If you suffer from symptoms of gout, you may consider trying mugwort, a traditional herbal medicine used to relieve inflammatory conditions. Horticulturally known as Artemisia vulgaris, mugwort is found throughout America, Europe and Asia, and is used to stimulate internal cleansing, promote digestion, kill intestinal parasites and to treat arthritis and gout. However, herbal medicines are not intended to replace medical care, and you should check with your doctor to make sure mugwort is OK for you to take.
History
Mugwort has been used across many cultures as a medicinal and magical plant. The 17th century herbalist and physician Nicholas Culpeper, author of "Culpeper's Complete Herbal," recommended the leaves and roots of mugwort to treat rhuematism, cramps and urinary stones, to expel afterbirth and to balance menstrual cycles in women. An herbal remedy containing mugwort, as well as several other herbs, was sold as a cure for gout throughout Europe and Asia. Mugwort is also believed to stimulate vivid dreams and divination, and to protect against elves and "evil thynges." Throughout Asia mugwort leaves are used to ward off evil and disease-causing spirits.
Pharmacology
Mugwort contains a variety of antioxidants and essential oils, which give the plant its medicinal, bitter and aromatic qualities. In a study published in "The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" in 1998, researchers from The University of Texas investigated the presence of estrogenic compounds in mugwort. During the study researchers isolated more than 20 antioxidant flavonoids from mugwort, including kaempferol, apigenin, eriodictyol, quercetin, rutin, vitexin, luteolin and tricine. Apigenin and eriodictyol were found to bind to estrogenic receptors, giving a scientific explanation for the traditional use of mugwort as an emmenagogue and a women's reproductive tonic. Essential oils in mugwort include linalool, cineole, pinene and thujone.
Research Studies
In a study published in "Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin" in 2004, researchers from Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University in Japan investigated 288 extracts from traditional Vietnamese medicine in the search for herbs that could naturally treat gout. Extracts were tested for their ability to inhibit in vitro xanthine oxidase (XO) -- an enzyme that increases uric acid and may exacerbate gout symptoms. Mugwort was one of the five most active plants in inhibiting XO levels, and researchers concluded that it was likely the high levels of antioxidant flavonoids that were responsible for its action. Mugwort is traditionally used in Vietnamese medicine for gout, rhuematism and inflammation, and this study strongly supports these folk uses.
Safety and Toxicity
Mugwort is a safe and well-tolerated herbal medicine for the majority of the population, but due to its essential oil content, you should use it with caution. Mugwort leaves contain thujone -- an aromatic oil that crosses the blood-brain barrier once ingested and can cause neuro-toxicity. While ingesting large amounts of thujone has been associated with paralysis, kidney failure, dilirium and death, mugwort contains only very small trace amounts of the oil. Avoid using mugwort during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as it is estrogenic and may stimulate uterine contractions and bleeding. Consult with a registered medical herbalist and doctor before using mugwort products.
References
- "Culpeper's Complete Herbal"; Nicholas Culpeper; 1998 reprint
- "The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Estrogenic Flavonoids From Artemisia vulgaris L.; S.J. Lee, et al.; 1998
- "Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin"; Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Activity of Vietnamese Medicinal Plants; M.T. Nguyen, et al.; 2004
- "The American Cancer Society": Mugwort
