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Broom mugwort

Broommugwort is a plant whose parts growing above the ground are used to make medicine.

Broommugwort is used to treat diseases of the liver including hepatitis, gallstones and high cholesterol levels. It is also used to stimulate the flow of bile acid from the gall bladder. Broom mugwort is used for brain damage in newborns (bilirubin encephalopathy) caused by bile pigments in the blood (jaundice), fever and chills, a bitter taste in the mouth, a tight feeling in the chest, dizziness, nausea and loss of appetite. In addition, broom mugwort is used for headaches, constipation, pain when urinating, itching, tumors, mucus formation around the nose and mouth, rheumatic joint pain, painful menstrual periods, malaria and muscle cramps. In Chinese and Japanese herbal combination products, broom mugwort is used to treat jaundice, fever, painful urination and stomach bleeding.broom mugwort is included in Inchin-Ko-To, a Chinese/Japanese Kampo medicine used to treat hepatitis C.

How does broom mugwort work?

Broom mugwort is believed to contain chemicals that stimulate the flow of bile acid. This may help in the treatment of gallstones. The oils contained in broom mugwort could lower fever, reduce swelling, increase urine flow and kill fungi and bacteria.

How effective is broom mugwort?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement regarding the effectiveness of Broom Mugwort for hepatitis, jaundice, gallstones, high cholesterol, fever and chills, a bitter taste in the mouth, chest tightness, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, constipation, painful urination, itching, joint pain, painful menstrual periods, malaria and cramps, as well as when used to stimulate the flow of bile acid from the gallbladder. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of broom mugwort in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Broommugwort appears to be safe and harmless for most adults when taken orally. However, one should not attempt to treat gallstones or liver problems with broom mugwort without medical supervision.

Broommugwort can cause nausea, bloating, dizziness and heart problems.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Broom Mugwort is not safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Children: Broom mugwort may not be safe for children. Children under the age of 12 should only use Broom Mugwort under medical supervision.

Allergies to broom mugwort and related plants: Broom mugwort could cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to plants in the Asteraceae/Compositae family. Members of this plant family include broomweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies and many others. If you suffer from allergies, you should consult your doctor before taking broom mugwort.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining Broom Mugwort with the following medications:

Lithium

Broommugwort could have a dehydrating (diuretic) effect. Taking Broom Mugwort may interfere with the body's excretion of lithium, which could result in increased lithium levels and serious side effects. For this reason, it is important to consult your doctor before using Broom Mugwort if you are taking lithium. The lithium dosage may need to be adjusted.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of Broom Mugwort depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At the present time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for Broom Mugwort. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Lee J, Chae K, Ha J, et al. Regulation of obesity and lipid disorders by herbal extracts from Morus alba, Melissa officinalis, and Artemisia capillaris in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. J Ethnopharmacol 2008;115:263-70. view abstract.
  2. Yamamoto M, Miura N, Ohtake N, et al. Genipin, a metabolite derived from the herbal medicine Inchin-ko-to, and suppression of fas-induced lethal liver apoptosis in mice. Gastroenterol 2000;118:380-9. View abstract.
  3. Yamamoto M, Ogawa K, Morita M, et al. The herbal medicine Inchin-ko-to inhibits liver cell apoptosis induced by transforming growth factor beta 1. Hepatology 1996;23:552-9. View abstract.