Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is also known as Common Wormwood or Felon Herb and has a reputation both as a powerful healing agent and as a garden pest. In North America, it is frequently viewed as an invasive weed because it propagates quickly both through seeding and through spread of its rhizome. It is found throughout Europe, the British Isles, North America, and Asia.
History of Mugwort
Mugwort is revered by almost every culture that has come to use it. It is one of the nine magical herbs of the Druidic and Anglo-Saxon tribes and was associated with protection of travelers and with fertility rites. The Native American tribes used Mugwort as a smudging herb to clear and cleanse sacred space. It is also believed even today that sleeping with sprigs of Mugwort under your pillow will produce vivid and clear dreams.
Probably the oldest use of Mugwort, though, is as a cone of combustible fibers called Moxa. (Mugwort is often listed as “Moxa” even in Western encyclopedias.) Acupuncturists place burning bundles of Mugwort fibers over specific energetic meridians either directly or indirectly to affect a number of remedies. Filling the navel with cooking salt, putting a slice of fresh ginger over the salt, and then burning Moxa on top of that is said to rouse certain coma patients. Using Moxa is called Moxibustion.
Current Uses and Research
Mugwort is the favored herb for a variety of gynecological issues and has been called the “Mother of Herbs” (meaning that it is effective for mothers, not that all herbs propagate from it). Varying doses are used for excessive menstrual bleeding, calming an over-active fetus, arresting threatened miscarriage, inducing labor and encouraging fertility. However, it also can cause intense miscarriages and one of its active constituents, thujone, is shown to cause birth defects in high doses.
Like its other Wormwood relatives, Mugwort is also effective for a variety of parasitic infections, including tapeworm, threadworm and roundworm, plus parasitic infection on the skin such as ringworm. Mugwort is used to help calm nervous disorders and muscle spasms, helps aid blood circulation, and is an effective remedy for abdominal pain brought on by cold conditions.
Contraindications, Warnings, and Disclaimers
Because the preparations and safe dosage of Mugwort have not been definitively established, do not use it during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Those who are sensitive to Mugwort or Wormwood pollen should not ingest Mugwort. Some skin reactions have occurred in individuals who are allergic to the Daisy family while harvesting Mugwort. Only use Mugwort under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. High doses can be toxic.
References
- Growing and Using the Healing Herbs, Weiss, S., and Gaea, 1985; p. 185-187
- Planetary Herbology, Tierra, M., 1988; p. 264-265
- The Herb Identifier, Clevely, A., 1999; p. 78
- Herbs for Healthy Living, 2007; p. 55
- The Rodale Herb Book, 1974; p. 514-518
- Herbs: Their Culture and Uses, Clarkson, R., 1949; p. 167-168
- Newsfinder - Moxa
- Botanical.Com
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