Mugwort (쑥)
Used for centuries in folk medicine, mugwort gets its name from its use, in days of yore, as a flavouring for beer. Often said to be the herb of the ‘weary traveller’, Roman soldiers in Britain were known to put it in their sandals to stop their feet from aching. Another old common name for the herb was ‘crone wort’, due to mugwort often being found growing around the dwelling place of the local “crone” who was the herbal healer, midwife or wise woman. Herbs whose leaves have a silvery underside, like mugwort, are said to have strong associations with the moon. Artemesia species are named after Artemis, daughter of Zeus who was the Greek goddess of the moon and the hunt. With all her feminine associations it’s no surprise that mugwort has many theraputic applications for women during menstruation and menopause. Although, interestingly, it also has masculine associations with St. John the Baptist, whom is said to have worn a belt of mugwort on his travels to ward off evil. Mugwort is one of the sacred herbs of St. John, gathered on St. John’s eve and ceremonially burned to bring good fortune and protection from evil in the coming year. It was also one of the nine sacred herbs of the Anglo-Saxons. Mugwort has strong connections with shamanism, magic, divination and altered states of consciousness. It’s known to be an onerigin, or dreaming herb, as it has a reputation for producing vivid dreams if taken just before bed or used in a dream pillow, which is a small bag stuffed with herbs to bring prophetic dreams.
Probably the most famous known therapeutic use of mugwort today is for moxibustion. After the mugwort is dried, cured and shredded it is then shaped in various ways or powdered and put in a burner and used to gently warm the acupuncture meridian points throughout the body. In South Korea, new mothers often undergo a course of restorative moxibustion after giving birth. During childbirth, moxibustion on certain meridian points is thought to be able to turn babies in the breech position. Moxibustion is also useful for treating general joint pain.
Mugwort is antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, anthelmintic and emmenagogue.
Helps rid the intestines of parasites and worms.
Can be used to relieve many female conditions relating to menstruation and menopause. (Lee SJ, Chung HY, Camelia G, Maier A, Wood AR, Dixon RA, Mabry TJ.1998)
As a tea, mugwort can help soothe the symptoms of many digestion related issues including acidity, colic, diarrhoea, constipation and stomach cramps.
Said to improve liver function.
Drinking or smoking mugwort before bed can relieve insomnia and has a reputation for producing vivid, sometimes lucid dreams.
Was a folk cure for mild depression and nerves.
Mugwort is edible and was often used as a pot herb in soups and stews. It’s dull, musky rosemary-like aroma combines especially well with fatty meats like lamb.
*Please note:
Whilst mugwort is generally be regarded a safe herb for most people, it has been known to cause irritation in some. Due to it being a known abortifacient, pregnant mothers should avoid mugwort completely. Anyone known to have an allergy to either celery, carrots or caraway seeds should exercise caution with mugwort. A 1984 study from the Netherlands found that people with allergies to carrots or caraway had a small to moderate chance of also being allergic to mugwort, however, those with an allergy to celery, by far, showed the highest chance of also experiencing an allergic reaction to mugwort, with a correlation rate of 87%.
