herb data, Wormwood, Artemisia absinthum, absinthium, green ginger, absinthe, old woman, southernwood, holisticonline.com

Herb Information

Name: Wormwood

Biological Name: Artemisia absinthum

Other Names: Wormwood, absinthium, green ginger, absinthe, old woman, southernwood

Parts Used: Leaves or flowering tops

Active Compounds:

	Volatile oil with a high level of thujone
	Sesquiterpene bitter principles: including absinthine, anab. sinthine, artabsine and matricine

	Volatile oil, of variable compostition, usually containing a- and b-thujone as the major component, up to about 35%; with thujyl alcohol, azulenes including chamazulene, 3,6- and 5,6- dihydrochamazulene; bisabolene, cadinene, camphene, sabinene, trans-sabinylacetate, pinene, phellandrene and others.
	Sesquiterpene lactones; artabsin, absinthin, anabsinthin, artemetin, arabsin, artabin, artabsinolides, matricin, isoabsinthin, artemolin and others.
	Acetylenes, in the root; trans-dehydromatricaria ester, Cl3 and Cl4 trans-spiroketalenol ethers and others
	Flavonoids; quercitin 3-glucoside and 3-rhamnoglucoside, spinacetin 3-glucosideand 3-rhamnoglucoside and others
	Phenolic acids; p-hydroxyphenylacetic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, protocatechuic, syringic, vanillic and other acids
	Lignans; diayangambin and epiyangambin.

Remedies For:

	Loss of appetite
	Dyspeptic complaints
	Liver and gallbladder complaints

Bitter, carminative, anti-microbial, anthelmintic, aromatic, tonic, antiseptic, febrifuge. The drug is administered for loss of appetite, dyspeptic disorders, bloating, meteorism and for dyspepsia as a result of convulsive gallbladder disorders.

In folk medicine, wormwood preparations are used internally for gastric insufficiency, intestinal atonia, gastritis, stomach. ache, liver disorders, bloating, anemia, irregular menstruation, intermittent fever, loss of appetite, and worm infestation.

Externally, the drug is applied for poorly healing wounds, ulcers, skin blotches, and insect bites.

Wormwood is primarily used as a bitter; it has the effect of stimulating and invigorating the whole of the digestive process. Used for indigestion, especially when due to a deficient quantity or quality of gastric juice. It is a powerful remedy in the treatment of worm infestations, especially roundworm and pinworm. It may also be used to help the body deal with fever and infections. It benefits the body in general.

Description:

Native to Europe, N. Africa and Western Asia, cultivated in the USA and elsewhere.

The plant grows from 2 to 4 feet in height. The numerous flower heads are short-stemmed and hang in a many-flowered panicle. The capitula are small, globular, inclined and 3 to 4 mm wide and almost as long. The bracts are gray, silky-pubescent with a rounded tip. The outer ones are linear-oblong and pubescent while the inner ones are ovate, obtuse, broad and have a transparent, membranous margin. The receptacle is rough-haired. The flowers are yellow and fertile. The fruit is about 1.5 mm long.

Dosage:

Mode of Administration: Comminuted herb is used for infusions and decoctions. Powdered herb, extracts and tinctures in liquid or solid forms are used for oral administration. Combination with other bitters or aromatics is common.

Preparation: To prepare an infusion, pour 150 ml boiling water over 1/2 teaspoonful of the drug, strain after 10 minutes. A decoction is prepared by adding 1 handful of drug to 1 liter of boiling water for 5 minutes. To prepare a tea, use 1 g drug in 1 cup water.

Pill: The powdered herb may be used to get rid of worms in the form of pills, thus avoiding the extreme, bitter taste.

Daily Dose: The total daily dose is 3 to 5 g of the herb as an aqueous extract. Internal dose of the infusion is 1 cup freshly prepared tea taken 30 minutes before each meal. The tincture dosage is 10 to 30 drops in sufficient water taken 3 times daily. The liquid extract dosage is 1 to 2 ml taken 3 times daily.
Externally, a decoction is used for healing of wounds and insect bites.

Storage: Wormwood must be kept in sealed containers and protected from light.

Listed below are 2 letters we have received from our visitors regarding this herb. We stand behind our recommendation of not using this herb as it is very dangerous. We are not sure using cool water is going to make it safer.

Webmaster, holisticonline.com

I need to tell you that the DOSAGE on the wormwood is a DANGEROUS recipe, Even the Herb companies say make a Hot cup of tea, HOT or BOILING water releases the ABSINTHE, which will kill. Use wormwood only with cool, cold, or room temp liquids and NOT with the hot water, No wonder the world has it nearly banned.

I used wormwood for Lupus and it has been extremely effective, until I got careless and had to quit for 14 months, as the absinthe stays in the system for a long period of time. DO NOT even make the tea, and let cool and consume - DEADLY results can occur.

ORALLY: In capsule form I took two capsules of the 00 size, with water or juice, one hour later ate something, OR one hour after a meal is safe.

TOPICALLY: in an Alcohol solution over ring worm and a pad, changed every few hours will kill the parasite.

In the GARDEN keep it in a pot, alone it will grow really well, because it will kill off the worms in the soil.

Have you read the death of Socrates??? Wormwood tea. extremely bitter,

Teresa Smith N.D.

Letter #2
Artemisia absinthium (Wormwood) and Artemisia abrotanum (Southernwood) are NOT biologically or phytochemically identical, although in many instances they have been used interchangeably. In the hands of a skilled, experienced apothecary, either may be used safely, although neither is "safe."

Allow me to clarify:
My grandmother was an apothecary who came to this country in 1916 and continued to practice until shortly before she died in 1984. She was the chief medical resource for my family & the majority of our neighbors.

I was not a "good eater" as a child & lacked much appetite. Her remedies for this were (when I was a toddler) a vitimel and as I grew older, a tincture, comprising Achillea millefolium (Yarrow,) Artemisia, (absinthium OR abrotanum) Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) and Taraxacum (Dandelion root, roasted.) She also prepared salads of young dandelion leaves & other bitter-tasting "greens."

By the time I was a teenager, I had developed (permanently!) a MOST healthy appetite. I am now pushing fifty, and wish she'd taught me how to reverse it!!

I have used A. absinthium on occasion in extremely small measure, (1/20th:1:5) but prefer not to do so if A. abrotanum is available (1/5th:1:5.) Due to concerns re: thujone, I also exclude Achillea if using any of the Artemisias other than A. vulgaris, (Mugwort) substituting Cynara or Berberis spp.

Like any other herb of efficacy, the Artemisias must be handled with care & knowledge. I would not suggest the use of A. absinthium to a new or nearly new practitioner, if you've not been trained to it - for most people, Mugwort and/or Southernwood are almost as effective and MUCH safer.

PS: As was the custom of the times, Socrates was given a fluidextract of Hemlock (Oenanthe, prob. crocata sp, NOT Abies) with which to commit suicide.

Lilybet McDougal

Safety:

Due to the drug's thujone content, the internal administration of large doses can lead to vomiting, stomach and intestinal cramps, headache, dizziness and disturbances of the central nervous system. Continuous use is not advisable. The use of volatile oils and spirituous extracts from the drug for the manufacture of alcoholic drinks is forbidden in many countries because of possible injuries to health.

Caution: Wormwood is the principal herb used in absinthe, a bitter, aromatic, alcoholic drink that was very popular in Italy, France, and Switzerland during the nineteenth century. Because of the addictive nature of wormwood, and frequent side effects when absinthe was used to excess - dizziness, seizures, stupor, delirium, hallucinations, and even death- it has now been banned in nearly every country of the world.

NOT RECOMMENDED. Caution: Wormwood is poisonous if taken in large doses. Use extreme care. Do not take without the supervision of a qualified professional.