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Santonica Herb - Uses And Side Effects

Santonica comes from the flowers and seeds of Artemesla cina, a member of the Compositae family that grows in most parts of Asia. Russia exported the crude powder to the United States during World War II, until the United States could produce its own domestic supply. The National Formulary and the British Pharmacopeia listed santonica until the 1950s.

The greater part of the Wormseed is used in Turkestan, where it grows in enormous quantities in the desert of the Kirghiz, especially near the town of Chimkent, where a factory has been erected in which large quantities of Santonin are produced from the Wormseed collected in the vicinity, not more than 10 per cent of the drug being now exported in the crude state, in which condition it is known in this country as Levant Wormseed. The plant is low and shrubby, throwing up a number of erect stems on which the little greenish-yellow, oblong flower-heads are borne. Each head is about 1/8 inch long and 1/16 inch in diameter, and contains three to five minute, tubular flowers. In July and August, before the flowers expand, they are stripped from the stems and dried, being brought into Chimkent by the Kirghiz and other tribes.

Common doses of Santonica

Santonica comes as powder (dried powdered santonin), tablets, and oral lozenges. Some experts recommend the following dose:

• As powder, tablets, or oral lozenges, 2 to 5 grains in varying doses.

Uses of Santonica herb

Specifically, santonica may help to :-

• Pinworms, tapeworms, and other worm infections
• Whooping cough

Side effects of Santonica

Call your health care practitioner if you experience any of these possible side effects of santonica:

• headache
• vision problems, including changes in color vision
• nausea
• seizures
• vomiting

People have died from santonica poisoning.

Interactions

Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Don't use santonica while taking while taking a drug to control seizures; santonica may make the drug less effective.

Important points to remember

• Don't use santonica if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.
• Tell your health care practitioner if you plan to get pregnant or suspect you're pregnant.
• Use this herb cautiously if you've had seizures.
• Don't drive or perform other dangerous activities until you know how santonica affects you.
• Keep santonica away from children and pets.
• Don't take this herb without medical supervision.

What the research shows

Although santonica can help treat worm infections, established modern drugs are probably less toxic and more effective against more types of worms.