MUGWORT

Artemisiavulgaris BotanicalNomenclature: Artemisiavulgaris CommonName: Mugwort Others:StJohnsplant,Fellenherb,Moxa Partsused Leavesandflowers(commerciallythestemsareincluded)harvestedrightbeforeflowering Identification Mugwortisaperennialplantthatdiesbackinwinterandcangrowuptosixtoeightfeettall whenmature.Itisallalopathic,whichmeansthatitsecretessubstancesthatinhibitthegrowthof otherplants.Theleaveshaveasilverymooncoloredundersideandagreygreentop.The inflorescenceisverysmall,grayishgreen,andiscomposite(akarayanddisk).Mugworthasa distinctlyperfumeyandrecognizablearoma.Wormwoodismoresilveryintheleafanda woodyperennial.Sweetannieisoverlyaromatic&camphorlike. CommercialAvailability: Cutandsifted Tincture Caution:Overexposuretocutandsiftedmugwortcancauserespiratoryproblemsorcontact dermatitissobecarefulwhenprocessing GrowingandHarvesting: Mugwortiseasytogrow.Collectseedofthehardiestplantsandscatteritondisturbedsoil. Theypropagateprettyeasilyandwillquicklyformahardystand.Itsproutseasilybyseed(use 12seedspercell).Asstatedpreviously,itinhibitsgrowthofotherplants,soplantitaway fromthegarden.Mugworthasoneofthehighestwatercontentsoffreshplantsitisupwards of80%water.Harvestitatfull/newmoonbecauseitcontainslesswateratthesepointsinthe cycleatmoonitcontainsmorewater. Flavor Bitter,Astringent. Energetics Cooling,slightlydrying Galenwarminginthefirstdegree

Betzywarmingbitter Affinitytothemoonthatwhichishidden Affinitytodreams Affinitytowomensmoons,itisnamedforArtemis,theGreekversionofDianaGoddessofthe Moon. Actions Antiseptic Antibacterial (mild)Anthelmintic(wormwoodisbetter) Antispasmodic Carminative Diaphoretic Cholagogue Stomachic/digestivebitter Emmenagogue(strong abortifacient) Nervine Emeticinhighdoses tonicmostadaptogensarenotreallyEuropeansothiswasacloseoneforthem TraditionalUses Mugworttranslatestoplantforthemug,thisshowsthatmugwortwasoneoftheherbs traditionallyusedtobitterbeer.yarrow,groundivy,andheatherwerealsohistoricallyusedfor bitteringagentsandallprovidedalesssedatingeffectthanhops. Mugworthasalsobeentraditionallyburnedandthesmokeusedforpurificationandprotection ofspace. Culpeperalldisordersofthestomach,bittertonictoincreaseappetite,madetoostrongit disguststhetaste.Mugwortisusedasanantidotetothemischiefofmushroomsandhenbane (detoxifierformushroomandhenbane(nightshade)poisoning) Mugworthasbeenusedtokeepmothsaway,asasacredherbfortravelers,forworms, jaundice,tohelpbreakfever,preventrecurrentfevers(agueakamalaria),asatopical vulneraryandhemostatic,tostopexcessivebleedingfromuterusANDinducebleeding/regulate menses(oftencombinedwithDongQaifordeficient/irregularmenses).Itisindicatedfora varietyofconditionsofspasm(GI&respiratory)characterizedbychangeability/windinessand associatedwithnervousness IntraditionalChinesemedicineitiscalledmoxaandusedonacupressurepointstopurifyand stimulatechannels. Mugwortisalsotraditionallyusedforluciddreamingitcanbehungabovethebed,usedina pillow,ortakeninatincture,tea,beerorsmokedbeforebed Indications Removesandcutsthroughstagnation(slow,sluggishdigestion,cramping,constipation) Menstrualcrampingstagnation(darkblood,clots,dullcramping) WithEchinaceastuckchroniclingeringinfectionsandinflammations(ielingeringstaph) Atonicboggytissuestate

Pulseindication:aweakpulsewiththebeatweakerontherighthandandstrongeron theleft.EliotCowan ClinicalUses Mugwortisanantioxidantforcoolingfatmetabolism,especiallyintheliver.Ifyou wakeupinthemorningwithagreysheetoveryourpsyche,yourheadhurtsinthefront, yourmouthtasteslikeathreedayoldGreeksalad,yourhemorrhoidsareaching,and youcravethingslikepizza,potatochips,orfrybread,takethecoldinfusiononceatnight foracoupleofweeks.Usuallythecravingforfatswilllessen,thechylomicronsinthe bloodwilllessen,andthefatoverloadondigestionwillimproveElevatedbloodfats lowerthecolloidchargeofboththebloodandthevessellinings.Thebloodtendsto stackup,clump,andmovelessgracefullythroughthecapillaries,causingheadaches, excitinginflammatoryresponses,backingupthebloodintotheliverfromtheportal system,andcausingpelviccongestion.(Moore,109) Hyperandrogenism(Wood,117) Constituents Volatileoilspinene,thujone(alsofoundinsomesalviagenus).Thujoneistoxictoa developingfetus.Whenfermenteditisrenderedborderlinepsychedelic.Thujonecanbe harmfultoneuronaldevelopmentininfants. Flavonoids Minerals Coumarins Bitteriridoidsneartogentianbutlessintense Caffeoylquinicacids,chlorogenicacid,andatleasttwentytworelatedguaianolide sesquiterpenelactones,includingdihydroleucodin,acytoprotectant(moore,108) Pharmacology Antioxidant,attacksfreeradicalsandbindstothem(flavonoids) Coumarinshavebeenconnectedtoanalterative/lymphaticquality.Mugwortdoesnotcontain enoughtoproduceeffect. Iridoidsareresponsibleforthestomachicandcholagogueeffect Volatileoilsproducetheantispasmodic,carminative,diaphoretic,andlikelynervineeffects ClinicalTrials Reducedpainandinflammationinvariousanimalstudies Effectiveagainststaph,typhoid,dysentery,strep,e.coli,pseudamonis,bugsassociatedwith gastrointestinalenteritis Parasitetrichanosisneematoidinvolvedinporkgetsintomuscletissuemugwortand wormwoodstudied.Tincturesofbothreducedlarvalrateinthediaphragm,quadriceps,and bicepinrats.Mugwort75%wormwood65%.Thisshowsthatmugwortcanbetaken internallyandwilltraveltothebloodstream.Canbeusedsystemicallyformalariaandlyme disease(sweetannie)2008,experimentalparasitology,turkey 2008mugwort,lemonpeel,juniper,lavender,lemonbalmserviceablefleaandtickrepellent andmiterepellentinears

1995clinicaltrialminisculedosesofprefloweringmugworttincturetopeoplewith mugwort/ragweed(alsobirchcatkins)allergy.Measuredeye,skin,andresp.sensitivity.Birch wasgoodfornothing,mugworthelped. InEuropebittersandcholagoguesareusedtotreatallergiesfrequently Antimarial/antilyme historicaluseandabilitytokillbroadrangeofbacteriafoodpoisoning/vulnerary antiallergies SafetyIssues Contraindicatedduringpregnancyandlactation Cancausehypersensitivitytoallergies Toomuchcancauseanemeticresponse Preparation/Dosage 1tbsp/pint Tincturefresh80%alcohol Dried1:5weighttovolume60%alcohol1060drops,1/32ml Mugwortcandy!Reallystronginfusionofmugwort(1oz/pintoroz/cup).cupinfusion mixedwith2.5cupssugar,heatto300deg.stirringconstantly,pourontomarbleslab,while gummyrunabutteredknifetocutinsections,dustwithmugwortpowderandpowderedsugar, wrapindividually,yummy! Combinations/SimilarHerbs Mugwortisagreatbaseforbitters Gentiantruebitter,noaromaticsonotantispasmodic Rosemarycombineswellwithmugwort(1:5)addsomethinglikegingertowarmforanice bitterblend.Mugwortisindicatedforspasmodic,congestedGIconditions Miscellaneous: Thefloweressencehelpsenhanceourreceptivequalitiestoaccessinsightfromour subconsciousorthespiritworldthroughdreams.Ithelpssoulsfindabalancebetween dayandnight,darknessandlight,sleepandwakefulness.Ithelpsthoseseeking knowledgethroughpropheticdreams. Sources: Wood,Matthew.TheEarthwiseHerbal:aCompleteGuidetoOldWorldMedicinalPlants (Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2008). Moore,Michael.MedicinalPlantsofthePacificWest(SantaFe:RedCraneBooks,1993).