Artemisia Absinthiumis the botanical and Latin name for the plant Common Wormwood. The name of Greek Goddess Artemis was used for naming “Artemisia”. Artemis was not only the goddess of forests, hills and hunt but also a saviour of children. Later Artemis was connected to the moon. Due to the bitter taste of wormwood the word “Absinthium” was thought to be come from the Ancient Greek for “without sweetness”.
The Common Wormwood plant is a perennial herb which often grows on arid ground and in rocky areas of Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean. It has also been found growing in parts of North America after spreading from people’s gardens. Other names for common wormwood, or Artemisia Absinthium, are armoise, green ginger and grande wormwood.
Wormwood plants look beautiful with their silver gray leaves and tiny yellow flowers. Wormwood oil is produced in tiny glands on the leaves. Tarragon, sagebrush, sweet wormwood, Levant wormwood, silver king artemisia, Roman wormwood and southernwood are other types of plants of the Artemisia family. The Artemisia plants originated from the Aster family of plants.
Wormwood has been used as a herbal medicine in different ways from a long time
– A woman can feel relieved during labor pains.
– Counteracting poisoning from toadstools and hemlock.
– One can use it as an antiseptic.
– One can use it to ease digestive problems and stimulate digestion. Wormwood may be helpful in treating people who do not have sufficient stomach acid.
– People can find it as a cardiac stimulant in pharmaceuticals.
– One can stop fevers with the help of it.
– To discharge intestinal worms it can act as an anthelmintic.
– As a tonic.
Diseases like Alzheimer and Crohn can be treated with wormwood.
Effects of Artemisia Absinthium
Wormwood is a key ingredient in the liquor Absinthe, the Green Fairy, which was banned in many countries in the early 1900s. Absinthe is named after this herb which also gives the drink its characteristic bitter taste,
Absinthe was banned because of its alleged psychedelic effects. It was thought that hallucinations and insanity was caused by it. The Bohemian culture of Parisian Montmartre with its loose morals, courtesans and artists and writers was also combined with Absinthe.
The effects of thujone in wormwood and THC in the drug cannabis are said to be the same. The amount of thujone is so small in Absinthe that it cannot harm a person unless drunk in very large quantity!
One can drink Absinthe as any other strong spirit but in balanced amount.
A real Absinthe is that which contains Artemisia Absinthium. “fake” Absinthes are prepared by various manufacturers using other herbs and flavorings. If you want the real thing you must check that they contain thujone or Common Wormwood or use essences,such as those from AbsintheKit.AbsintheKit.com is the site which can be beneficial for preparing one’s own Absinthe.