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Tarragon is most well known in French cooking and especially in béarnaise sauce. There are two varieties of tarragon, Russian and French. Because Russian tarragon has less oil in it, the French variety is almost always used for medicinal purposes. After discovering that chewing tarragon numbs the mouth, the ancient Greeks used the herb to treat toothache. They also decided that its anesthetic power and its wide-ranging roots meant that it could help relieve the discomforts of traveling. During the Middle Ages, pilgrims put tarragon sprigs in their shoes. Many early herbalists had little use for tarragon since its medicinal value was lost once it dried since all its healing power is found in tarragon oil. Tarragon Medicinal Uses Tarragon oil contains the same anesthetic compound, eugenol, as clove oil. This supports its age-old use for toothaches. Tarragon provides only temporary relief from tooth and gum pain, however. If toothache persists, consult a dentist.
Like many cooking herbs, tarragon oil fights disease-causing bacteria in laboratory studies. You can use fresh leaves as garden first aid for minor wounds. Tarragon oil contains rutin, a compound that strengthens blood vessel walls. Herbalists often recommend other herbs rich in rutin, like violet and onion. These herbs may also help hemorrhoids, which are varicose veins in the anal area. An animal study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that rutin has some anti-tumor activity. It is still used by some, as it was traditionally, as a diuretic, appetite stimulant, digestive aid, and toothache treatment. Tarragon Dosage Recommendations For temporary relief of oral pain, chew fresh leaves as needed. For first-aid, apply fresh, crushed leaves to a cut or scrape until you can wash or bandage it.
You can make a licorice-flavored tea with tarragon by using 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh or frozen herb per cup of boiling water. You can drink up to 3 cups per day to prevent varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Tarragon Safety One study shows that large amounts of estragole, a compound in tarragon, produce tumors in mice. Tarragon has never been associated with human cancer, but until its effects are known for sure, people with a history of cancer should not use tarragon in medicinal amounts. Otherwise, there are no reports of tarragon causing harm. Tarragon resembles the rosemary plant, only larger. Its leaves bruise easily so you’ll need to harvest them carefully and use fresh or freeze to preserve the natural oils in the herb. Most people use tarragon as a cooking herb, rather than for medicinal uses. Its licorice flavor adds something special to a dish. However, it can be used quite safely for minimizing varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and relieving toothache pain. It causes a numbing sensation so do not give tarragon oil to small children.
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