Botanical Name: Artemisia absinthium

Plant Family: Compositae

Common Names: Absinthe (French), Ajenjo (Spanish), Common Wormwood, Old Woman

Origin: Wormwood is native to Siberia and Europe, but was introduced into North America and now grows mainly in temperate regions of the eastern parts. 

History: Common Wormwood was held in high esteem as a medicine by the ancients.

• In the Bible the 'bitterness' of Wormwood is compared to 'sin'
• Mexicans celebrated their great Festival of the Goddess of Salt by a ceremonial dance of women wearing on
• their heads garlands of Wormwood

It was used by the Native American Indians for:

• menstrual disorders in young girls
• rheumatism

Tradition:  Wormwood was

• burned to raise the spirits to a higher level for divination and clairvoyancy
• taken to prevent drunkenness
• thought to counteract poisons of hemlock, toadstools and bites of the sea dragon
• thrown on the fire to protect one from the spirits that roam at night

Plant Constituents

Contains:

Herb:

• Absinthin, bitter glucoside
• Absinthic Acid
• nitrate of potash
• resin
• salts
• starch
• tannin

Oil:

• Cadinene
• Phellandrene
• Pinene
• Santonin
• Thujone (absinthol or tenacetone)
• and Thujyl Alcohol, both free and combined with:
• Acetic Acid
• Isovalerianic Acid
• Malic Acid
• Succine Acid

Usage

Medicinal Parts Used: Whole herb

Wormwood is used for:

Brain and Nervous Conditions

• cerebral exhaustion (stimulates the cerebral hemispheres, particularly the cortex cerebrum)
• cerebral palsy
• epilepsy
• nervous diseases, such as neurasthenia
• gives tone to persons of a highly nervous temperament 
• prevents drunkenness

Female Conditions

• menstrual cramps
• pain during labor
• promotes menstruation

Gastrointestinal Conditions

• all problems within the digestive system
• flatulence (gas/wind)
• gastric pain
• halitosis (bad breath)
• heartburn
• indigestion
• lack of appetite

Genitourinary Conditions

• dropsy
• gout

Inflammatory Conditions

• soothes spinal irritability

Liver Conditions

• jaundice
• liver and bladder ailments
• liver insufficiency (by stimulating the liver and gallbladder secretions)

Parasitic Conditions

• expels intestinal worms, especially with St. John's Wort and Centaury
• liver flukes (combined with Walnut and Cloves)

Other

• debility after sickness or disease

Externally as a fomentation for:

• bad ankles
• bruises
• fallen arches
• flat feet
• irritations
• menstrual disorders of young girls (hip bath)
• sprains
• swelling of the joints

Oil is used internally (strictly under medical supervision):

• to improve circulation

and externally to relieve the pain of:

• arthritis
• bruises
• flat feet, fallen arches, bad ankles
• neuralgia
• rheumatism
• sprains

Other Uses:

• flea repellant
• moth repellant
• ingredient of the drink, Vermouth

Action:

• acts on the Pineal Gland
• anthelmintic [an agent that destroys or expels intestinal worms and/or parasites; vermicide; vermifuge]
• antipyretic [an agent which prevents or reduces fevers; febrifuge]
• antiseptic [an agent for inhibiting the growth of microorganism on living tissue or destroying pathogenic or putrefactive bacteria]
• antispasmodic [an agent which relieves or eases muscular spasms, cramps or convulsions]
• carminative [an agent for easing griping pains, colic and expelling gas from the intestines]
• cholagogue [an agent for increasing the flow of bile into the intestines]
• febrifuge [an agent that reduces or eliminates fevers]
• mental restorative [an agent that restores consciousness or normal physiological activity]
• narcotic [a drug which relieves pain and induces sleep when used in medicinal doses; large doses of narcotics produce convulsions, stupor, insensibility, coma or death]
• nervine [an agent that has a calming or soothing effect on the nerves, any agent that acts on the nervous system to restore the nerves to their natural state]
• stimulant [an agent that excites or quickens the functional activity of the tissues giving more energy]
• stomachic [an agent that strengthens, stimulates or tones the stomach]
• tonic  [an agent that tones, strengthens and invigorates organs or the entire organism giving a feeling of well-being]   

Oil:

• cardiac stimulant [an agent that stimulates or otherwise affects the heart]
• local anesthetic [an agent that deadens sensation without loss of vital function]

Precautions

Caution:

• do not give to small children
• excessive use can cause poisoning
• headaches may occur
• use only in very small quantities for very short periods of time
• The FDA considers this a poisonous plant.
• The pure Oil of Wormwood is a strong poison

Symptoms of Poisoning:

• delerium
• epiletic-like convulsions
• giddiness
• hallucinations
• permanent mental deterioration