Wormwood
Wormwoods are part of the enormous family of Compositae and belong to the genus Artemisia. This plant species of wormwood is found mostly in the cooler climates of Europe, Asia and Africa. The plant typically grows in areas along the slopes of the hills and mountains and has great ability to survive dry weather. The plant has never been cultivated for human use and grows wild.
Wormwood plant.
When examined, the plant is hard and woody with distinct spiral leaves which are covered with silky white fluff. All the species produce some amount of oil which covers the leaves.
For centuries people have been collecting the leaves and flowering tops of the wormwood plant. Once dried the flowers can be crushed into a powder or mixed with any liquid to make a concoction. Every species of the plants has one thing in common-they taste extremely bitter. The wormwood plant has always been surrounded with mythological strength and spiritual powers.
The bitterness of the wormwood plant is due to a chemical known as, absinthin. Another chemical, Thujone, also found in the plant has similar properties. Besides being bitter, these chemicals can have a variety of affects on the body and the brain. In Europe, crushed wood bark flowers were frequently ingested by the popular individuals of the time such as the artists, painters and dancers, who found the chemicals with potent hallucinogenic and psychotic properties attractive.
There are a lot of other chemicals found in the wormwood plant including tannin, malic and succinic acid.
All over Euorpe and Asia, even today dried extracts are frequently used to treat a whole variety of medical disorders including peptic ulcer, abdominal bloating, stomach cramps, nausea, and even as an anti bacterial agent. When taken orally with tea, the extracts seem to have pain relieving properties. Others have even extracted oil from the plant and used it as a heart stimulant.
Today, the major use of Wormwood oil and its seeds are in the herbal industry.
Wormwood preparations are legally sold in many herbal stores across North America. The crushed powder is sold as an herbal smoke and there are also dried leaves which can be added to boiling water and taken orally. Some even sell the oil for medicinal purposes. There is no quality control and the exact formulations remain empirical. There is not a single scientific study which has been done to document the medical benefits of this plant. Some sellers recommend the product for simply getting "high".
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