Artemisia vulgaris L.

Baru cina or mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) is an upright herb 60-160 cm tall of the Asteraceae family, originating from China as well as temperate regions of Europe and North Africa. Its distinctively aromatic leaves can be eaten as a fresh vegetable or cooking seasoning. Baru cina is traditionally believed to support women's reproductive health and help relieve menstrual pain.

Grows well in moist soil rich in humus and organic fertilizer, nitrogenous soil (containing a lot of nitrogen), and can live in areas at elevations up to 3,000 m above sea level.

• Roots taproot, yellowish-brown in color.
• Stem heavily branched, grooved, and hairy.
• Leaves egg-shaped, palmately lobed edges, tapering tip, both leaf surfaces finely hairy, green in color, underside whiter.
• Flowers compound small light yellow, emerging from leaf axils and stalk tips, head-shaped, growing drooping.
• Fruit small, brown in color, needle-shaped.

Propagated vegetatively (basal cuttings/root cuttings) as well as generatively (seed).

Essential oils, alpha-amyrin, fernenol, dehydeomatricaria ester, cineole, terpinen-4-ol, 1-quebrachitol, inulin (artemose), tannins, oxytocin, yomogialcohol, ridentin, scopoletin, isoscopoletin.

Supports women's reproductive health, epilepsy remedy, addresses menstrual pain, vaginal discharge, prolonged fatigue, depression, restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, treats wounds, swelling, canker sores, low libido. Has anticancer, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory activity.

• Wash baru cina leaves thoroughly with running water then drain.
• Dry in a drying cabinet (temperature ±50 °C), until dry.
• Once dry, grind into powder.
• Put the dried material into a closed container and store at room temperature.

Daun sundamala, Daun manis (Malay), Beungkar, Kucicing (Sunda), Suket gajahan, Rumput gajah (Central Java), Kolo (Halmahera), Goro-goro cina (Ternate).