Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

A
64 Artemisia maritima Linn.
dyspeptic complaints. (ESCOP.)
It is contraindicated in gastric
and duodenal ulcers. Excessive
doses may cause vomiting, severe
diarrhoea, retention of urine or
dazed feeling and central nervous
system disturbances. (ESCOP.)
The herb contains a volatile oil of
variable composition, with alpha- and
beta-thujone as the major component,
up to about 35%; sesquiterpene
lactones (artabasin, absinthin, anabsinthin);
azulenes; flavonoids; phenolicacids;lignans.
Thujone is a toxic constituent which
shows hallucinogenic and addictive activity
found in Indian hemp. It stimulates
the brain; safe in small doses,
toxic in excess. The azulenes are antiinflammatory.
The sesquiterpene lactones
exhibit an antitumour effect and
are insecticidal and anthelmintic.
Essential oil from leaves—antibacterial,
antifungal. The oil is toxic at
10 ml.
Artemisia maritima Linn.
Family ◮ Compositae; Asteraceae.
Habitat ◮ The western Himalayas
from Kashmir to Kumaon.
English ◮ Wormseed, Santonica.
Ayurvedic ◮ Chauhaara, Kirmaani
Yavaani, Chuhaari Ajawaayin; not
related to Ajawaayin.
Unani ◮ Dirmanah, Kirmaalaa,
Afsanteen-ul-bahar. (Dirmanah
Turki is equated with A. stechmaniana
Besser.)
Folk ◮ Kirmaani Ajawaayin,
Kirmaani-owaa, Kirmaani-ajmo.
Action ◮ Deobstructant, stomachic,
anthelmintic (effective against
roundworms), antifungal.
A decoction of the fresh plant is given
in cases of intermittent and remittent
fever.
A. maritima var. thomsoniana C. B.
Clarke is a santonin-yielding var.; A.
maritima var. fragrans (Willd.) Ledeb.
is a non-santonin var.
Immature flowerheads and leaves
contain santonin. Roots, stems and
twigs are devoid of santonin. Santonin,
a sesquiterpene lactone, is used
for the treatment of ascaris and oxyuris
infections. Large doses (0.3 g is adults
and 0.06 in children) are toxic.
Beta-santonin is less anthelmintic in
action than santonin; pseudosantonin
is devoid of anthelmintic property.
Studies is albino mice revealed that
santonin had no androgenic, estrogenic,
antiestrogenic, progestational
and antiprogestational effects.
Santonin is toxic at 60 mg in children;
200 mg in adults. (Francis
Brinker.)
Dosage ◮ Whole plant—3–6 g
powder. (CCRAS.)
Artemisia vestita Wall. ex DC.
Family ◮ Compositae, Asteraceae.
Habitat ◮ Western Himalayas at
2,100–3,000 m.
Ayurvedic ◮ Gangaa Tulasi.
Folk ◮ Kundiyaa, Chamariyaa.