Artemisia Absinthium is the botanical and Latin name for the plant Common Wormwood. The name “Artemisia” comes from the Greek Goddess Artemis, daughter of Zeus and Apollo’s twin sister. Artemis was famous goddess of forests and hills, of the hunt and also a defender of children. A relation was assumed between Artemis and the moon. According to the people’s thought the Latin word “Absinthium” came from the Ancient Greek meaning “without sweetness”.
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. People found it growing in parts of North America also. Armoise, green ginger and grande wormwood are the other names for common wormwood.
Wormwood plants appear beautiful with their tiny yellow flowers and silver gray leaves. In tiny glands on the leaves Wormwood oil is produced. The Artemisia group of plants also includes tarragon, sagebrush, sweet wormwood, Levant wormwood, silver king artemisia, Roman wormwood and southernwood. The Artemisia plants are related with the Aster family.
Wormwood has been used as a herbal medicine in different ways from a long time
– The labor pains in women can be eased by it.
– One can check the poisoning from toadstools and hemlock.
– It can also be used as an antiseptic.
– The digestive problems are solved by it. Wormwood may be used in solving the problems of stomach acid.
– It acts as a cardiac stimulant in pharmaceuticals.
– Fevers can be reduced.
– It can be beneficial in removing intestinal worms.
– As a tonic.
There is research claiming that wormwood may be effective in treating 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. People thought that it was responsible for hallucinations and mental illness. Absinthe was also linked to the Bohemian culture of Parisian Montmartre with its loose morals, courtesans and artists and writers.
The chemical thujone and the THC are said to be similar. A person will become unconscious before having the risks from thujone as thujone is in minute amount in Absinthe!
There is no harm in drinking Absinthe but one should be carefull while consuming it because it is about twice as strong as other drinks.
A real Absinthe is that which contains Artemisia Absinthium. There are also “fake” Absinthes away from the real Green Fairy which are prepared from 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 can help a person in preparing his own Absinthe containing Artemisia Absinthium.