Western Herbalism
Tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus
Also known as French tarragon, Russian tarragon, estragon, dragon's wort, silky wormwood, wild tarragon.
Tarragon is a perennial Artemisia native to temperate Eurasia and western North America. Two forms matter clinically: French tarragon, a sterile, anise-scented culinary clone rich in estragole, and Russian or wild tarragon, a seed-grown, hardier, less aromatic form low in estragole that is the source of the standardized extracts studied for blood sugar. The leaf and flowering tops are used. In Europe it is a kitchen herb with a minor role as a digestive and mild sedative; Central Asian and Persian traditions use it more widely.
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Indications what the tradition reached for it in
- Poor appetite and slow digestion
- Flatulent dyspepsia and bloating
- Hiccups and gastric spasm (traditional)
- Insomnia and restlessness (traditional, mild)
- Toothache and mouth pain (chewed leaf, traditional)
- Impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance (standardized Russian tarragon extract)
- Delayed or scanty menstruation (traditional)
- Water retention (traditional, mild)
- Intestinal worms (historical)
Specific indications
The prediabetic patient with central weight gain and rising fasting insulin, as an adjunct to diet, using a low-estragole Russian tarragon extract.
A nervous eater with no appetite and a windy stomach who benefits from an aromatic, faintly anise-flavored culinary bitter.
Safety
Low dose botanical. Used in drop doses in the classical practice; not a plant to dose freely.
The record lists 6 contraindications; open the plate in the library to read them in full.
In practice
In the dispensary tarragon is mostly a pleasant carminative and appetite herb: a cup of weak tea or a few drops of tincture before meals for a person who is not hungry, is bloated after eating, or hiccups and belches from gastric spasm.
Dosing as the sources wrote it
| Preparation | As written | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Infusion | 1-2 g dried aerial parts two or three times daily | 1000-2000 mg |
| Tincture (1:5, 45%) | 2-4 mL three times daily | 2-4 mL |
| Standardized Russian tarragon extract | 1000 mg twice daily with meals | 1000-1000 mg |
Doses are reproduced from the sources for practitioners and are not a recommendation for any person.
From the sources
Overview. Tarragon is a perennial Artemisia native to temperate Eurasia and western North America. Two forms matter clinically: French tarragon, a sterile, anise-scented culinary clone rich in estragole, and Russian or wild tarragon, a seed-grown, hardier, less aromatic form low in estragole that is the source of the standardized extracts studied for blood sugar. The leaf and flowering tops are used. In Europe it is a kitchen herb with a minor role as a digestive and mild sedative; Central Asian and Persian traditions use it more widely.
Clinical Notes. In the dispensary tarragon is mostly a pleasant carminative and appetite herb: a cup of weak tea or a few drops of tincture before meals for a person who is not hungry, is bloated after eating, or hiccups and belches from gastric spasm.
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