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For more information about Herb Pharm’s educational programs visit us at www.herb-pharm.com/education.html or use your smart phone to scan the image to the left. Herb Profile Russian Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus Family: Asteraceae INTRODUCTION Lamiaceae).1-3 Russian tarragon is described as having a 4 Russian tarragon is a perennial herb of the daisy family distinctly bitter taste. native to parts of southern and eastern Russia, Afghani- The authors of this article have made their best effort to stan, Mongolia, and western North America; it was intro- make sense of the literature on A. dracunculus and include duced via cultivation in parts of Central Europe and North only information they could positively identify as refer- America.1 Known variously as Russian, Siberian, and wild ring to “Russian” tarragon. However, as the author of one tarragon, it is one of two reported cultivars in the species article on A. dracunculus stated, “…the existing literature Artemisia dracunculus. The other is French tarragon, A. lacks a common approach to the species’ taxonomic clas- dracunculus ‘Sativa’.1,2 Russian tarragon is seed-fertile, has sification, with some authors classifying French tarra- gon and Russian tarragon as subspecies, varieties, or even an odor described as balsamic and leathery, and rarely is 3 used for cooking. French tarragon is seed-sterile, propa- species.” Synonyms for A. dracunculus include A. dracun- gated by vegetative or clonal propagation, and is preferred culus f. redowskii hort, A. dracunculus ssp. dracunculoides, A. for culinary use due to its flavor which is likened to anise dracunculoides, and A. dracunculus var. dracunculus, among (Pimpinella anisum, Apiaceae) or basil (Ocimum basilicum, others. Additionally, there is a wide range of morphologi- Russian Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus. Photo ©2014 Steven Foster www.herbalgram.org • 2014 • I SSUE 102 • 1 or the Latin tarchon, all terms referring to drag- ons.7 Nicholas Culpeper, the 17th century herb- alist and physician, mentions tarragon (Russian or French not specified) as being heat- ing and drying, and its use as a remedy for urogenital issues, “the flux, or any preternat- ural discharge … and gently [promoting] the menses.”8 Johann Georg Noel Dragen- dorff, 19th century German pharmacist and chemist, in his 1898 treatise on medic- inal plants, mentioned tarragon (Russian or French not specified) Russian Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus. Photo ©2014 Steven Foster for its urogenital, anti- arthritic, and antiscor- cal and phytochemical variability within the species (cyto- butic (anti-scurvy) uses.3 types) dependent upon geographical origin of samples stud- Although Russian tarragon is not preferred for culinary ied. Russian botanical textbooks reference six varieties of use, it is eaten in Iran to stimulate appetite.9 It is also used A. dracunculus throughout the former Soviet Union alone.3 as a digestive stimulant and to flush toxins from the body, Thus, a clear and complete understanding of the source for insomnia, to dull the taste of medicines, and to ease the material is difficult to guarantee. However, according to pain of sores, cuts, and toothaches.3 Russian tarragon has the USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network been employed in Azerbaijan as an antispasmodic, laxative, (GRIN) classification, A. dracunculus is not separated into and to treat epilepsy and intestinal gas. It also has been used subspecies or varieties.4 topically in Russia and Central Asia for dermatitis, rashes, and wounds, and in India to treat fever and worms. Other HISTORY AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE traditional uses in the former Soviet Union include aiding The genus name Artemisia may refer to the ancient deity digestion, nervous conditions, for liver and renal function, Artemis Eileithyia, a Greek goddess of childbirth.5 Another and as antibacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory interpretation suggests that it may refer to Queen Artemisia agents.3 II of Caria (died ca. 350 BCE), the sister, wife, and succes- In North America, where it naturalized, various Native sor of King Mausolus of Caria (a region of western Anatolia American tribes employed Russian tarragon for myriad in modern-day Turkey), and a botanist in her own right.2,5 conditions. It was used internally for treating dysentery Another possible origin story refers to Artemis, the Greek (root); colic (root); urinary problems (root); colds (cold goddess of the moon, chastity, wilderness, and the hunt, infusion of root); as a stimulant (decoction of leaves and who gave this plant to Chiron the Centaur, a great healer roots in bath); as an abortifacient (infusion of root or leaf who then developed medicines from Artemisia.2,5 The and stalk); for excessive menstrual flow (root decoction); for specific name dracunculus means little dragon or snake difficult labor (whole plant decoction); heart palpitations and is thought to refer to the plant’s roots which resemble (leaf and flower infusion or fresh leaf chewed); to make coiled serpents or, perhaps less likely, the resemblance of the babies stronger (root decoction bath); to make the elderly leaf’s shape to a dragon’s tongue.1,3,5 Another explanation stronger (root decoction steam); and as a general tonic for the species name may come from a former use of tarra- (infusion of roots).10 Externally, Native Americans used gon as an antidote for snake bites.5 However, it might also the plant for, among other things, eye conditions (infusion be that tarragon was used for snake bites due to the species of stems and leaves or poultice of leaves); for rheumatism name and appearance of the roots, in accordance with the (infusion of foliage, steam bath with leaves, or decoction Doctrine of Signatures (the traditional practice of inferring of whole plant as a liniment); open sores (foliage, dried a plant’s actions/uses based on its color and/or shape, or and powdered); headache (poultice of mashed, dampened giving a plant a mnemonic name based on its known use).6 leaves); diaper rash/raw skin (leaves); bruises (infusion or The common name tarragon may come from the Greek decoction of plant in bath); and hair growth (compound tarkhōn (or tarchōn), the Arabic ţarhūn (or tarkhūn), and/ root decoction).10 2 • I SSUE 102 • 2014 • www.herbalgram.org CURRENT AUTHORIZED USES IN MODERN RESEARCH COSMETICS, FOODS, AND MEDICINES As mentioned previously, different geographical origins In the United States, A. dracunculus, whether French or of A. dracunculus samples result in morphological and Russian, is classified by the Food and Drug Administra- phytochemical variability. In addition, as a polyploid tion (FDA) as a spice, natural seasoning, or flavoring that is taxon (i.e., having two complete sets of chromosomes), generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for its intended use in A. dracunculus cytotypes differ in external morphology, food products. The essential oil and natural extractives are phytochemical constituents, anatomy, and fertility.3 Diver- also listed as GRAS substances.11 gent phytochemical profiles suggest that standardization There are also Russian tarragon-containing dietary of plant material would be required in order to duplicate supplement products in the US market, especially in the results in medicinal applications. athletic performance enhancing category. For example, Most of the scientific data on A. dracunculus comes from SLINshot™ (Purus Labs, Inc.; Dallas, TX) is labeled as either pharmacological or animal studies. However, a few containing 1,000 mg per serving (two capsules) of a dried small human studies have investigated Russian tarragon for aqueous extract of A. dracunculus L. var. inodora standard- its potential as an adjunct therapy in diabetes and athletic ized to 0.2-0.7% flavonoids as 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)- training. 5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl D-galactopyrano- Laboratory tests have confirmed that extracts, essen- side.12 tial oil, and individual compounds of A. dracunculus have In Canada, both A. dracunculus dried or fresh plant material, whether French or Russian Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus. Photo ©2014 Steven Foster Russian, and the essential oil of A. dracuncu- lus (tarragon oil) are classified as medicinal ingredients of licensed natural health prod- ucts (NHPs) requiring pre-marketing autho- rization from the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) and manufacture in compliance with NHP GMPs.