Artemisia dracunculus L. (= Artemisia glauca Pall. ex Willd.)

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 24

Artemisia dracunculus L. (= Artemisia glauca Pall. ex Willd.)

Names.

Myanmar: dona-ban. English: estragon, false tarragon, French tarragon, green sagewart, silky wormwood, tarragon.

Range.

Origin thought to have been Central Asia, probably Siberia. Current range southern Europe, Asia, United States, west to the Mississippi River.

Uses.

Root: Used as tonic, antiseptic, and antiasthmatic.

Notes.

The leaves and young shoots of the species are said to be of particular value for their beneficial effect on digestion. In addition to stimulating the digestive system and uterous, the leaves, and an essential oil obtained from them, lower fevers and destroy intestinal worms; they also serve as an antiscorbutic, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hypnotic, odontalgic, stomachic, and vermifuge ( Bown 1995). An infusion is used to treat indigestion, flatulence, nausea, and hiccups; and a poultice is employed to relieve rheumatism, gout, arthritis, and toothache. ( Phillips and Foy 1990). Also, the plant is mildly sedative as is used to aid sleep ( Chevallier 1996). The root is used to treat digestive and menstrual problems ( Bown 1995). The medicinal uses of eight other members of the genus in China are discussed in Duke and Ayensu (1985). These too have many valuable uses as well as an important chemical composition.

Reference.

Nordal (1963).