What is wormwood?

Benefits of Wormwood

What is wormwood?

Woodworm (Artemisia absinthium) is a perennial and herbaceous plant native in regions with mild temperatures such as Europe, North Africa, North India, Scotland and Scandinavia.³ Today, it may also be found in America, North and West Asia, New Zealand and the Azores. It thrives best in uncultivated fields and roadsides with nonacidic, sandy loam.
This plant grows up to 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) or higher, with spirally arranged leaves and branches that produce light yellow flowers. Its long leaves are green with hints of silver or gray because of the fine, silky strands of hair that cover them.
Although it is known to have a bitter taste, wormwood root has an aromatic and warm taste. Other common names of wormwood are green ginger, grand wormwood, American or Western wormwood, madderwort and wormwood sage. The name Artemisia is believed to have originated from Artemis, a Greek goddess, while the name absinthium is said to be derived from the ancient Greek word “absinthion.”⁴
Wormwood contains thujone, a monoterpene ketone often found in its essential oil.⁵ It acts as a modulator for the GABAA-receptor, which causes excitations and convulsions, as observed in an animal study published in the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology.⁶ Its variant, sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua), is a medicinal plant traditionally used by the Chinese to help relieve fever

wormwood benefits that you should be aware of

According to the Scientific American journal, the earliest recorded medicinal use of wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt, where this plant had “religious as well as medicinal significance.”⁸ During the Roman period, wormwood was also known for its neuroprotective properties that may help alleviate stroke.⁹ Wormwood may provide beneficial effects to combat the following health conditions:

1. Lead exposure — Exposure to lead may greatly affect your central nervous system, since it is a neurotoxic agent. Wormwood extract, with its neuroprotective effects, may help reduce this by inhibiting cell damage and restoring enzyme activities and behavioral changes.¹⁰
2. Liver disease — Wormwood extract was found to exhibit hepatoprotective activities against liver damage by helping suppress microsomal drug metabolizing enzymes (MDME).¹¹
3. Depression — The methanolic extract of wormwood's aerial parts were found to contain natural antioxidants that may help improve the symptoms of depression.¹²
4. Crohn's disease — A 2010 study found that wormwood may help improve the mood of people with Crohn's disease as it may help suppress inflammation and boost their condition.¹³
5. IgA nephropathy — Consumed as a supplement, thujone-free wormwood was found to help manage proteinuria¹⁴ or the presence of abnormal amounts of protein in urine, which is a symptom of IgA nephropathy.¹⁵
6. Osteoarthritis — A 2017 study found that wormwood ointment may help reduce pain caused by knee osteoarthritis, one of the most common types of osteoarthritis.¹⁶
7. Leukemia — A 2019 study found that artemisinin (a drug extracted from wormwood¹⁷) and its derivatives may be therapeutic alternatives to chemotherapy for leukemia. Aside from their antimalarial and antischistosomal properties (the ability to inhibit the growth of schistosomes or blood flukes),¹⁸ they also exhibit anticancer activities that may help induce programmed cell death and suppress cancer cell growth and reproduction.¹⁹
8.Lyme disease — Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, one of the top authorities on Lyme disease, recommends the Klinghardt antimicrobial cocktail to help you recover from the infection. The formula includes phospholipids, vitamin C, specific herbs and artemisinin, which can be extracted from wormwood.²⁰
9. Lymphoma — Artesunate, a derivative of artemisinin, was found to help suppress the growth of B lymphoma cells,²¹ which may affect your immune system.

wormwood uses you should know about

Wormwood and its derivatives not only may help improve the symptoms of the mentioned health conditions, but may also be used as a culinary herb with its preservative and digestive properties, distinct odor, and bitter taste.²² Its other uses are:

• Insecticide — According to a study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, wormwood essential oil has an acaricidal property,²³ a specific insecticidal activity that affects species under the arachnid subclass Acari,²⁴ which includes mites and ticks.²⁵
• Anthelmintic — According to a 2009 study, wormwood extracts may be used as an alternative to anthelmintics or a group of drugs that may help suppress infections caused by parasitic worms.²⁶
• Analgesic ointment — Wormwood ointment may be used to help heal wounds, and relieve muscle and joint pain.²⁷
• Ornamental plant — Wormwood’s unique gray-green foliage makes it a good addition to gardens.²⁸

Wormwood's artemisinin content helps alleviate malaria

A Chinese study led by Tu Youyou, chief professor at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, found that artemisinin or qinghaosu, a sesquiterpene lactone, may help suppress malaria.²⁹ Tu received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015 for this significant discovery.³⁰
Artemisia annua contains the highest amount of artemisinin out of all Artemisia species, but this compound can be extracted from Artemisia absinthium leaves as well.³¹ According to the World Health Organization (WHO), artemisinin may be used as a potent and fast-acting blood schizonticide,³² a destructive agent against the malaria parasite.³³
In addition, a 2012 study suggests that dried sweet wormwood plant material, together with an artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) drug partner, may be utilized as a low cost and effective oral therapy against malaria.³⁴ The World Health Organization recommends ACT because its artemisinin content may help kill gametocytes,³⁵ which are responsible for the transmission of disease from the host to the vector

What is absinthe and its association with wormwood?

As a flavoring agent, wormwood may also be mixed with alcoholic beverages, liqueurs, aperitifs, wines and vermouths. Being the main ingredient in absinthe,³⁷ wormwood consumption led to the establishment of a daily event called “Green Hour” or a “happy hour” when people gather in cafés to drink absinthe.³⁸
Absinthe should not be consumed straight, so French drinkers introduced a way of drinking this liqueur to fully savor its taste. First, a sugar cube must be placed on an absinthe spoon or a spoon with holes, which is placed across the glass rim. Cold water is then poured over the sugar until the cube dissolves. This procedure creates a louche, or white cloud effect, in the liquid. It may be stirred after.³⁹
Chronic consumption of this once-banned beverage can lead to something called absinthism. It is a psychiatric disorder caused by absinthe’s high thujone content, with symptoms such as:^40,41

• Hallucinations and delirium
• Vertigo
• Thirst

• Paralysis
• Limb shaking
• Mental decline

• Digestive disorders
• Psychosis
• Seizures

Modern premium grade absinthe products are made by distillation with at least 45% alcohol volume and no artificial dye. These products must also have a recognizable wormwood flavor and must be able to create the louche effect when infused with liquid sugar