Tarragon Essential Oil
Botanical Name: Artemisia dracunculus
Common Method Of Extraction: Steam distilled
Parts Used: Leaves
Note Classification: Middle
Aroma: Sweet-anisic, spicy-green
Largest Producing Countries: Hungary, France, Netherlands, and USA
Traditional Use: Used as a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and perfumes. Employed as a flavor ingredient in most major food categories, especially condiments and relishes, as well as alcoholic and soft drinks.
Properties: Anthelmintic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aperitif, carminative, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, hypnotic, stimulant, stomachic, and vermifuge.
Benefits: Amenorrhea, anorexia, dysmenorrhea, dyspepsia, flatulence, hiccoughs, intestinal spasm, nervous indigestion, PMT, and sluggish digestion.
Blends Well With: Basil, galbanum, labdanum, lavender, oakmoss, pine, and vanilla.
Of Interest: The name is thought to derive from an ancient use as an antidote to the bites of venomous creatures and ‘madde dogges’. It was favored by maharajahs of India who took it as a tisane, and in Persia it was used to induce appetite.
Safety Data: Moderately toxic due to ‘estragole’ (methyl chavicol): use in moderation only and avoid internal use. Avoid during pregnancy.