It is found in the steppes of Central Asia and is also known as wormseed as a medicinal plant. The citron flower (lat. Artemisia cina) may only be used in the form of finished preparations because of its poisonous content. Not only as a remedy for worm infestation, it has a firm place in homeopathy.
Occurrence and cultivation of citron flower
Artemisia cina belongs to the daisy family. Native mainly to the steppes of Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, this herbaceous to shrubby plant is closely related to mugwort and wormwood. Its 30 to 60 cm tall stems are usually woody below and branch like panicles at mid-height. The small, gray-hairy leaflets wither early. The three- to five-flowered flower heads growing on the panicles are also quite inconspicuous with their brownish green color and a size of 2 to 4 mm. Depending on the nature of the soil in which the plant grows, its active ingredient content varies. The more soda-rich the soil, the more santonin the plant contains. The citron flower should not be confused with the citron root (lat. Curcuma zedoaria), a medicinal and spice plant originating from India and belonging to the ginger family.
Effect and application
Collected are the flower heads (often mistakenly called citrus seeds), and just before they bloom. They contain the medicinally relevant constituents, especially santonin and artemisin, in much higher concentrations than the rest of the herb. Because of its high efficacy as a dewormer, Artemisia cina was formerly used in folk medicine against intestinal parasites such as tapeworms, pinworms and roundworms. However, it was not uncommon for poisoning to occur even in therapeutic doses, and even more so in overdoses. The main constituents of the plant are psychoactive, neurotoxic and highly toxic. Santonin affects the brain and spinal cord, causing hallucinations, unconsciousness and epileptic seizures. At the beginning of poisoning, disturbances in color perception occur, followed by abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, as well as muscle cramps, paralysis and acute respiratory distress. Therefore, even folk medicine has meanwhile refrained from old forms of administration such as powder or even cookies with santonin content. Today, Artemisia cina is only used in the form of finished preparations. Just like traditional folk medicine, homeopathy also uses cina to treat worm infestations. Together with the worms, the typical accompanying symptoms such as ravenous appetite, gastrointestinal cramps, nausea, vomiting, bladder weakness and anal itching also disappear. Citrus flower acts on the muscles and on the vagus nerve. Therefore, homeopathy also uses it for cramps, sleep and vision disorders, and digestive problems. Thanks to its action on the autonomic nervous system, Cina has therapeutic properties. It effectively helps children and adults with restlessness and anxiety, can alleviate depressive moods and moodiness. With the exception of the USA, Mexico, Argentina, England, Finland, Romania and Greece, the citron flower is official in almost all countries as “Flores Cinae”. This means that corresponding preparations must be available in pharmacies. Pastilli Santonini are taken for 2 – 3 days in case of worm infestation, after which a laxative cure should be given, for example with castor oil. The active ingredient is also available in the form of capsules containing a so-called “teep” plant preparation. The recommended daily dose here is 4-5 capsules, for children correspondingly lower. In the form of globules, as a dilution or in tablets, Cina is offered in D and C potencies, most often it is used in D3 to D6.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
The parent genus name Artemisia is said to date back to the 5th century B.C. Persian queen of the same name, who was famous for her knowledge of botany. The plant was already known as a remedy in ancient China and by the Romans. In 1829, the physician and founder of homeopathy Samuel Hahnemann emphasized the, literally, “valuable healing effect” of the citron flower far beyond its traditional field of application in worm control. A parasitosis – i.e. an infestation of worms in the intestine – is not only associated with annoying itching, but can result in a whole range of other diseases. Constant scratching damages the skin, and inflammation or cysts can occur.Particularly in sensitive areas such as the vagina and anus, this leads to considerable impairment. As a result of an infestation with intestinal worms, humans may also experience bronchitis, sinusitis, ear infections, nocturnal cough, nosebleeds and even local paralysis. Artemisia cina is a gentle but very effective remedy here. The “worm seed” stops the symptoms, expels the worms and kills existing worm eggs. The typical Cina patient in classical homeopathy is chronically tense and nervous, plagued by anxiety and prone to fainting spells. He grinds his teeth at night, cannot sleep through the night and suffers from a lack of self-confidence. He fluctuates between loss of appetite and excessive eating cravings, having a particular craving for sweets. Occasionally, he develops eating disorders, even bulimia. The Cina patient is generally tired, pale and has dark circles under his eyes. His cheeks, in turn, are flushed and hot from the fever. He often complains of visual disturbances as well. Especially children who belong to this type of patients and are even described by their parents as troublesome, angry and unpleasant, homeopathy successfully treats with Cina. As always in homeopathy, treatment with Artemisia Cina may initially aggravate the typical symptoms before improvement occurs.
