Artemisia genus contains over 500 species and is one of the largest Astraceae (Compositae) family genera which widely distributed in the temperate zones of Europe, Asia and North America. These plants observed in various shapes include perennial, biennial and annual herbs or small shrubs. 

This genus general morphological features includes alternate leaves, small capitula, with racemouse, paniculate or capitate inflorescence, rarely solitary. Phyllaries in few rows, sometimes hirsute; florets all tubular; with small, dry, indehiscent fruit[1].

Tarragon is a perennial herb or small shrub with 120–150 cm tall, with slender branches. The leaves are lanceolate, 2–8 cm long and 2–10 mm wide, glossy green, with an entire margin. The flowers arranged in small capitula 2–4 mm diameter, each capitulum containing up to 40 yellow or greenish-yellow florets. The seeds are achenes 1.5 mm in length[2].

Tarragon’s common names include Tarkhun (Arabic, Russian), ai hao (Mandarin), estragoa (Dutch), dragon (Dutch, Swedish), estragon (French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Russian), tarragon (Hebrew), estragon (Spanish), targone (Italian), esutoragon (Japanese), and estragao (Portugese)[3].

Traditionally tarragon leaves were used as an antiepileptic, laxative, antispasmodic, antidiabetic, anticoagulant and carminative. the root as a reduce excessive flow blooding during the menstrual cycle and to aid in difficult labor[4, 5].

A.dracunculus is rich in terpenoids as well as caffeoylquinic acids, sterols, acetylenes, flavonoids and coumarins.

Russian tarragon and French tarragon are the two best known regional "varieties" of A. dracunculus. Russian verity major components include terpinen-4-ol, sabinene and elemicin, while estragole and β-ocimene (3.0 -5.3%) is the predominant compound of “French” tarragon. major components of the essential oil differ significantly depending on the origin of the plants[6-8].

**This content is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.

References

1- M. Willcox, G. Bodeker, G. Bourdy, V. Dhingra, J. Falquet, J. F. Ferreira, B. Graz, H.-M. Hirt, E. Hsu and P. M. de Magalhães, Traditional medicinal plants and malaria 2004, 4, 43.

2- K. S. Bora and A. Sharma, Pharmaceutical biology 2011, 49, 101.

3- S. Raghavan, 'Handbook of spices, seasonings, and flavorings', CRC press, 2006.

4- D. Obolskiy, I. Pischel, B. Feistel, N. Glotov and M. Heinrich, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2011, 59, 11367.

5- H. Ekiert, J. Świątkowska, E. Knut, P. Klin, A. Rzepiela, M. Tomczyk and A. Szopa, Frontiers in Pharmacology 2021, 12, 653993.

6- T. D. Bhutia and K. M. Valant-Vetschera, Natural Product Communications 2008, 3, 1934578X0800300811.

7- R. Piccaglia, M. Marotti, E. Giovanelli, S. G. Deans and E. Eaglesham, Industrial crops and Products 1993, 2, 47.

8- D. Fraternale, G. Flamini and D. Ricci, Natural Product Communications 2015, 10, 1934578X1501000839.