Compound Monograph
Santonin
Santonin is a toxic sesquiterpene lactone from wormwood-type Artemisia, formerly used as an anthelmintic.
Sources · 2
Where Does It Come From?
Santonin is a naturally occurring sesquiterpene lactone, found in Wormseed / santonica and Other Artemisia species. It is flagged as toxic.
Concentration
Content by Source
Concentrations not reported. No percent-dry-weight or mg/g figures have been published for this compound in its source plants.
Research & Evidence
Santonin is a sesquiterpene lactone obtained chiefly from the flower heads of Artemisia cina and related species. It was historically an important anthelmintic, used to expel intestinal roundworms before safer drugs replaced it. It is also remembered for causing a striking visual side effect in which objects appear tinged with yellow or other colors.
Toxicity & Safety
Santonin has a narrow margin of safety and is genuinely toxic: overdose can cause vomiting, the characteristic yellow vision, headache, convulsions and, in serious cases, more severe poisoning. For these reasons it has been abandoned as a medicine in favor of modern anthelmintics, and it is not used in self-care.
