Mugwort, also known as fragrant mugwort or Artemisia argyi, is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Compositae family. It thrives in temperate regions and grows in most parts of China, with Shandong, Anhui, Hebei, Henan, and Hubei provinces being its main producing areas. In ancient China, mugwort was already recognized as a highly functional plant, particularly in the field of medicine, where it was utilized in acupuncture therapy. When lit, mugwort could be used to stimulate or fumigate acupuncture points, eliciting the desired effects upon stimulation. During this process, the aroma of mugwort is particularly prominent. In traditional Chinese medicine, lit mugwort is often employed in fire cupping therapy to treat rheumatic joint diseases, yielding notable results. Furthermore, during the Dragon Boat Festival in China, mugwort is commonly hung on doors in most regions as a talisman to ward off evil spirits.

Mugwort is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, and among the elderly, the proverb "If mugwort lasts three years in the home, doctors need not come" is still widely circulated. In some places, every household plants and preserves mugwort leaves for medicinal use. The Compendium of Materia Medica records numerous benefits of mugwort, including beauty and health maintenance, inhibiting pathogens, stopping bleeding, and regulating qi flow. Modern research has further confirmed that mugwort also possesses sedative and anti-allergic effects. According to modern medical pharmacology research, mugwort leaves are antibacterial agents that can not only inhibit and kill the proliferation of some bacteria and viruses but also treat and prevent respiratory system diseases. Mugwort contains a significant amount of volatile oils, and optimizing the extraction conditions to maximize the extraction of these antibacterial components is fundamental to the development and utilization of mugwort, as well as its application value.

Nourishing Kidney Yin and Reducing Deficiency Fire

Soaking feet or massaging with mugwort water can not only reduce the deficiency fire in the body but also warm the body. Soak mugwort in boiling water for a period of time, and then soak your feet in this warm water. After a while, you will feel your whole body heating up and sweating, which produces certain health benefits. After soaking your feet in mugwort water for a period of time, the visual fatigue caused by deficiency fire in the body will be well alleviated. This method can not only soothe the meridians and promote blood circulation but also accelerate metabolism in the body.

Antibacterial Effect

Modern pharmacological research has shown that the extract of mugwort has a very significant inhibitory effect on some viruses and bacteria. Therefore, igniting mugwort plants for fumigation can be used for disinfection and sterilization in various places, effectively and quickly enabling large-scale utilization and promotion. In addition, mugwort smoke can also play an important role in sterilization and disinfection for treating skin burns.

Hemostatic Effect

Clinical research indicates that mugwort leaves have good effects on pain relief and hemostasis. By using the charring technique to process dried mugwort leaves into charcoal, clinical experiments have found that the hemostatic and analgesic effects are significantly enhanced after the leaves are turned into charcoal.

Antioxidant Effect

Mugwort possesses strong antioxidant capabilities, making it a preferred choice for modern health and beauty regimens. The practice of igniting mugwort for fumigation therapy is common, particularly in facial treatments and kidney maintenance. In today's fast-paced life, individuals often experience excessive stress, leading to the accumulation of toxins in the body. This, in turn, hinders the skin's ability to absorb cosmetics effectively. By utilizing fumigation therapy, facial blood circulation can be accelerated, pores can be opened, and various indicators can be improved, thereby comprehensively enhancing blood circulation throughout the body.

Mosquito and Insect Control

As a natural resource for mosquito and insect control, mugwort has a long history of use. Ancient Roman literature records the use of mugwort to prevent mosquito and flea bites. In ancient China, during the Southern Dynasties, the "Jingchu Suiji" (荊楚歲記) documented, "Mugwort is picked during the Dragon Boat Festival and hung on doors and windows to ward off poisonous gases." The folk custom of "inserting mugwort into doors and windows" during the Dragon Boat Festival persists, and burning mugwort for fumigation is also practiced to treat skin irritation or kill insects and disinfect. Mugwort primarily contains volatile oils, terpenes, flavonoids, polysaccharides, among which volatile oils are the primary active ingredients. These oils comprise various components such as alcohols, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and their derivatives, endowing mugwort with not only antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-modulating properties but also mosquito and insect-repellent activity. Compared to chemically synthesized agents, mugwort volatile oils offer advantages of being natural, environmentally friendly, low-cost, abundant in resources, non-toxic, easily degradable, and less prone to causing resistance. Their application in mosquito and insect control holds vast potential for development.

Based on the mosquito and insect-repellent properties of mugwort volatile oils, numerous products have emerged in the market, including creams, sprays, aerosols, powders, and patches infused with mugwort volatile oils. Common cream products include medicated ointments and mosquito repellent lotions. Sprays and aerosols often combine mugwort volatile oils with other mosquito repellents to create floral waters, insecticides, and mosquito sprays. Powders include mosquito repellent talcum powders and insecticidal powders, while patches include mosquito repellent stickers and insect repellent patches. Additionally, active substances from mugwort volatile oils are concentrated, dissolved, or ignited for release, such as in mosquito coils and fly coils. These products are convenient to use, have obvious repellent effects, and are widely accepted by consumers, thus occupying an important position in the consumer market.

Moxibustion

The "Moxibustion Therapy" during the "Dog Days" (a period of intense summer heat, typically referring to the hottest 40 days of the year according to traditional Chinese calendar) is a unique health-preserving therapy in traditional Chinese medicine. Based on the theories of "Treating Winter Diseases in Summer" and "Nourishing Yang in Spring and Summer," this therapy takes advantage of the hottest period of the year, when the Yang qi (vital energy) in nature and within the human body is at its peak. By applying moxibustion, a traditional therapy that utilizes heat from burning mugwort to stimulate acupuncture points and meridians, the Yang qi is permeated into the acupuncture points and meridians, reaching the affected areas through the circulation of qi and blood, achieving both symptomatic and fundamental treatments.

Moxibustion during the Dog Days offers four major benefits: First, it promotes qi and blood circulation. As the Dog Days are the hottest period, the body's pores are open, facilitating the movement of qi and blood and warming the meridians through moxibustion. Second, it enhances digestion. During hot weather, people often experience appetite loss. Moxibustion stimulates body acupuncture points, strengthening the function of the digestive system through acupoint stimulation. Third, it nourishes Yang and tonifies the kidneys. With the abundant Yang qi during the Dog Days, moxibustion can strengthen the constitution and help those with poor health maintain their bodies. Fourth, it promotes longevity. Moxibustion during the Dog Days helps dissolve blood stasis and rejuvenate blocked meridians.

Apart from its medicinal value, mugwort is also highly nutritious. It can not only be used as an additive in pastries, stir-fries, soups, and other foods, but also as a filling ingredient to create various health foods and food ingredients. Mugwort is a naturally abundant and nutritious wild vegetable, and certain foods made primarily from mugwort are deeply loved by people. For instance, fresh mugwort can be mixed with glutinous rice and wrapped with fillings such as peanuts and white sugar based on personal preferences, then steamed to create a delicious dish. In some regions of China, people also pick mugwort to consume as a vegetable.

The main components of mugwort are volatile oils and flavonoids, which primarily exhibit the functions of warming meridians and promoting blood circulation, dispelling cold and alleviating pain, beautifying the skin, and delaying aging. Recent research has found that the flavonoids contained in mugwort possess various physiological activities, including lowering blood lipids and blood pressure, inhibiting blood clots, fighting tumors, exhibiting antioxidant properties, enhancing immunity, delaying aging, and treating chronic prostatitis. As a natural carrier of flavonoids, mugwort holds broad prospects for development and application.

Reference Materials

[1] Zhang Xiaoyan, Wang Xin, Liu Yujie, Jia Lihua. "Study on the Extraction Process of Mugwort." Journal of Chifeng University (Natural Science Edition), 2016, 32(22): 15-17.

[2] Zhong Xiaofei, Zhang Hua. "Research Progress on the Mosquito Control Effect of Artemisia Argyi Volatile Oil." Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae: 1-9 [accessed on 2020-06-29]. https://doi.org/10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20201617.

About the Author

Xiaonisha, a food technology professional holding a Master's degree in Food Science, is currently employed at a prominent domestic pharmaceutical research and development company. Her primary focus lies in the development and research of nutritional foods, where she contributes her expertise and passion to create innovative products.