Mugwort Leaf

쑥(애엽) (艾葉) · Artemisia argyi H.Lév. & Vaniot

Warming, blood-stanching herb Warm Bitter Liver, Spleen, Kidney

NatureWarm

TasteBitter

MeridiansLiver, Spleen, Kidney

Part usedLeaf

FamilyAsteraceae

CategoryWarming, blood-stanching herb

Find by concern: Menstrual irregularity Abdominal pain Diarrhea

Overview

Mugwort leaf — ssuk, woven through Korean food, rice cakes, and the founding myth itself — is recorded in the Donguibogam as warming the womb, stopping bleeding, and calming the fetus. It is also the plant of moxibustion, dried and burned on the body, making it one of Korea’s most deeply rooted medicinal plants.

In the Donguibogam

東醫
寶鑑

性溫, 味苦, 無毒. 主久百病, 主婦人崩漏. 安胎, 止腹痛, 止赤白痢.

Source: Donguibogam, Tangaek-pyeon (Herbology volume)

TranslationIts nature is warm, its taste bitter, and it is non-toxic. It treats chronic illnesses of long standing, treats women’s flooding and spotting, calms the fetus, stops abdominal pain, and stops red-and-white dysentery.

This entry is a draft: the classical quotation is pending verification against the Korean Medicine Classics Database.

Traditional functions

Warms the channels, stops bleeding
Warms the womb, calms the fetus
Dispels cold, relieves pain
Base material of moxibustion

Traditional applications

Menstrual flooding and spotting from cold
Cold-type menstrual and abdominal pain
Threatened miscarriage (under professional care)
Cold-pattern diarrhea

Traditional preparation

Decoction 3–9g; charred mugwort (Ai-tan) is used to stop bleeding, and dried mugwort floss is used for moxibustion.

Cautions

Caution: Warming and drying; traditionally cautioned in heat patterns and yin-deficiency with heat. Use in pregnancy only under professional supervision. Essential-oil constituents mean it should not be overused. Consult a professional.

Frequently asked questions

Is the mugwort in food the same as the medicinal one?

They are closely related Artemisia species. Young spring mugwort flavors rice cakes and soups, while the mature, dried leaf (aeyeop) is the medicinal form recorded in the Donguibogam and used in moxibustion.

What is moxibustion’s connection to mugwort?

Dried mugwort floss is the material burned in moxibustion (tteum) — warming acupuncture points — making mugwort both an internal herb and the core of a major external therapy.

Sources

동의보감 탕액편 (원문) — 한문 원문 발췌 — 한의학고전DB 탕액편 대조 검증 완료 (DATA-001)
한의학고전DB (mediclassics.kr) — 국역 참조 후 자체 재서술 (LEGAL-001)

DonguiHub is an educational and informational platform about the history and tradition of Korean medicine. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about health conditions and before using any herb.