Common Name
English :Worm seed
Hindi :Kirmala
Manipuri :Ching laibak-ngou
Scientific Name
Group :Angiosperm (Dicotyledon)
Family :Asteraceae
Genus :Artemisia
Species :maritima Linn.
Habit :Hispid undershrub
Parts Used :Whole plant
Mode of Preparation :Fresh leaf crushed with water for paste. Leaves soaked in water for infusion. Bark crushed for decoction.
Mode of use :Decoction, Fresh
Ingredients :Plant contains santonin, b-santonin, pseudosantonin and a bitter principle artemisin. The yellowish essential oil contain a-and b-pinens, comphene, cineol and a-terpineol. A new guaianolide – jeiranbatanolide, shonachalin A, shonachalin B, shonachalin C and shonachalin D were isolated from the arial parts of the plant.
Ailment Treated:Leaf is used as a ingredient in local hair lotion. Leaf/ shoot paste is applied against muscular sprain. Leaf extract is used in acute stomach pain. Leaf infusion is used in intermittent fevers. Bark is antiseptic. Bark decoction is taken as a febrifuge.
Source:Wild and very common in foot hills.