Artemisia judaica

Artemisia judaica, commonly known as Judean wormwood, is a resilient perennial herb native to the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions. Valued in traditional ethnobotany, this aromatic plant contains bioactive compounds used for their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, offering significant potential in modern pharmacological research and natural medicine.

  • Scientific name: Artemisia judaica
  • Family: Asteraceae
  • Native range: Africa

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Further taxonomic progression places it in the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Asterales. Finally, it is a member of the family Asteraceae 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, known scientifically as Artemisia judaica, is recognized by various common names across different languages and regions. In Arabic, it is referred to as شيح العطارين, while in Chinese, it is identified as 猶太蒿 (Traditional), 犹太蒿 (Simplified, including the zh, zh-hans, and zh-cn variants).
Language Common Name Source
ar شيح العطارين Wikidata
zh-hant 猶太蒿 Wikidata
zh-hans 犹太蒿 Wikidata
zh 犹太蒿 Wikidata
zh-cn 犹太蒿 Wikidata
zh-tw 猶太蒿 Wikidata
ar البعيثران Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution spanning across several distinct regions. In Northern Africa, it can be found growing in the territories of Algeria, Egypt, and Libya. Its range also extends into Northeast Tropical Africa, specifically within the borders of Chad. Furthermore, the species is documented in Western Asia, particularly in Palestine. These diverse locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in various environments across two continents.

Region Area Source
Northern Africa Algeria WCVP
Northern Africa Egypt WCVP
Northern Africa Libya WCVP
Northeast Tropical Africa Chad WCVP
Western Asia Palestine WCVP
Western Asia Sinai WCVP
Arabian Peninsula Saudi Arabia WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, Artemisia judaica, is primarily utilized for its medicinal properties derived from its various above-ground portions. The therapeutic value is concentrated in the aerial parts, which encompass the entire shoot system, including the leaves and flowering structures. Most importantly, the pharmacological efficacy of the species is largely attributed to its essential oils, which are extracted from these vegetative components to provide their characteristic aromatic and healing qualities.
Total parts
4
Scientific sources
4
Plant Part Sources Confidence
shoot 1 ★☆☆☆☆
aerial parts 1 ★☆☆☆☆
above-ground portions 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Essential Oils 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Chemicals

Artemisia judaica has 18 reported phytochemicals identified across 22 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include piperitone, artemisinin, cirsimaritin, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, Cirsimaritin.

Total chemicals
18
Scientific sources
22

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
piperitone 3 ★★☆☆☆
artemisinin 2 ★☆☆☆☆
cirsimaritin 2 ★☆☆☆☆
2-ethylhexanoic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Cirsimaritin 1 ★☆☆☆☆
apigenin 1 ★☆☆☆☆
camphor 1 ★☆☆☆☆
diosmetin 1 ★☆☆☆☆
ethyl cinnamate 1 ★☆☆☆☆
gallic acid 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Activities

Artemisia judaica has 13 reported activities identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antifungal, Analgesic, Anthelmintic, Antiapoptotic.

Total activities
13
Scientific sources
17

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Confidence
Antioxidant 4 ★★☆☆☆
Antifungal 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Analgesic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Anthelmintic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antiapoptotic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antibacterial 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Anticancer 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antidiabetic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antimalarial 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antimicrobial 1 ★☆☆☆☆

Medicinal Uses

Artemisia judaica has 22 reported medicinal uses identified across 24 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include atherosclerosis, malaria, Blastocystis, MERS-CoV, Plasmodium falciparum.

Total uses
22
Scientific sources
24

Most Reported Uses

Use Sources Confidence
atherosclerosis 2 ★☆☆☆☆
malaria 2 ★☆☆☆☆
Blastocystis 1 ★☆☆☆☆
MERS-CoV 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Plasmodium falciparum 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Toxoplasma gondii 1 ★☆☆☆☆
abdominal pains 1 ★☆☆☆☆
analgesic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
anthelmintic 1 ★☆☆☆☆
antidiabetic 1 ★☆☆☆☆