Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Dysphania ambrosioides

Common Names: Wormseed, Mexican Tea, Epazote, Jesuits Tea
Local Names: Ewe-imi, Asin, Arunpale (Yoruba, Nigeria), Mastruz (Brazil), M’khinza (Morocco), Paico (Peru)
Species ID: NMP-019 |
wfo-0000600974NCBI:txid330163

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Caryophyllales

Family: Amaranthaceae

Genus: Dysphania

Species: D. ambrosioides

Synonyms: Chenopodium ambrosioides L., Ambrina ambrosioides (L.) Spach, Atriplex ambrosioides (L.) Crantz, Botrys ambrosioides (L.) Nieuwl., Orthosporum ambrosioides (L.) Kostel., Teloxys ambrosioides (L.) W.A.Weber

Morphological Description

Dysphania ambrosioides, commonly known as Wormseed or Epazote, is an annual or short-lived perennial herb, typically growing 0.3–1.2 m tall, occasionally reaching 2 m in fertile soils. Its key features include:

·       Stem: Erect, irregularly branched, green to reddish, covered with aromatic glandular hairs, emitting a pungent, camphor-like odor when bruised

·       Leaves: Alternate, lanceolate to oblong, 2–12 cm long, 0.5–4 cm wide, with serrated or toothed margins, aromatic, glossy green

·       Flowers: Small, green, 1–2 mm in diameter, in dense, spike-like panicles at stem apices, hermaphroditic or unisexual

·       Fruit: Tiny utricles, enclosing single, glossy, dark brown to black seeds, 0.6–1 mm in diameter

The plant’s strong aroma, due to essential oils rich in ascaridole, and its medicinal and culinary uses make it significant in tropical regions.

Distribution and Habitat

Dysphania ambrosioides is native to Central and South America, likely originating in Mexico, and has become a cosmopolitan weed, naturalized in Africa (Nigeria, Ghana), Europe, Asia (India, China), Australia, and North America. It thrives in:

·       Ecosystems: Disturbed areas, roadsides, agricultural fields, gardens, and waste grounds

·       Climate: Tropical to warm temperate, with annual rainfall of 500–2,000 mm and temperatures of 15–35°C

·       Soils: Well-drained, sandy to loamy, tolerating nutrient-poor or moderately saline conditions

·       Altitude: Sea level to 2,000 m

In Nigeria, it is widespread in southern states like Ogun and Lagos, often cultivated for medicinal purposes or naturalized around villages. Its adaptability contributes to its weedy nature..

Ethnopharmacology

Dysphania ambrosioides Dysphania ambrosioides, formerly known as Chenopodium ambrosioides and commonly called epazote or wormseed, is a medicinal plant traditionally used in many parts of the world, especially in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. Its leaves, seeds, and essential oil are known for anthelmintic (expelling parasitic worms), antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antispasmodic, and carminative (relieving gas) properties. Traditionally, it has been used to treat intestinal parasites, digestive disorders like bloating, flatulence, and indigestion, as well as respiratory issues such as asthma and bronchitis. The essential oil, rich in compounds like ascaridole, limonene, and p-cymene, is particularly potent but must be used with caution due to its potential toxicity at high doses. Overall, Dysphania ambrosioides is a powerful traditional remedy, but proper dosing is crucial to avoid adverse effects, especially when using its concentrated oil.

·       Antioxidant Activity: Dysphania ambrosioides exhibits significant antioxidant properties, primarily due to its rich content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. A study evaluating the essential oils from D. ambrosioides demonstrated strong antioxidant activity using DPPH and β-carotene/linoleic acid assays, with an IC50 value of 12.5 µg/mL for DPPH scavenging, attributed to compounds like ascaridole and carvacrol (Dagni et al., 2022). Additionally, methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of the aerial parts showed potent free radical scavenging activity, with the methanolic extract achieving up to 85% inhibition of DPPH radicals at 200 µg/mL, reinforcing its potential as a natural antioxidant source (Elsayed et al., 2025).

·       Antiparasitic and Anthelmintic Activity: Ascaridole, a major component in D. ambrosioides, showed in vitro and in vivo activity against Entamoeba histolytica, with a 70% reduction in parasite load in hamster models at 50 mg/kg, validating its use against amebiasis (Rodrigues et al., 2023). Clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy as an anthelmintic, with a single dose of essential oil achieving a 90% cure rate against intestinal nematodes in human subjects, supporting its traditional use in treating parasitic infections (Panda et al., 2022).

·       Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effects: The anti-inflammatory activity of D. ambrosioides leaf extract was confirmed using the human red blood cell membrane stabilization method, showing 68% stabilization at 500 µg/mL, indicating its potential in managing inflammatory conditions such as arthritis (Pangemanan et al., 2025).

·       Anticancer Activity: Preclinical studies have indicated that methanolic extracts of D. ambrosioides inhibit tumor growth in breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) by 45% at 100 µg/mL, suggesting its potential as an anticancer agent through apoptosis induction (Ribeiro et al., 2023).

·       Antidiabetic and Vasorelaxant Effects: Research has shown that D. ambrosioides extracts reduce blood glucose levels by 25% in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats after 14 days of treatment and induce vasorelaxation in rat aortic rings by 60% at 300 µg/mL, indicating potential benefits in managing diabetes and hypertension (Kandsi et al., 2024).

⚠  Toxicity Profile: High doses of D. ambrosioides essential oil, particularly due to ascaridole, can cause severe gastroenteritis, kidney and liver damage, convulsions, and even death, with reported lethal doses in animal models exceeding 1 g/kg (Wikipedia, n.d.). Studies have also reported potential cytogenotoxic effects, with aqueous extracts inducing chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes at concentrations above 500 µg/mL, highlighting the need for cautious use (El-Bouzidi et al., 2024).

Additional Uses

·       Culinary: Leaves are used as a flavoring in Mexican bean dishes, soups, and stews, reducing flatulence, and in Nigerian soups for their pungent aroma

·       Ecological Role: The plant’s allelopathic terpenes (e.g., ascaridole) inhibit nearby plant growth, making it a useful companion plant to mask crop scents from pests in Nigeria.

·       Agricultural: Leaf extracts serve as biopesticides against Aedes aegypti larvae in Nigeria, leveraging ascaridole’s larvicidal properties.

References

  • Dagni, A., Hegheș, S. C., Suharoschi, R., Pop, O. L., Fodor, A., Vulturar, R., ... & El Khalfi, B. (2022). Essential oils from Dysphania genus: Traditional uses, chemical composition, toxicology, and health benefits. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, 1024274. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.1024274
  • El-Bouzidi, L., Khadra, A., Zefzoufi, M., Sissi, S., El-Abbassi, A., Bekkouche, K., ... & Rais, H. (2024). In vivo protective effects of vitamin C against cyto-genotoxicity induced by Dysphania ambrosioides aqueous extract. Open Chemistry, 22(1), 20230207. https://doi.org/10.1515/chem-2023-0207
  • Elsayed, W., Abdelshafeek, K., & Abdallah, W. (2025). Phytochemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of some Dysphania ambrosioides extracts. Egyptian Journal of Chemistry, 68(5), 699–711. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejchem.2024.315820.10267
  • Kandsi, F., Lafdil, F. Z., El Hachlafi, N., Jeddi, M., Bouslamti, M., El Fadili, M., ... & Gseyra, N. (2024). Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin and Clemants: Bridging traditional knowledge, photochemistry, preclinical investigations, and toxicological validation for health benefits. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 397(2), 969–1001. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-023-02687-1
  • Panda, S. K., Daemen, M., Sahoo, G., & Luyten, W. (2022). Essential oils as novel anthelmintic drug candidates. Molecules, 27(23), 8327. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27238327
  • Pangemanan, D. H. C., Engka, J. N. A., & Pangemanan, E. F. S. (2025). Anti-inflammatory activity assay using the human red blood cell membrane stabilization method for pasote leaf extract (Dysphania ambrosioides L.). Scholars Journal of Applied Medical Sciences, 1, 77–82.
  • Ribeiro, R. M., de Brito Junior, E. R., de Carvalho, M. B. B., de Lima, B. D. S. F., Andrade, L. P., Costa, G. A. B., ... & da Silva Penha, E. C. (2023). Dysphania ambrosioides: Phytochemical composition and pharmacological potential of the leaves. Brazilian Journal of Health Review, 6(4), 18067–18084. https://doi.org/10.34117/bjhrv6n4-058
  • Rodrigues, M. J., Pereira, C. G., Oliveira, M., Zengin, G., & Custódio, L. (2023). Salt-tolerant plants as sources of antiparasitic agents for human use: A comprehensive review. Marine Drugs, 21(2), 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/md21020066
  • Wikipedia. (n.d.). Dysphania ambrosioides. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysphania_ambrosioides

External Links

More Pictures

 

Compounds of Chenopodium ambrosioides
References

1. Owolabi, M. S., Lajide, L., Oladimeji, M. O., Setzer, W. N., Palazzo, M. C., Olowu, R. A., & Ogundajo, A. (2009). Volatile constituents and antibacterial screening of the essential oil of Chenopodium ambrosioides L. growing in Nigeria. Natural product communications, 4(7), 1934578X0900400724.

2. Larayetan, R. A., Adegbe, A. A., & Owonikoko, A. D. (2015). Chemical constituents and phytochemical studies of epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) Linn grown in North Central Nigeria. Southern Brazilian Journal of Chemistry, 23(23), 20-25.