Description
Anti Fever
Qing Hao (Artemisia Annua) is a Chinese herb traditionally used as an anti-fever medicine. The use of this herb against fever was first documented in a medical treatise called ’52 ailments’ (五十二病方), which discovered in 1973 in the tomb from 168 BCE during the Han Dynasty.
Antimallarial, Artemisinin
During the 70s Chinese scientist started the search for herbs with antimallarial properties. After screening many herbs, Qing Hao (pronunciation: tjin haow) was found to be effective after clinical trials. In 1979 Qing Hao was used as an antimallerial drug during the Sino-Vietnamese war. Today, ‘Artemisinin’ an extract isolated from Qing Hao has become the main ingredient for antimalarial drugs, saving millions of lives. Professor Youyou Tu later won de Nobel Prize in 2015 for her contributions.
Other Qing Hao Benefits
Several studies show that artemisinin in Qing Hao also has anti-cancer properties, as it interacts with iron complexes in blood. Others studies also show that Wormwood clears heat in the liver & gall bladder, and has the potential to brighten the eyes. At last, Qing Hao is also used for inflammation, heart diseases, and excessive sweating in combination with other herbs.
Not a Herbal Tea for Pleasure
Qing Hao isn’t a herbal tea for pleasure. The resulting infusion is bitter. John Locke used this herb to describe the difference between bitter and sweet in his book ‘An Essay on Human Understanding’ (1689):
For a child knows as certainly before it can speak the difference between the ideas of sweet and bitter (i.e. that sweet is not bitter), as it knows afterwards (when it comes to speak) that wormwood and sugarplums are not the same thing.
Qing Hao & Liquor
Wormwood is also an ingredient in a highly alcoholic liquor known as Absinthe. It’s an anise flavoured spirit with many kinds of flowers and herbs including Wormwood. The herb is also used in other spirits and wines including: Vermouth, Bitters, Mead and Pelinkovac. At last, Qing Hao used to be an alternative to hops in beer during the 18th century in England. Besides the application in alcoholic drinks, it’s also used in a special Moroccan mint tea called Sheeba.
