Compound Monograph
alpha-Asarone
alpha-Asarone is a phenylpropanoid found in calamus (sweet flag) and certain other aromatic plants.
Sources · 2
Where Does It Come From?
alpha-Asarone is a naturally occurring phenylpropanoid, found in Calamus / sweet flag and 1 other source. It is flagged as toxic and a known carcinogen.
Concentration
Content by Source
Concentrations not reported. No percent-dry-weight or mg/g figures have been published for this compound in its source plants.
Research & Evidence
alpha-Asarone is a phenylpropanoid and one of the principal aromatic constituents of calamus (sweet flag, Acorus calamus). It is responsible, with the related beta-asarone, for much of the plant’s characteristic odor and pharmacology, and it has been studied for effects on the central nervous system and lipid metabolism in laboratory models.
Toxicity & Safety
Asarones are a significant safety concern in calamus. beta-Asarone in particular has shown genotoxic and carcinogenic activity in animal studies, and the asarone content is the main reason calamus preparations are restricted or discouraged for internal use in many jurisdictions. Calamus from high-asarone chemotypes should not be taken internally.
