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The Artemisia dracunculus is a small perennial shrub, 60-120 cm tall from the Asteraceae family and is called “Tarkhon” in Iran, Tarragon, dragon wormwood, dragon sagewort, estragon. The Artemisia dracunculus is commonly consumed in the most food as smell and flavor enhancer in barbecues, salads and soup. In traditional medicine its used for the treatment of collywobbles, fever, diabetes and bacterial or parasitic infections .
In Iranian folk medicine, aerial parts of tarragon were used to treat epilepsy, coagulopathy, and hyperlipidemia. In modern medicine, the aqueous extract of tarragon is used for the treatment of patients with chronic gastritis with low acidity. The aerial parts of tarragon have antiscorbutic and antihelminthic properties. The Essential oil of tarragon is widely applied in food flavoring formulations and perfumery.
The main compound of the essential oil of this plant is methylchavicol (estragol).
Estragol (methyl chavicol), methyl eugenol, (E)-anethole, capillene, (E)-β–ocimene, (Z)-β–ocimene, (E)-α-ocimene, limonene, α-pinene, α-terpinolene, elemicin, isoelemicin, 5-phenyl-1,3-pentadiyne, β-phellandrene, α-phellandrene, pulegone, hinokitiol, (Z)-artemidin, and acenaphthene have been reported as major compounds (≥10%) of the essential oil of A. dracunculus .