Mugwort (artemisia vulgaris)
Synopsis
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is a hardy perennial herb native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, now naturalized throughout North America. It belongs to the Asteraceae family and is closely related to other medicinal Artemisia species such as wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). Mugwort has dark green, aromatic leaves with silvery undersides and is known for its pungent, slightly bitter taste. The plant contains a wide range of bioactive compounds, including volatile oils (such as cineole, camphor, and thujone), flavonoids, coumarins, and sesquiterpene lactones.
In modern herbal medicine, mugwort is used as a digestive stimulant, nervine, menstrual regulator, and anti-parasitic agent. It is often employed to relieve gas, bloating, poor appetite, and menstrual cramps. Mugwort also has mild psychoactive properties, historically noted for enhancing vivid dreams and used in lucid dreaming rituals. It can be taken as a tea, tincture, smoked, or burned as incense. Its essential oil is potent and typically reserved for topical or professional use due to the presence of thujone, a compound that can be neurotoxic in high doses.
Historical Use:
Mugwort has a long and storied history in European, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Indigenous American medical systems. In European folk medicine, it was considered a sacred herb—associated with protection, purification, and women's reproductive health. Mugwort was used to regulate menstruation, ease childbirth, and expel worms. The famed English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper called it “the mother of herbs,” referencing its strong affinity for the womb and female physiology. Travelers once placed mugwort in their shoes to prevent fatigue and cramping, and the herb was burned in rituals to ward off evil spirits.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), mugwort is known as Ai Ye and plays a central role in moxibustion, a therapy where dried mugwort is burned near or on acupuncture points to stimulate circulation and expel cold or dampness. It is used internally to stop bleeding, warm the uterus, and calm fetal restlessness. In Japanese Kampo medicine, mugwort is also used in moxibustion and as a digestive and gynecological aid.
In Korean traditional medicine, mugwort (ssuk) is consumed as a food and tea and used to treat cold-induced ailments, digestive issues, and skin problems. In Native American traditions, various Artemisia species (sometimes referred to as mugwort or sage) were used as smudging herbs, disinfectants, and remedies for colds, wounds, and spirit cleansing.
Mugwort was also used in medieval European rituals during solstice festivals, placed in midsummer bonfires and under pillows to ward off illness and bad dreams. Its associations with divination, dreamwork, and psychic enhancement remain popular in spiritual and folk herbal practices today.
In the modern era, mugwort continues to be a valued herb for digestive, gynecological, and ceremonial use, often straddling the line between clinical utility and mystical tradition. Caution is advised during pregnancy and with prolonged use due to its thujone content.
Uses: Health Conditions
Pregnancy (herbs and supplements to avoid during) (Traditional)