ABSTRACT

The species Artemisia annua L (Asteraceae) is native to China. Its ancient Chinese name, Qing Hao, literally means “green herb.” The genus Artemisia comprises over 400 species, many of which have an aromatic, bitter taste. There are two theories as to the origin of its name. Ferreira et al. (1997) say that it is named after the Greek goddess Artemis, meaning literally “she who heals sickness,” who was in fact goddess of the hunt, of forests, and was thought to be responsible for sudden death in women (Guirand, 1959). Apparently plants of this genus, probably Artemisia absinthium, were used to control pain in childbirth and to induce abortions. Bruce-Chwatt (1982) says that Artemisia was named after Queen Artemisia of Caria (Turkey), who lived in the fourth century B.C. She was so aggrieved on the death of her husband and brother, King Mausolus of Halicarnassus, that she mixed his ashes with whatever she drank to make it taste bitter.