{"id":763,"date":"2024-07-16T17:51:05","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T15:51:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.phytomania.com\/herbal-medicine\/?p=763"},"modified":"2024-07-16T17:51:05","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T15:51:05","slug":"wormwood-artemisia-absinthium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.phytomania.com\/herbal-medicine\/wormwood-artemisia-absinthium\/","title":{"rendered":"WORMWOOD ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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WORMWOOD, ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM, ASTERACEAE is a plant native to Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa but which has become acclimatized in North America and other countries with a similar climate.
It is part of the sagebrush group.
It has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It is perennial (but herbaceous) and has an erect and branched stem that can reach between 1 m and 1.5 m, its leaves are abundant and particular: alternate, bipinnate, green on the top and whitish on the underside with a powdery appearance, they are aromatic and bitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flowers are small, tubular, grouped in pale yellow pendulous flower heads.
The seeds are small and disperse easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wormwood is a full sun plant, both wild and cultivated, which tolerates drought well thanks to its deep root.
It is best known as the basis of an alcoholic drink, Absinthe spirit, which caused numerous poisonings through gross adulteration and which was therefore prohibited for consumption for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But things have evolved and we can once again consume (in moderation) aperitif drinks based on absinthe.
It is also a medicinal plant due to its essential oil and the bitter compounds it contains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABSINTHE, WORMWOOD, BITTER MEDICINAL PLANT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wormwood leaves contain a variable percentage of essential oil (between 0.5 and 2%), depending on the climate, growing conditions and time of year.
Wormwood essential oil is not bitter but pleasantly aromatic.
It contains 1-8 cineole (eucalyptol), camphor, linalool and thujone (the two alpha and beta isomers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thujone is NEUROTOXIC, it can cause epileptic seizures and irreversible neurological disorders when large quantities are taken regularly.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The great bitterness of wormwood leaves is due to the presence of sesquiterpene lactones soluble in water and alcohol (therefore in an infusion, herbal tea or alcoholic maceration) examples: absinthine, guaianolide (also in dandelion root), artemisin (also present in Artemisia annua, Chinese mugwort, antimalarial plant).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABSINTHE SPIRIT: the green fairy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Absinthe liqueur or spirit is the product of the distillation of an alcoholic maceration of absinthe leaves followed by coloring and secondary aromatization by other plants, for example: green anise, hyssop, fennel, lemon balm, mint .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The green coloring of the liquor is due to the diffusion of chlorophyll from these fresh or dry plants.
There is not just one type of absinthe liqueur, it is a traditional drink whose recipes are numerous in Switzerland and France but also in many other European countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is an EXAMPLE OF A traditional ABSINTHE LIQUEUR (simplified) from the Jura in France:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fractionated dry absinthe leaves 2.5 Kg, Green anise 5 Kg, Florence fennel 5 Kg, Alcohol at 85\u00b0, 95 liters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n