Importance Of Artemisia Absinthium

Artemisia Absinthiumis the botanical and Latin name for the plant Common Wormwood. The name of Greek Goddess Artemis was used for naming “Artemisia”. Artemis is known as the goddess of forests and hills, of the hunt and also as a protector of children. Later Artemis was connected to the moon. The word “Absinthium” is referred to the bitter taste of wormwood.

One can get the herb, oil and seeds from the Common Wormwood plant which often grows in rocky areas and on arid ground in Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean. After spreading from people’s gardens it developed in parts of North America. Armoise, green ginger and grande wormwood are the other names for common wormwood.

The silver gray leaves and tiny yellow flowers gives worwood plants a preety look. One can get Wormwood oil from the tiny glands on the leaves. Tarragon, sagebrush, sweet wormwood, Levant wormwood, silver king artemisia, Roman wormwood and southernwood are also included in the Artemisia group. There is a relation between Artemisia plants and the Aster family of plants.

Wormwood has been used as a herbal medicine since ancient times and its medical uses include:-
- Easing labor pains in women.
- For fixing the poisoning from toadstools and hemlock.
- Also available as an antiseptic.
- Digestive problems are relieved by using it. People lacking sufficient stomach acid can be treated with wormwood.
- As a cardiac stimulant in pharmaceuticals.
- Reducing fevers.
- The intestinal worms can be expelt with the help of it.
- Used as a tonic.

There is research proving wormwood to be effective on Alzheimer’s disease and Crohn’s disease.

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 to be the reason behind hallucinations and insanity. Absinthe was also linked to the Bohemian culture of Parisian Montmartre with its loose morals, courtesans and artists and writers.

People believe that the chemical thujone in wormwood and the THC in the drug cannabis are same. The quantity of thujone is so small in Absinthe that one had to drink excess of Absinthe to feel the harmful effects of thujone!

One should drink Absinthe in moderation because it is about twice as strong as whisky and vodka.

An Absinthe without Artemisia Absinthium is not the real Absinthe. A lot of manufacturers make “fake” Absinthes 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.com, to make your own Absinthe containing Artemisia Absinthium.

Share and Enjoy: