Mugwort, Anything But Vulgar

https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/2021/10/mugwort-anything-but-vulgar.html



I am particularly fond of the Wormwood or Artemisia family.  Most of these herbs have a, to me at least, pleasantly bitter flavor.  They also have a fascinating history.  It is very likely that the Artemisias were among the first herbs used by ancient man.  These herbs tend to have insect repelling qualities.  Perhaps many thousands of years ago, someone noticed that quality and began to put some in his bedding.  Most everyone in such an era would have suffered from parasites and intestinal worms.  The beginning of herbalism may well have been when that ancient man or woman ate or made the first tea of an Artemisia species.  Bitterness was more common in ancient vegetables than it is now, our ancestors having spent thousands of generations breeding much of the bitterness out.  The bitterness of an Artemisia may have been more palatable to ancient man.  He would have noticed that these herbs not only helped against parasites, but settled an upset stomach, stimulated appetite and digestion, helped against infections and may have had some qualities that seemed almost magical.  The thujone in large quantities of Wormwood can be intoxicating.

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), especially, is unique in this regard.  If that ancient man burned dried Mugwort, perhaps as a fumigant or a “smudge” as many of the Artemisias have been used historically, he likely experienced vivid, lucid… and some say, “prophetic” dreams.  He may have also noticed that Mugwort taken in tea, wine or beer helped him forget traumas and bad memories.  No one knows why Mugwort has these properties, but they have been noted and recorded in most all cultures where Mugwort is used.  Mugwort is an herb much associated with the spiritual side of herbalism.  It is also an herb closely associated with beer.  This herb was very popular before the dominance of hops in brewing, both as a bitter and preservative for the beer, and for its pleasant effects on the drinker.

The Artemisia family of herbs is closely associated with ancient Greece.  While my understanding was that this family of herbs was named after the Greek goddess, Artemis, Clover Leaf Farms’ Herbal Encyclopedia tells us, “The botanical classification of this genus, of some 200 species, was derived from Artemisia, the sister and wife of the Greek/Persian King Mausolus, and ruled after his death in 353 BCE. Artemisia was a noted botanist and medical researcher, and to honour her husband/brother, she built a magnificent tomb called the Mausoleum, which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.”  It seems that Pliny the Elder gave both examples in his writings on plants, in explanation of how this herb was named.

Dioscorides wrote in de Materia Medica:

Some artemisia is polyclonos, some monoclonos. It grows for the most part in places near the sea. It is a shrub-like herb similar to wormwood but bigger, and with the leaves coarser. There is one sort that is prosperous with broader leaves and stems, another smaller, the flowers little, thin and white, with a strong smell; it flowers in the summer. Some (in the Mediterranean parts) call a slender-branched little herb with a single stalk, extremely small, abundant with
flowers of a tawny yellow colour, Artemisia monoclonos. The scent of this is sweeter than of the other. They both warm and relieve. Boiled, they are good put into womens’ baths for driving out the menstrual flow and afterbirth, as an abortifacient, for the closure and inflammation of the womb, the breaking of stones [urinary, kidney], and stoppage of urine. Much of the herb applied to the lower part of the bowels induces the menstrual flow, and the juice (kneaded together with myrrh and applied) draws from the womb as many things as does bathing; three teaspoonfuls of the filaments is given in drink to bring out the same things. If anyone has the herb artemisia with him while travelling it dissolves weariness, and if you wear it on your feet it drives away venomous beasts and devils. After blood has hardened around the joints, take the bigger branches with rosaceum and (having boiled them in a pot) rub the sick man all over with this as he goes to sleep. It helps womens' womb congestion considerably, and soothes slow painful urination and rupture of the opisthotonum [form of tetanus]. It is also called toxetesia, ephesia, anactorios, sozusa, lea, or lycophrys; the Magi call it sanguis hominis, it is also called chrysanthemon, the Romans call itsalentia, some,serpyllum,  others, herba regia, rapium, tertanageta, or artenisia, the Gauls call it ponem, and the Dacians, zuoste.



Mugwort also has a traditional association with John The Baptist.  Mrs. Grieves tells us this bit of lore:

In the Middle Ages, the plant was known as Cingulum Sancti Johannis, it being believed that John the Baptist wore a girdle of it in the wilderness. There were many superstitions connected with it: it was believed to preserve the wayfarer from fatigue, sunstroke, wild beasts and evil spirits generally: a crown made from its sprays was worn on St. 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.



As Mrs. Grieves mentions Mugwort's popularity in Germany, the next obvious place to turn for information would be Saint Hildegard von Bingen's work, Physica, written around 1100:

Mugwort is very hot, and its juice is of very great value.  If it is cooled and eaten as a puree, it heals the intestines and warms a cold stomach.  But, if someone eats or drinks something which has given him pain, then he should cook and eat warmed mugwort with meat or lard, or as a puree, or with any other condiment.  It will attract the rotten matter which has been in the previously ingested food or drink, and chase it away.  If bad humours gather in some part of the body, flowing out from broken skin where there is no poisoned wound, the person should take mugwort and express its juice.  The the juice he should add a smaller amount of honey.  He should spread this on the afflicted area, then cover it with egg white, and tie it with a cloth.  he should do this until he is better.



Saint Hildegard's use of Mugwort reminds me very much of my great grandparents, who used bitter greens as a primary medicine.  They especially used the "potlikker", which was the broth in which collards, mustard or turnips had been cooked, with lard or fatback and smoked meat.  The greens would be eaten with apple cider vinegar, often spiced with hot peppers.  These greens, severed in this manner, were very medicinal on their own.  But, the leftover potlikker would be reserved and used as a hot broth whenever anyone had stomach troubles or a cold.  Often times, a little corn meal was added to make a thin gruel, which was excellent food for a sick person who had little appetite.



John Gerard, writing some 400 years after Saint Hildegard, tells us:

Mugwort is hot and dry in the second degree, and somewhat astringent.

The Virtues.

A. Pliny saith that Mugwort doth properly cure women's diseases.

B. Dioscorides writeth, that it bringeth down the terms, the birth, and the after-birth.

C. And that in like manner it helpeth the mother, and the pain of the matrix, to be boiled as baths for women to sit in; and that being put up with myrrh, it is of like force that the bath is of. And that the tender tops are boiled and drunk for the same infirmities, and that they are applied in manner of a poultice to the share, to bring down the monthly course.

D. Pliny saith, that the traveller or wayfaring man that hath the herb tied about him feeleth no wearisomeness at all; and that he who hath it about him can be hurt by no poisonous medicines, nor by any wild beast, neither yet by the sun itself; and also that it is drunk against opium, or the juice of black Poppy. Many other fantastical devices invented by poets are to be seen in the works of the ancient writers, tending to witchcraft and sorcery, and the great dishonour of God; wherefore I do of purpose omit them, as things unworthy of my recording, or your reviewing.

E. Mugwort pounded with oil of sweet almonds, and laid to the stomach as a plaster, cureth all the pains and griefs of the same.

F. It cureth the shakings of the joints, inclining to the palsy, and helpeth the contraction or drawing together of the nerves and sinews.



In the next century, Culpepper wrote of Mugwort:

Government and virtues. This is an herb of Venus, therefore maintains the parts of the body she rules, remedies the diseases of the parts that are under her signs, Taurus and Libra. Mugwort is with good success put among other herbs that are boiled for women to apply the hot decoction to draw down their courses, to help the delivery of the birth, and expel the after-birth. As also for the obstructions and inflammations of the mother. It breaks the stone, and opens the urinary passages where they are stopped. The juice thereof made up with Myrrh, and put under as a pessary, works the same effects, and so does the root also. Being made up with hog's grease into an ointment, it takes away wens and hard knots and kernels that grow about the neck and throat, and eases the pains about the neck more effectually, if some field daisies be put with it. The herb itself being fresh, or the juice thereof taken, is a special remedy upon the overmuch taking of opium. Three drams of the powder of the dried leaves taken in wine, is a speedy and the best certain help for the sciatica. A decoction thereof made with Camomile and Agrimony, and the place bathed therewith while it is warm, takes away the pains of the sinews, and the cramp.



Far from being an herb relegated to history though, Mugwort continue to be found of great use by herbalists in modern times.  Mrs. Grieves tells us a bit about its use in brewing beer, as well as, its medicinal use in her A Modern Herbal:

The Mugwort is said to have derived its name from having been used to flavour drinks. It was, in common with other herbs, such as Ground Ivy, used to a great extent for flavouring beer before the introduction of hops. For this purpose, the plant was gathered when in flower and dried, the fresh herb being considered unsuitable for this object: malt liquor was then boiled with it so as to form a strong decoction, and the liquid thus prepared was added to the beer. Until recent years, it was still used in some parts of the country to flavour the table beer brewed by cottagers.

It has also been suggested that the name, Mugwort, may be derived not from 'mug,' the drinking vessel, but from moughte (a moth or maggot), because from the days of Dioscorides, the plant has been regarded, in common with Wormwood, as useful in keeping off the attacks of moths.

Parts Used Medicinally---The leaves, collected in August and dried in the same manner as Wormwood, and the root, dug in autumn and dried. The roots are cleansed in cold water and then freed from rootlets. Drying may be done at first in the open air, spread thinly, as contact may turn the roots mouldy. Or they may be spread on clean floors, or on shelves, in a warm room for about ten days, and turned frequently. When somewhat shrunken, they must be finished more quickly by artificial heat in a drying room or shed, near a stove or gas fire, care being taken that the heated air can escape at the top of the room. Drying in an even temperature will probably take about a fortnight, or more. It is not complete until the roots are dry to the core and brittle, snapping when bent.

Mugwort root is generally about 8 inches long, woody, beset with numerous thin and tough rootlets, 2 to 4 inches long, and about 1/12 inch thick. It is light brown externally; internally whitish, with an angular wood and thick bark, showing five or six resin cells. The taste is sweetish and acrid.

Constituents---A volatile oil, an acrid resin and tannin.

Medicinal Action and Uses---It has stimulant and slightly tonic properties, and is of value as a nervine and emmenagogue, having also diuretic and diaphoretic action.

Its chief employment is as an emmenagogue, often in combination with Pennyroyal and Southernwood. It is also useful as a diaphoretic in the commencement of cold.

It is given in infusion, which should be prepared in a covered vessel, 1 OZ. of the herb to 1 pint of boiling water, and given in 1/2 teaspoonful doses, while warm. The infusion may be taken cold as a tonic, in similar doses, three times daily: it has a bitterish and aromatic taste.

As a nervine, Mugwort is valued in palsy, fits, epileptic and similar affections, being an old-fashioned popular remedy for epilepsy (especially in persons of a feeble constitution). Gerard says: 'Mugwort cureth the shakings of the joynts inclining to the Palsie;' and Parkinson considered it good against hysteria. A drachm of the powdered leaves, given four times a day, is stated by Withering to have cured a patient who had been affected with hysterical fits for many years, when all other remedies had failed.

The juice and an infusion of the herb were given for intermittent fevers and agues. The leaves used to be steeped in baths, to communicate an invigorating property to the water.



Currently, Plants for A Future states:

Mugwort has a long history of use in herbal medicine especially in matters connected to the digestive system, menstrual complaints and the treatment of worms. It is slightly toxic, however, and should never be used by pregnant women, especially in their first trimester, since it can cause a miscarriage. Large, prolonged dosage can damage the nervous system. All parts of the plant are anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, expectorant, nervine, purgative, stimulant, slightly tonic and used in the treatment of women's complaints. The leaves are also said to be appetizer, diuretic, haemostatic and stomachic. They can be used internally or externally. An infusion of the leaves and flowering tops is used in the treatment of nervous and spasmodic affections, sterility, functional bleeding of the uterus, dysmenorrhoea, asthma and diseases of the brain. The leaves have an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus typhi, B. dysenteriae, streptococci, E. coli, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas etc. The leaves are harvested in August and can be dried for later use. The stem is also said to be antirheumatic, antispasmodic, and stomachic. The roots are tonic and antispasmodic. They are said to be one of the best stomachics. They are harvested in the autumn and dried for later use. The leaves, placed inside the shoes, are said to be soothing for sore feet. The compressed dried leaves and stems are used in moxibustion. Another report says that the down from the leaves is used.



While, as Gerard wrote, there is quite a bit written of Wormwood in the lore of witchcraft and superstition, I will follow the example of the great British herbalist and plant collector in omitting "such may lead to the peril of souls".  Mugwort is a remarkable herb.  It is very useful medicinally, but its emotional or psychological aspects may be particularly helpful in a time when so many are suffering from depression, anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  This herb should be studied by medical professionals for such use, but it probably will not.  Doctors prescribe pills because pharmaceutical companies make money on pills, not on common herbs that are free to all.  Mugwort's Latin Name being Artemisia Vulgaris indicates that it was a common plant ("vulgar" meaning common).  There is simply no money in easing the suffering of humanity with common herbs.  Profit aside, there is great virtue.  I think I will brew up some Mugwort infused beer and forget my troubles in a most pleasant way... perhaps my neighbor, a Purple Heart combat veteran would like to join me.



Author: Judson Carroll.  Judson Carroll is an Herbalist from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. His weekly articles may be read at http://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/

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The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have "traditionally been used for." I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.