Artemisia dracunculus
Tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus, commonly known as tarragon, is a perennial herb celebrated for its distinct anise-like aroma and culinary versatility. Beyond the kitchen, this aromatic plant holds significant medicinal value, traditionally utilized for its digestive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, making it a staple in both herbalism and gourmet cooking.
- Scientific name: Artemisia dracunculus
- Family: Asteraceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Asterales, falling into the family Asteraceae. Finally, its taxonomic placement concludes within the genus Artemisia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Asterales | WCVP |
| Family | Asteraceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Artemisia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Artemisia dracunculus, is widely recognized by various regional names across different Chinese linguistic contexts. In Simplified Chinese, used in mainland China (zh-cn), Singapore (zh-sg), and general contexts (zh-hans), it is known as 龙蒿. The Traditional Chinese designation, which is applied in Hong Kong (zh-hk) and other regions using traditional characters (zh-hant), is written as 龍蒿.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 龙蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 龍蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 龍蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 龙蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 龙蒿 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 龍蒿 | Wikidata |
| pl | bylica draganek | Wikidata |
| fr | estragon | Wikidata |
| he | לענה דרקונית | Wikidata |
| bs | estragon | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific distribution across several regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in both Great Britain and Norway. Moving toward the center of the continent, the species is also established in Middle Europe. Specifically, its range includes the territories of Austria and the Czechia-Slovakia region. Finally, the plant is documented as being present within Germany.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Netherlands | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Switzerland | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as tarragon, is a versatile herb valued for both its culinary and therapeutic properties. The most recognizable part used in cooking is the aromatic tarragon spice, which is derived from the slender, green leaf structures of the plant. Beyond its use as a seasoning, the plant is a source of potent essential oil, which contains the concentrated aromatic compounds responsible for its distinct scent. In medicinal applications, leaf extracts are frequently utilized to harness the plant's bioactive components for various health benefits.- Total parts
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| tarragon spice | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf extracts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herb | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| essential oil | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Essential oils | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| EOs | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Artemisia dracunculus has 25 reported phytochemicals identified across 26 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include estragole, (-)-(R)-2'-methoxydihydroartemidin, 1-methoxy-4-(2-Propenyl)-benzene, 1R-alpha-pinene, 1S-alpha-pinene.
- Total chemicals
- 25
- Scientific sources
- 26
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| estragole | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (-)-(R)-2'-methoxydihydroartemidin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1-methoxy-4-(2-Propenyl)-benzene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1R-alpha-pinene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 1S-alpha-pinene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3,5-diCQA | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3,7-dimethyl-1,3,7-octatriene | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Estragole | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| I | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Artemisia dracunculus has 13 reported activities identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antifungal, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Analgesic, Antiepileptic.
- Total activities
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antifungal | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiepileptic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antiinflammatory | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antipyretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Free-Radical Scavenging | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Artemisia dracunculus has 19 reported medicinal uses identified across 19 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include E. coli, Helicobacter pylori, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, antidepressant.
- Total uses
- 19
- Scientific sources
- 19
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| E. coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Helicobacter pylori | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus aureus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Staphylococcus epidermidis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antidepressant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| blood glucose | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dental caries | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| digestive system diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |