Artemisia argyi H. Lev. & Vaniot: a comprehensive review on traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities

Artemisia argyi, a perennial herb of the genus Artemisia, is recorded as medicine for the treatment of various diseases, such as metrorrhagia, menorrhagia, irregular menstruation, hemorrhage, dysmenorrhea, eczema and skinitch. The dried leaves of A. argyi can be made into moxa floss, which is the raw material of moxibustion. In addition, A. argyi is also one of the symbols of the Dragon Boat Festival in China and its shoots and seedlings can be used as tea and vegetables. Therefore, A. argyi has attracted extensive attentions due to its various chemical constituents and biological activities, as well as its extensive clinical and folk applications. Phytochemical investigation of A. argyi has led to the isolation of sesquiterpenoids, flavonoids, triterpeniods, volatile oils, and others, especially sesquiterpenoids, which are the most characteristic components. The crude extracts and the isolated compounds from A. argyi reveal diverse biological activities, including antibacterial, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, etc. Although most biological activities are only the results of in vitro experiments. The aim of this review is to provide a summary on the traditional efficacy, folk application, phytochemistry and modern pharmacological research of A. argyi, which will bring more attention to other researchers for further study.