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Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea)
Materia Medica
Family: Marantaceae
Botanical name: Maranta arundinacea L.
Common names: Arrowroot, West Indian Arrowroot
Parts used: Rhizome (starch)
Growth habit: Perennial herb
Primary traditions: Tropical American food starch
Actions & Energetics
The rhizome is primarily used as a source of easily digested starch. Traditional tropical American and later colonial records note the starch for infants, convalescents, and as a thickening agent. It is a food, not a concentrated medicinal herb.
Botanical Description
Maranta arundinacea is a perennial with broad, lanceolate leaves and underground rhizomes that store starch. The plant is native to tropical America and is cultivated for the rhizome starch. The starch is extracted by washing and settling the grated rhizome.
Traditional Indications
Traditional tropical American and colonial records used the starch for digestive comfort in infants and convalescents, and as a bland food thickener. The rhizome itself is not a primary drug material in classical European materia medica.
Preparations & Dosage
Starch Gruel or Thickener
The extracted starch is cooked with water or milk as a bland gruel. Ordinary food amounts are the traditional use.
Constituents
The rhizome yields a nearly pure starch. Minor constituents include small amounts of protein and fiber. The starch is easily digested.
Modern Research
Research focuses on the starch as a food thickener and as a source of resistant starch in some preparations. Clinical medicinal data are limited because the plant is used primarily as food.
Adverse Effects
Ordinary food use of the starch is well-tolerated. It is one of the most bland and easily digested starches traditionally available.
Interactions & Contraindications
No clinically established drug interactions are recorded for ordinary food use of the starch.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
The starch is used as a food. Traditional sources do not list restrictions for ordinary dietary amounts.
Habitat & Cultivation
- Native range: Tropical America
- Habitat: Lowland tropics
- Cultivation: Grown for the rhizome starch in tropical regions
Harvesting & Drying
Rhizomes are harvested after about 10–12 months of growth. They are washed, grated, and the starch is extracted by washing and settling, then dried.
History, Folklore & Spiritual Use
Arrowroot starch was used by Indigenous peoples of tropical America and later became an important colonial export. The name “arrowroot” is said to derive from its traditional use in treating arrow wounds, though the primary historical use is as a food starch. It remains a standard thickener in some traditional and modern kitchens.
Materia Medica Summary
Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) is a tropical American perennial whose rhizome yields a bland, easily digested starch. Traditional use centers on the starch as a food thickener and mild gruel for infants and convalescents. It is a food plant rather than a concentrated medicinal herb.