T
TARRAGON (Artemisia dracunculus L.) +++Synonym: A. glauca Pall. ex Willd.
Tendencies are to lump A. dranunculoides (Russian tarragon), the “inferior one,” according to those
more connoisseur than I, with the more elegant French tarragon, A. dracunculus. HH2 speaks of
German tarragon with 0.25–3.1% EO and Russian tarragon with 0.1–2.1%.
Activities (Tarragon) — Allergenic (1; FAD); Analgesic (1; APA); Antibacterial (1; APA; WO3);
Anticapillary Fragility (1; CRC; FNF); Antiinflammatory (1; CRC); Antipyretic (f; CRC); Antis-
pasmodic (1; CRC); Aperitif (1; CRC; FAD; PHR; PH2); Carminative (f; CRC); Diuretic (f; APA);
Emmenagogue (f; APA; CRC); Fungicide (1; WO3); Genotoxic (f; WO3); Hypnotic (f; CRC);
Stomachic (f; CRC); Tumorigenic (1; APA); Vermifuge (f; CRC).
Indications (Tarragon) — Anorexia (1; APA; CRC; FAD; PHR; PH2); Arthrosis (f; APA); Ath-
erosclerosis (1; CRC); Bacteria (1; APA; WO3); Biliousness (f; WO3); Bite (f; CRC; GMH); Bruise
(f; FAD); Cancer (f; JLH); Cancer, sinew (f; JLH); Capillary Fragility (1; CRC; FNF); Cold (f;
FAD); Cramp (1; CRC); Diabetes (1; CRC); Diarrhea (f; FAD); Dysmenorrhea (f; APA); Edema
(1; CRC); Fever (f; CRC); Fungus (1; WO3); Gas (f; CRC); Headache (f; FAD); Heart (1; CRC);
High Blood Pressure (1; CRC); Infection (1; WO3); Inflammation (1; CRC); Insomnia (f; APA);
Mycosis (1; WO3); Pain (1; APA); Parturition (f; FAD); Rheumatism (f; APA); Sting (f; CRC);
Stroke (1; CRC); Swelling (f; CRC); Toothache (1; APA; CRC; GMH); Tumor (f; CRC); Water
Retention (f; APA); Worm (f; CRC); Wound (f; FAD).
Dosages (Tarragon) — 1–2 tsp leaf/cup to 3 ×/day (APA).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Tarragon) — Class 1. 81% of EO may be
estragole (AHP). Contains one compound that is carcinogenic in mice (APA). Pregnant women
might avoid (APA).“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2)
(but PH2 designates no specific quantified dosage! JAD). LD50 (ill-defined extract) = 215 mg/kg
ipr mus (HH2).