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Artemisia mexicana Mexican Wormwood

FAMILY: Compositae: Asteraceae

GENUS: Artemisia

SPECIES: Mexicana

COMMON NAMES: Mexican Wormwood, Agenjo del Pais, Ambfe (Otomi), Artemisia, Cola de

Zorillo (little tail of the fox), Ensencio de Mata Verde (incense of the green bush), Guitee

(Zapotec), Hierba de San Juan (Spanish, Saint Johns herb), Hierba Maestra (Spanish, master

herb), Siisim (Maya), Tlalpoyomatli (Aztec)

Artemisia mexicana is a perennial upright shrubby herb that can grow up to three feet tall. The

leaves are whitish grey and covered on both sides with fine hairs. They exude an aromatic-bitter

scent immediately when crushed. The flowers are small, yellow and clustered (Voogelbreinder

2009, 93). A. mexicana is so similar to European wormwood in appearance that even experiencedbotanists have a hard time telling them apart. Some botanists even believe that A. mexicana is a

sub-species ofA. absinthium(Ratsch 1998, 73). A. mexicana is found in both dry and moist areas

of Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula. It may also be found in Arizona and New Mexico (Ohno et

al. 1980).

TRADITIONAL USES: The Aztecs and other native peoples of Mesoamerica have been using A.

mexicana for various ritual and medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. The Aztecs used A.

mexicana as a ritual incense the plant is sacred to Uixtociuatl, the Aztec goddess of salt and salt

makers. It is sacred to Tlaloc, the rain god, who also holds Argemone mexicana and Tagetes lucida

as holy this suggests a possible interesting psychoactive incense or smoking mixture. Today in

Mexico it is used in folk medicine and smoked as a marijuana substitute (Ratsch 1998, 74).TRADITIONAL PREPARATION: The Aztecs consumed the inside of the stem of A. mexicana as

an intoxicant, as it lightens the mood and improves general well being (Voogelbreinder 2009, 93).

Fresh A. mexicana herbage may be added to mescal, tequila or other distilled spirits to create an

alcohol extraction. The herbage is used in the making of the absinthe-like Mexican herbal liquors

known as yolixpa, which is said to create a state of euphoria in anyone who drinks it. Dried A.

mexicana herbage may also be smoked 1-3 grams of dried plant material will produce mild

psychoactive effects (Martnez 1994 cited in Ratsch 1998, 73).

MEDICINAL USE: The Aztecs used the stems of A. mexica as a tonic and to relieve coughs. The

flowers were consumed by those with low energy (Voogelbreinder 2009, 93). In Mexican folk

medicine, which is strongly influenced by Aztec knowledge, an alcohol extract of A. mexicanaherbage is taken for digestive troubles (Martnez 1994 cited in Ratsch 1998, 74). Similarly, a tea

made from the plant is taken by those who have lost the desire to eat, as well as to treat coughs and

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diarrhea. The roots and plant material are used to treat epilepsy and as a form of birth control the

plant can bring on menstruation and cause abortions (Reza 1994 cited in Ratsch 1998, 74). The

Yucatec Maya burn the herb as an incense to relieve headaches (Pulido Salas & Serralta Peraza

1993 cited in Ratsch 1998, 74).

TRADITIONAL EFFECTS: A. mexicana contains a powerful essential oil, as well as several

active alkaloids. Thujone is likely present in the plant, as it is so similar to A. absinthium, but the

compound has not yet been formally detected. Smoking the dried herbage creates mild stimulationfollowed by pleasant euphoria if enough smoke is inhaled. The effects may vary widely from person

to person, however. The plant contains fewer toxic alkaloids than A. absinthiumand is therefore

easier to work with (Martnez 1994 cited in Ratsch 1998, 74).

REFERENCES

Ohno, N., J. Gershenzon, C. Roane, and T.J. Mabry. 11,13-dehydrodesacetylmatricarin and Other

Sesquiterpene Lactones from Artemisia Ludoviciana Var. Ludoviciana and the Idenity of Artecanin

and Chrysartemin B. Phytochemistry, no. 19 (1980): 103106.

Ratsch, Christian., The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and itsApplications. Rochester: Park Street Press, 1998.

Voogelbreinder, Snu, Garden of Eden: The Shamanic Use of Psychoactive Flora and Fauna, and the

Study of Consciousness. Snu Voogelbreinder, 2009.

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