Evidence supporting the use of: Sweet wormwood
For the health condition: Parasites (general)

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 3

Sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) has a long history of use in traditional medicine systems, particularly in Chinese herbal medicine, for treating various infectious conditions, including parasitic infections. Historically, sweet wormwood and related species have been used to expel intestinal worms and support digestive health. The plant contains several bioactive compounds, among which artemisinin is the most notable. While artemisinin is primarily known for its potent antimalarial activity (malaria being a parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium species), some traditional uses have extended to other parasitic infections, particularly intestinal worms (helminths).

However, while traditional use is robust, scientific validation for sweet wormwood or artemisinin in treating most non-malarial parasitic infections is limited. Some in vitro and animal studies suggest activity against certain helminths and protozoa, but high-quality clinical trials in humans are lacking for general parasitic infections beyond malaria. The evidence rating of 3 reflects this gap: traditional use is strong and there are promising preclinical findings, but rigorous clinical data are insufficient for broad application. In summary, sweet wormwood's use for general parasites is rooted in tradition and some laboratory research, but more human studies are needed to fully validate its efficacy and safety for this purpose.

More about sweet wormwood
More about Parasites (general)