and well-designed clinical trials are warranted to establish its safety, efficacy, and therapeutic value in dentistry.

Keywords: Acorus calamus; oral health; phytotherapy; antibacterial; antioxidant; anti-inflammatory; scoping review.

  1. Bernabe E, Marcenes W, Abdulkader RS, Abreu LG, Afzal S, Alhalaiqa FN, et al. Trends in the global, regional, and national burden of oral conditions from 1990 to 2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet [Internet]. 2025;405(10482):897–910. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)02811-3
  2. Zhu J, Chu W, Luo J, Yang J, He L, Li J. Dental Materials for Oral Microbiota Dysbiosis: An Update. Front Cell Infect Microbiol [Internet]. 2022;Volume 12. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.900918
  3. James A, Janakiram C, Meghana R V, Kumar VS, Sagarkar AR, Y YB. Impact of oral conditions on oral health-related quality of life among Indians- a systematic review and Meta-analysis. Heal Qual Life Outcomes. 20230831st ed. 2023;21(1):102.
  4. Lima C V, Dos Santos Noronha M, de Menezes EJM, de Oliveira Araújo VS, Mendes PHC, Ferreira RC, et al. Unraveling the signs and symptoms of oral conditions that affect daily life activities and oral health-related quality of life. Clin Oral Investig. 20221230th ed. 2023;27(6):2725–33.
  5. Mohideen K, Chandrasekaran K, Veeraraghavan H, Faizee SH, Dhungel S, Ghosh S. Meta-Analysis of Assessment of Total Oxidative Stress and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Patients with Periodontitis. Dis Markers. 20231030th ed. 2023;2023:9949047.
  6. Samiei M, Abdollahinia ED, Amiryaghoubi N, Fathi M, Barar J, Omidi Y. Injectable thermosensitive chitosan/gelatin hydrogel for dental pulp stem cells proliferation and differentiation. Tabriz Univ Med Sci [Internet]. 2023;13(1):63–72. Available from: https://doi.org/10.34172/bi.2022.23904
  7. Amanpour S, Akbari Javar M, Sarhadinejad Z, Doustmohammadi M, Moghadari M, Sarhadynejad Z. A systematic review of medicinal plants and herbal products’ effectiveness in oral health and dental cure with health promotion approach. J Educ Heal Promot. 20230929th ed. 2023;12:306.
  8. Zhao Y, Li J, Cao G, Zhao D, Li G, Zhang H, et al. Ethnic, Botanic, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of the Acorus L. Genus: A Review. Molecules. 2023;28(20).
  9. Middha SK, Usha T, Hemavathi KN, Hemalatha P, Goyal AK, Saini DK, et al. Phytochemical, Pharmacological, and Therapeutic Benefit of Acorus Calamus (Vacha): A Comprehensive Scientific Review. Mini Rev Med Chem. 20260128th ed. 2026;
  10. Pollock D, Evans C, Jia RM, Alexander L, Pieper D, Brandão de Moraes É, et al. How-to: Scoping review? J Clin Epidemiol [Internet]. 2024;176. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111572
  11. S S, T J, M P G, Chandrashekar BR, Pradeep S. A Novel Oral Bioadhesive Formulation Incorporated with NanoHydroxyapatite and Acorus Calamus Rhizome Extract to Prevent White Spot Lesion – A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Calif Dent Assoc. 2026;54(1).
  12. Haran P, Shanmugam R, Deenadayalan P. Free Radical Scavenging, Anti-inflammatory and Antibacterial Activity of Acorus calamus Leaves Extract Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Cureus. 2024;16(3):1–12.
  13. Bai H, Xue Z, Zhang W, Feng C, Zhou Z, Hu S, et al. Alpha-Asarone alleviates allergic asthma by stabilizing mast cells through inhibition of the ERK/JAK2-STAT3 pathway. BioFactors [Internet]. 2023;49(1):140–52. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/biof.1879
  14. Bari MU, Hussain A, Aslam B, Sindhu ZU, Sajid MR, Khan RU. Anti-arthritic appraisal of Acorus calamus L. extracts in complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritic Wistar rats via regulating inflammatory cytokines and the OPG/RANKL pathway. Inflammopharmacology [Internet]. 2026;34(1):381–98. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-025-02030-3
  15. Wu X, Tong Y, Luo W, Yao Z, Pei Y, Zhan Y, et al. Therapeutic Effects of Acorus calamus L. Extract on Radiation-induced Skin Injury in a Rat Model. J Vis Exp [Internet]. 2026;(227). Available from: https://doi.org/10.3791/69705
  16. Al-Mijalli SH, Mrabti HN, Abdallah EM, Assaggaf H, Qasem A, Alenazy R, et al. Acorus calamus as a promising source of new antibacterial agent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus: Deciphering volatile compounds and mode of action. Microb Pathog [Internet]. 2025;200. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2025.107357
  17. Argentino G, Di Leo EG, Stranieri C, Negri S, Commisso M, Guzzo F, et al. Screening of Mediterranean Plant-Derived Extracts for Antioxidant Effect in Cell-Free and Human Cell-Line Models. Antioxidants [Internet]. 2025;14(10). Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14101217
  18. Booth Z, Essack S, van Vuuren S. Conventional Antimicrobial and Medicinal Plants from a Traditional Medicine Market in South Africa: An Interactive Antimicrobial and Toxicity Study. Antibiotics [Internet]. 2025;14(5). Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14050512
  19. Datchanamurthy B, Narayanamurthy U, Salwe KJ, Manimekalai K, Subha V. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of extract of Acorus calamus rhizomes in experimental animal models. Int J Green Pharm [Internet]. 2023;17(3):226–32. Available from: https://doi.org/10.22377/ijgp.v17i03.3473
  20. Kisku A, Sulakhiya K. Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Acorus calamus Essential Oil Using in Silico and in Vitro Methods. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents [Internet]. 2024;38(2):1093–101. Available from: https://doi.org/10.23812/j.biol.regul.homeost.agents.20243802.84
  21. D’Souza A, Sanjay KU, Venkatasai NN, Rai PS. From Soil To Solution: Metabolomic and Antimicrobial Insights into Acorus Calamus L. Root Systems. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr [Internet]. 2026;26:3910–24. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-026-03106-x
  22. Keshamma E. Phytochemical Screening and Determination of Antioxidant Activity of Rhizome of Acorus Calamus. Int J Food Nutr Sci [Internet]. 2022;11(7):3508–15. Available from: https://www.ijfans.org/index.php/Journal/article/view/6829
  23. Huang L, Feng Z, Xiang J, Deng M, Zhou Z. Anti-inflammatory compounds from the rhizome of Acorus calamus var. angustatus Besser and their mechanism. Nat Prod Res [Internet]. 2024;38(20):3669–75. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2023.2255919
  24. Chaubey P, Parki A, Nagarkoti K, Kumar R, Prakash O. Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Acorus calamus L. accessions from different ecological niches. Indian J Nat Prod Resour [Internet]. 2023;14(4):581–90. Available from: https://doi.org/10.56042/ijnpr.v14i4.5912
  25. Ali S, Singhal M, Ahmed M, Wani SH. Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity of Acorus calamus Linn. rhizomes. J Postharvest Technol [Internet]. 2024;12(1):1–11. Available from: https://acspublisher.com/journals/index.php/jpht/article/view/14959
  26. Kongkham B, Duraivadivel P, Hariprasad P. Acorus calamus L. rhizome extract and its bioactive fraction exhibits antibacterial effect by modulating membrane permeability and fatty acid composition. J Ethnopharmacol [Internet]. 2024;331. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2024.118323
  27. Assaggaf H, Jeddi M, Mrabti HN, Ez-Zoubi A, Qasem A, Attar A, et al. Design of three-component essential oil extract mixture from Cymbopogon flexuosus, Carum carvi, and Acorus calamus with enhanced antioxidant activity. Sci Rep [Internet]. 2024;14(1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59708-x
  28. Abbas A, Muhammad SA, Ashar A, Mehfooz SA, Rauf A, Bakhsh M, et al. Comparison of the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles and extract of Acorus calamus applied topically on surgical wounds inflicted on the skin of rabbits. Pol J Vet Sci [Internet]. 2023;26(2):285–93. Available from: https://doi.org/10.24425/pjvs.2023.145035
  29. Sethumadhavan SC, Pottail L, Sharma SC, Chithambharan A, Ballal S. Structural and Morphological Characterization of Bio-templated Reduced Graphene Oxide and their Antibacterial Efficacy. J Clust Sci [Internet]. 2022;33(5):1997–2008. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10876-021-02120-6
  30. Zaheri Abdevand Z, Vafamand Y, Malayeri A, Behmanesh MA. The evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of Acorus calamus L. ethanolic extract on ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma in mice. J Ethnopharmacol [Internet]. 2025;348. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2025.119903
  31. Aiman F, Guleria S, Choudhary P, Majeed A, Rajauria G. Antioxidant activity and synergistic antimicrobial effects of Acorus calamus and Hedychium spicatum essential oil with conventional antibiotics. Indian J Microbiol [Internet]. 2026;66(3):615–28. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12088-025-01452-5
  32. Sytykiewicz H, Łukasik I, Goławska S. Chemical Composition, Anti-Tyrosinase and Antioxidant Potential of Essential Oils from Acorus calamus L. and Juniperus communis L. Molecules [Internet]. 2025;30(11). Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112417
  33. Kongkham B, Hariprasad P. Ampicillin potentiation ability of PLGA encapsulated Acorus calamus clarified crude extract targeting Acinetobacter baumannii. South African J Bot [Internet]. 2025;179:304–17. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2025.02.031
  34. Suma S, Jerusha T, Gowrav MP, Chandrashekar BR, Pradeep S. A Novel Oral Bioadhesive Formulation Incorporated with NanoHydroxyapatite and Acorus Calamus Rhizome Extract to Prevent White Spot Lesion - A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Calif Dent Assoc [Internet]. 2026;54(1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/19424396.2026.2617001

Lisensi Creative Commons
This work is licensed under a Lisensi Creative Commons Atribusi-BerbagiSerupa 4.0 Internasional.
Contact us: MEDALI Jurnal: Media Dental Intelektual : Jl. Raya Kaligawe Km.4, PO BOX 1054/SM Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, 50112. Email: odontodentaljournal@unissula.ac.id
apps