Wormwood, scientifically known as Artemisia absinthium, is an herb prized for its distinctive aroma, herbaceous flavor, and purported health benefits. Native to Europe, it grows readily across various climates, including parts of Asia, Africa, South America, and the United States. All parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicinal practices for hundreds of years.
Let's dive into the world of Artemisia absinthium and Artemisia afra, also affectionately known as wormwood. These two distinct species from the Artemisia genus may share a common moniker and some similarities, but they each bring their own unique flair, historical tales, and, yes, medicinal virtues to the table.
Artemisia absinthium
Artemisia absinthium: The European Wormwood
Artemisia absinthium, stepping into the spotlight as European wormwood, or for the fancy folks, absinthium, is a herbaceous perennial that calls Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia its home turf. This plant isn't just another pretty face in the flora crowd; it has a rich history dating back to ancient Greece, where it was more than just a plant. It was associated with Artemis, the goddess who didn't play around-goddess of the hunt, childbirth, and wilderness. People used it for various maladies, proving what is wormwood good for was no mystery even then.
History and Aroma Profile
This plant wasn't just sitting pretty through history; it was busy being pungent and bitter. Come the 19th century, Artemisia absinthium became a celebrity in Europe, starring as a key ingredient in absinthe, the beverage that was all the rage among artists and writers. Its aroma? Think bold, think bitter, with a sprinkle of herbal and earthy notes. It's like the plant version of that friend who is brutally honest but incredibly therapeutic.
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Medicinal Uses
So, what is wormwood good for, specifically Artemisia absinthium?
Artemisia afra: The African Wormwood
Now, let's whisk away to Southern Africa to meet Artemisia afra, or as it's known, African wormwood. This perennial shrub is not just any plant; it's a medicinal powerhouse with a rich history in traditional African medicine.
Artemisia afra
History and Aroma Profile
Artemisia afra brings its A-game with a strong, pungent scent that's all herbal and camphoraceous, a nod to its African roots. The leaves and young flowering stems are anthelmintic, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. The herb is taken in many different ways, one of the most common practices is to insert fresh leaves into the nostrils to clear blocked nasal passages.
Let's see:
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- Respiratory Aid: It's the go-to herb for coughs, colds, and "I can't believe it's not bronchitis."
- Digestive Tonic: Bloated? Stomach cramps? African wormwood to the rescue.
- Immune Support: It's like the body's personal cheerleader, boosting immunity and fending off infections.
- Antiseptic: Got a cut? A scrape? Dab a bit of this (diluted, of course), and you're golden.
Cultivation Details
A plant of drier areas in the subtropics and tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 3,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 12 - 35°c. Requires a position in full sun in a well-drained, fertile, light to medium soil. A fast-growing plant, established shrubs are very tough and will slowly spread to form thicker clumps.
General Information: African wormwood is a strongly aromatic, clump-forming, perennial plant with stems that are woody at the base and can persist.
Expanding on Historical Significance
The historical significance of Artemisia absinthium doesn't stop in ancient Greece or 19th-century Europe. In medieval Europe, it was thought to ward off evil spirits, incorporating it into rituals and the "Nine Herbs Charm" potion. The legend of wormwood, a star mentioned in the Bible believed to bring forth bitterness and tragedy, further cements its historical impact.
Artemisia afra was revered not just for its medicinal properties but also for its role in cultural practices and spiritual rituals across Southern African tribes. Its uses extended to spiritual purification and protection, often utilized in cleansing ceremonies to ward off negative energies.
Unlike with Artemisia absinthium, Artemisia afra only contains trace amounts of thujone, making it less toxic and somewhat safer for medicinal use, though still not without its risks when used improperly. This difference in chemical composition highlights the diversity within the Artemisia genus and underscores the importance of distinguishing between species when considering their use in traditional medicine or any health-related applications.
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Wormwood Uses and Effectiveness
People use wormwood for digestion problems, Crohn disease, a kidney disorder called IgA nephropathy, osteoarthritis, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. There is also no good evidence to support using wormwood for COVID-19.
May 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. All the same, it didn’t reduce stiffness.
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.
May 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. Yet, the evidence for this specific application is largely anecdotal. Notably, animal and test-tube studies indicate that the herb may fight tapeworms and other parasites - though this research may not apply to humans.
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 may combat oxidative stress in your body, which is associated with cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and other ailments.
The Amazing Properties of Wormwood
May 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. 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.
Wormwood's Most Notable Plant Compound: Thujone
Wormwood’s most notable plant compound is thujone, which has some benefits but can be toxic in excess. 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 has been linked to seizures and even death.
Dosage and Precautions
Due to a lack of research, no specific dosage guidelines for wormwood exist. At the same time, various governmental institutions have placed restrictions on wormwood products, as its compounds can produce toxic effects. For instance, the European Union (EU) limits foods prepared with wormwood to 0.23 mg of thujone per pound (0.5 mg/kg), while the threshold for alcoholic beverages like absinthe is 16 mg per pound (35 mg/kg).
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restricts any commercial product containing thujone to 10 parts per million (ppm) or less. This amount is considered negligible and thus safe for most populations.
Keep in mind that wormwood tea and extracts aren’t regulated by the FDA. Thus, they don’t fall under these regulations and harbor significantly more thujone. If you’re unsure how much to take, it’s best to speak to your medical provider.
Possible Side Effects and Warnings
Using thujone-containing wormwood products can be unsafe. Don't confuse wormwood with Artemisia herba-alba, Mugwort, Sweet Annie, Wormseed, or Ginger. These are not the same.
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.
Forms of Wormwood
Wormwood stems, leaves, and flowers are usually dried for brewing into a tea. Plus, the herb can sometimes be found in supplement form and herbal blends.
For application on the skin, it’s extracted into an essential oil and diluted into lotions or ointments.
You can purchase dried wormwood - as well as capsules, extracts, and tinctures made from it - online. Keep in mind that these products aren’t regulated by the FDA, so you should look for third-party verification on the label. This means that the supplement has been tested and is free of contaminants and hidden ingredients. Trusted testing laboratories include NSF International, ConsumerLab.com, and USP. You may also purchase the plant or its seeds to grow in your garden.
Artemisia annua L. (Sweet Wormwood)
Artemisia annua L., also referred to as sweet wormwood, sweet annie, sweet sagewort, and annual wormwood, is a member of the Asteraceae family with significant therapeutic and commercial value. It is an Asian annual herb, most likely originating from China.
At the moment, Artemisia annua is the sources of artemisinin and semisynthetic artemisinin derivatives (including dihydroartemisinin, artesunate, artemether, and arteether) used in the development of malaria combination treatments (ACTs = Artemisinin-based combination therapy).
Artemisia annua
Traditional and Contemporary Uses of Artemisia annua
Folk medicine, homeopathy, and Ayurvedic medicine use Artemisia annua, a highly effective antimalarial plant. According to publications, Chinese practitioners used the aqueous preparation of the dried herb to treat fever, malaria, skin illnesses, jaundice, and hemorrhoids.
Conventional use of A. A. annua has been originally mentioned in “52 Sickness Sides (Wu Shi Er Bing Fang),” a medicinal medication discovered in the Mawangdui Han Tombs for treating hemorrhoids.
Antimicrobial Properties
In studies, the essential oils extracted from Artemisia annua showed substantial action. The essential oil is antibacterial against all microbes tested with the exception of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, the study demonstrates the highest activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MIC = 2 mg/ml) and Candida albicans (MIC = 2 mg/ml).
Anti-inflammatory Properties
The water-based methanolic extract of Artemisia annua reduced inflammation caused by carrageenan and egg albumin in acute inflammation models and reduced inflammation caused by cotton pellets and grass pith in chronic inflammation models.
Anticancer Properties
Artemisinins have shown positive results in anticancer tests in vitro and in vivo, and more research is elucidating their method of action, providing insight into the fundamental characteristic built into their structure. Artemisinin comprises an endoperoxide group, which confers anticancer properties on the compound.
Antiviral Properties
For the first time, scientists have studied the antiviral effect of A. annua tea infusions against HIV. Scientists have conducted toxicology research using two distinct cellular systems. At extremely low concentrations (2.0 lg/mL), the A. annua tea transfusion demonstrates strongly substantial action. However, at a higher concentration (25 lg/mL), artemisinin was found to be inactive. Similarly, no cytotoxic effects on cells were seen at greater tea infusion concentrations. As a result of this in vitro investigation, artemisinin appears to have a limited effect and may operate synergistically against anti-HIV efficacy.
