You will receive a 250cl container of dried Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). You can use this herb as a tea either pure of mixed with other herbs. you can also use this herb to make a tincture or salve.
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is an herb that’s prized for its distinctive aroma, herbaceous flavor, and purported health benefits. While native to Europe, it grows readily across various climates, including parts of Asia, Africa, South America, and the United States. It has velvety white or greenish-silver stems, yellow-green leaves, and bulbous flowers that are bright or pale yellow. All parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicinal practices for hundreds of years. Long considered a hallucinogen and potential poison, wormwood was banned in the United States for nearly a century, from 1912 until 2007. It’s now legally available in the United States.
In addition to its use in absinthe and other spirits, wormwood has many applications in non-Western medicinal practices, including Traditional Chinese medicine.
Alleviate pain
Wormwood has long been sought for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. For example, this herb may help relieve osteoarthritis, a painful condition resulting from joint inflammation. In a 4-week study in 90 adults with knee osteoarthritis, applying a 3% wormwood skin ointment 3 times daily helped improve both pain levels and physical function.
It should be noted that the plant itself should never be directly applied to the skin, as its compounds are too concentrated and can result in painful burns.
Fight parasitic infections
Wormwood has been used to treat intestinal worms as far back as Ancient Egypt. This parasite-fighting property is attributed to thujone. Notably, animal and test-tube studies indicate that the herb may fight tapeworms and other parasites.
Boasts antioxidant properties
Besides thujone, another notable wormwood compound is chamazulene. It acts as an antioxidant and is most concentrated in the essential oils of the plant’s pre-flowering stage.
Antioxidants like chamazulene combat oxidative stress in your body, which is associated with cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and other ailments.
Fight inflammation
Artemisinin, another plant compound found in wormwood, may help fight inflammation in your body. Prolonged inflammation is associated with several chronic diseases.
Artemisinin is thought to inhibit cytokines, which are proteins secreted by your immune system that promote inflammation.
Studies suggest that wormwood may help relieve Crohn’s disease, which is characterized by inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract. Its symptoms may include diarrhea, fatigue, abdominal cramps, and other digestive issues.
In one study in 40 adults with this condition, those taking a 500-mg wormwood supplement 3 times daily had fewer symptoms and a reduced need for steroids after 8 weeks, compared with those in a placebo group.
Keep in mind that further research is needed.
Wormwood is typically taken as an extract or tea. Its oil is made from the stems and leaves of the plant, whereas an extract or tincture may use the entire plant. These formulations lack calories, vitamins, or minerals but contain numerous plant compounds, the best known of which is thujone. This compound occurs in two forms — alpha- and beta-thujone, which differ at the molecular level. Although these differences are small, they’re meaningful because alpha-thujone is considered more toxic. It’s also the primary active ingredient in wormwood .
Thujone is thought to excite your brain by blocking gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that has calming effects on the central nervous system.
Although this compound may have several benefits, consuming thujone in excess is toxic and dosage must be followed.
Precautions and possible side effects
Vulnerable populations and people with certain conditions may want to avoid wormwood. These conditions include:
- Pregnancy. You shouldn’t take wormwood if you’re pregnant, as it may cause miscarriage.
- Breastfeeding and early childhood. Women who are breastfeeding and children should avoid this herb due to a lack of safety information.
- Epilepsy. Thujone stimulates the brain and has been known to cause seizures. Wormwood may also decrease the effectiveness of common anti-seizure medications, such as gabapentin and primidone.
- Heart disease. Taking this herb with the heart disease medication warfarin may cause intestinal bleeding;
- Kidney problems. Wormwood is toxic to the kidneys and may increase your risk of kidney failure .
- Certain allergies. If you’re allergic to members of the Asteraceae family, such as ragweed and marigolds, you may also react to wormwood, which is in the same botanical family;
High doses of wormwood may result in digestive upset, kidney failure, nausea, vomiting, and seizures. However, you’re unlikely to experience these side effects if you’re taking it in small doses, such as those found in tea .
Very large amounts of this herb and other thujone-containing products can be fatal, though its lethal dose in humans has not been established.
Furthermore, it can cause burns if applied directly to your skin. If using it topically, be sure to only use it as an ointment or lotion.
Finally, you shouldn’t take any form of wormwood regularly for over 4 weeks. This duration is considered long term, and the herb’s long-term safety and side effects are unknown.