What to know about mugwort

Mugwort is a hardy perennial plant that usually grows in the warmer areas of the Northern Hemisphere. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. People usually consider mugwort to be an invasive weed. It is also related to ragweed and can cause a similar allergic reaction to that associated with ragweed. For this reason, people usually kill or remove it. There are many traditional superstitions related to this herb. For example, people used to believe that mugwort could protect from fatigue, sunstroke, wild animals, and evil spirits. Many people also suggest that the Romans used to use mugwort in their sandals to relieve aching feet. People can make mugwort leaves into a tea by infusing them in boiling water.

How to Grow Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) - Gardening Channel

Some people also smoke the plant as an alternative to tobacco. It is also available in capsule form from many health stores. Traditionally, throughout Europe and in traditional Chinese medicine, people have used mugwort as a treatment for a variety of health conditions. For example, people have smoked or consumed the dried leaves as a way to promote lucid dreaming, though there have been few studies into this. Others who use the herb suggest that it has antibacterial properties, but again, there have been few studies investigating this. This article reviews other examples of the potential health benefits of mugwort. Since mugwort can interact with other medications you should check with your health care provider before using mugwort. The main use of mugwort is in a technique called moxibustion. This involves burning the herb over a specific part of the body based on what the practitioner is trying to achieve. Practitioners also commonly use moxibustion during acupuncture to increase the effectiveness of this ancient Chinese practice.

There is some evidence to suggest that moxibustion may be able to help prevent or correct breech births, which might, in turn, help reduce the need for as many cesarean deliveries. One review suggests that this can be either alone or in combination with acupuncture or postural techniques. A review also notes that moxibustion resulted in a decreased use of oxytocin compared with no treatment. Oxytocin reduces stress, calms a person down, and helps with pain during labor. The fact that it was less needed when a person used moxibustion is significant. One review found sufficient evidence to suggest that moxibustion is effective for pain reduction and symptom management in people with osteoarthritis in the knee. This supports a review that suggests that moxibustion could be useful as an alternative in treating knee osteoarthritis. Some people also believe that mugwort can help relax the uterus, and, in doing so, induce a late menstrual cycle and relieve any cramps associated with it.

There is also limited evidence to suggest that moxibustion may reduce both the frequency and the severity of hot flashes associated with menopause. This is based on a single study of 51 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women that included a control group. There is limited evidence to suggest that some types of mugwort may be effective in treating cancerous cells. Furthermore, the results of one study indicate that the ability of California mugwort Artemisis douglasiana to kill cells extends to normal human cells, as well as cancerous ones. For this reason, the researchers recommend that a traditional healer or herbalist supervise its use. A review of numerous studies into moxibustion concludes that it may help reduce the symptoms of chemotherapy and improve quality of life, but research must continue to confirm this. The study authors conclude that, until they know more about the safety of this remedy, people should exercise when consuming extracts of California mugwort, whether as a tincture or as a tea.

Research in this area is lacking, so scientists need to conduct more research to investigate the potential side effects of mugwort in a variety of forms and uses. That said, mugwort can cause allergic reactions similar to those associated with ragweed. These reactions can occur from coming into physical contact with the plant or from drinking tea made from the herb. As well as these effects, mugwort can also increase asthma symptoms, such as coughing and wheezing. This is also known as oral allergy syndrome. Also, mugwort contains a substance called thujone, which can be toxic in large amounts. The amount present in the herb itself is little enough that experts generally consider it safe to use. The downy hairs on the underside of the leaves can be scraped off and used as effective tinder. Aromatic and slightly bitter leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, as well as young spring shoots. The leaves and buds, best picked shortly before mugwort flowers in July to September, can be used as a bitter flavoring agent to season fat, meat and fish.

The composition of mugwort essential oil can vary depending on the genus of plant selected, its habitat, as well as the part of the plant extracted and the season of its harvest. Its main components can include camphor , cineole , α- and β- thujone , artemisia ketone CAS: , borneol and bornyl acetate as well as a wide variety of other phenols , terpenes , and aliphatic compounds. All parts of the plant contain essential oils with all-purpose insecticidal properties especially in the killing of insect larvae. In the European Middle Ages, mugwort was used as a magical protective herb. Mugwort was used to repel insects — especially moths — from gardens. Mugwort has also been used from ancient times as a remedy against fatigue and to protect travelers against evil spirits and wild animals. Roman soldiers put mugwort in their sandals to protect their feet against fatigue and cramps. John's Eve to gain security from evil possession, and in Holland and Germany one of its names is 'St.

John's plant', because of the belief that — if gathered on St. John's Eve — it gave protection against diseases and misfortunes. In the Isle of Man , mugwort is known as bollan bane , and is still worn on the lapel at the Tynwald Day celebrations, which also have strong associations with St John. There are several references to the Chinese using mugwort in cuisine. The famous Chinese poet Su Shi in the 11th century mentioned it in one of his poems. There are even older poems and songs that can be tracked back to 3 BC. Mugwort can be prepared as a cold dish or can be stir-fried with fresh or smoked meat. Mugwort is also used as a flavoring and colorant for a seasonal rice dish. In traditional Chinese medicine , mugwort is used in a pulverized and aged form — called moxa in English from Japanese mogusa — to perform moxibustion , that is, to burn on specific acupuncture points on the patient's body to achieve therapeutic effects. There is a belief that moxibustion of mugwort is effective at increasing the cephalic positioning of fetuses who were in a breech position before the intervention.

A Cochrane review in found that moxibustion may be beneficial in reducing the need for ECV , but stressed a need for well-designed randomised controlled trials to evaluate this usage. In Germany, known as Beifuß , it is mainly used to season goose, especially the roast goose traditionally eaten for Christmas. The plant, called nāgadamanī in Sanskrit , is used in Ayurveda for cardiac complaints as well as feelings of unease, unwellness, and general malaise. Mugwort rice cakes , or kusa mochi are used for Japanese sweets called daifuku literally 'great luck'. To make these, take a small amount of mochi and stuff it or wrap it round a filling of fruit or sweetened adzuki red bean paste. Traditional daifuku can be pale green, white or pale pink and are covered in a fine layer of potato starch to prevent sticking.

What Is Mugwort?

Mugwort is a vital ingredient of kusa mochi rice cake with mugwort and hishi mochi lozenge rice cake , which is served at the Doll Festival in March. In addition, the fuzz on the underside of the mugwort leaves is gathered and used in moxibustion. In some regions in Japan, [24] there is an ancient custom of hanging yomogi and iris leaves together outside homes in order to keep evil spirits away. It is said that evil spirits dislike their smell. The juice is said to be effective at stopping bleeding, lowering fevers and purging the stomach of impurities. It can also be boiled and taken to relieve colds and coughs. It is a common ingredient in rice cakes , teas, soups , and pancakes.

How to Make Mugwort Tea in 8 Simple Steps

Known as a blood cleanser, it is believed to have different medicinal properties depending on the region it is collected in. In some regions, mugwort thins the blood, while in another region, it is claimed to have hallucinogenic properties, causing some to pass out from direct skin contact dermal absorption with the active chemicals. For this reason, some Koreans also wear a silk sleeve when picking mugwort plants. Its primary medicinal use in Korea is in moxibustion , where Mugwort is burned on pressure points of the body, much like acupuncture. It is also said that the people of the Joseon Dynasty rinsed their mouths and bodies with mugwort water to clean themselves. Indigenous peoples of North America used mugwort for a number of medicinal purposes. Strong, bitter-tasting pasture sagewort tea was taken to treat colds and fevers. Mugwort was used in washes and salves to treat bruises, itching, sores, poison ivy, eczema, and underarm or foot odour.

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The leaves were dried, crushed, and used as a snuff to relieve congestion, nosebleeds, and headaches. Frequently, to improve taste and absorption, Mugwort Tea is made by crushing the leaves, and steeping with other ingredients. Some tribes called western mugwort 'women's sage' because the leaf tea was taken to correct menstrual irregularity. It was taken to relieve indigestion, coughs, and chest infections. Western mugwort smoke was used to disinfect contaminated areas and revive patients from comas. Northern wormwood tea was taken to relieve difficulties with urination or bowel movements, to ease delivery of babies, and to cause abortions. Mugwort pollen is one of the main sources of hay fever and allergic asthma in North Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. The Finnish allergy association recommends tearing as a method of eradicating mugwort. Mugwort often contains the neurotoxin compound thujone , though this varies greatly by species and the environmental conditions where the plant is grown.

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