Sentry Page Protection

Abrotonum, Southernwood

Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491

Dioscorides Materia Medica, Mathias, 1563
Icones Plantarum Medcio-oeconomico, Vietz, 1800
Flora von Deutschland (29), Kohler, 1887
Botanical name:
Artemisia abrotanum

Parts used:
Herb

Temperature & Taste:
Slightly Warm, dry. Pungent, Bitter
it cuts, opens, binds, cleanses, discusses, resists putrefaction

Uses:
1. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine, Opens Obstructions:
-promotes Urine when obstructed by Damp; Strangury
-expels gravel and stones from Bladder and Kidneys
-Jaundice.
-the oil where the herb is boiled can be applied to the umbilicus to promote urine

2. Moves the Blood, Promotes Menstruation:
-promotes Menstruation; Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea
-‘Fits of the Mother’, Hysteria
-benefits the Fetus (with wine and sugar) (Dorsten, 1540)

3. Clams the Mind and Nerves:
-nervousness, restlessness, mild insomnia
-Cramps, shrunken Sinews, Sciatica
-aids Breathing by relaxing the nerves; Asthma, Shortness of Breath
-juice taken in wine defends against Apoplexy (Dorsten, 1540)

4. Resists Poison:
-against Poison and venomous Bites (taken in wine)
-boiled in wine as an Antidote (Dorsten, 1540)

5. Kills Worms
-Worms (especially in children)
-repels Moths and other insects
-root decocted or herb juice in a little milk (Dorsten, 1540)

6. Externally:
-Externally to dry and strengthen the Bones and Limbs, stops Falling Hair
-as a plaster with Barley meal in a base for Cold Tumors and Swellings
-boiled in oil and applied to resolves Abscesses
-juice is applied to Paralytic parts
oil in which the herb is boiled is applied to the head for cold diseases of the head


DOSE:
3–6 grams in decoction; 1–3 grams of the powder. A teaspoonful of the powder was given for worms in children with a little treacle. (Grieves)

Main Combinations:
1. Fevers:
i. Fever, Tertian Fever, Southernwood Decocted in water for Fever
ii. Quartan, Southernwood decocted in Wine
iii. Quotidian, Southernwood decocted in  Water and Wine
2. For Worms:
i. Decoction of Southernwood internally; oil of Southernwood applied to the Stomach. (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
ii. Southernwood with Wormseed
3. To promote Menstruation:
i. Southernwood with Myrrh
ii. Southernwood with Mugwort and Sage
iii. Southernwood with Motherwort, Pennyroyal, Balm, Vervain
4. Gravel and Stones, Southernwood decocted with Celery with sugar added (Dorsten, 1540)
5. Cold diseases of the Lungs, decoct Southernwood with Hyssop and Licorice (Dorsten, 1540)
6. Asthma, Shortness of Breath, Southernwood, Raisins, Rue; decoct, add honey to form a Syrup. (Syrian 'Book of Medicine', Budge, 1913)
6. Fomentation for Arthritic pain, decoct Southernwood with Ground Pine and add Sal Ammoniac (Fuller)
7. Swellings, Southernwood with Barley applied as a plaster (Herbarium Horstianum, 1630)
8. To promote hair growth, Southernwood burnt and powdered and mixed with Oil of Radish is applied (Dorsten, 1540)
9. Eye inflammation, boil Southernwood with some bread crumbs and apply warm

Cautions:
Avoid overdose

Main Preparations used:
Distilled Water, Wine, Conserve and both Infused and Distilled Oils were used