Synonyms: Wormwood, absinthium, green ginger, old woman and southernwood.

Parts Used: Leaves and flowering tops.

Active Compounds

Volatile oil with a high level of thujone.

Sesquiterpene bitter principles: including absinthine, anab. sinthine, artabsine and matricine.

Volatile oil, of variable composition, usually containing a- and b-thujone as the major component, up to about 35%; with thujyl alcohol, azulenes including chamazulene, 3,6- and 5,6- dihydrochamazulene; bisabolene, cadinene, camphene, sabinene, trans-sabinylacetate, pinene, phellandrene and others.

Sesquiterpene lactones: artabsin, absinthin, anabsinthin, artemetin, arabsin, artabin, artabsinolides, matricin, isoabsinthin, artemolin and others.

Acetylenes, in the root: trans-dehydromatricaria ester, Cl3 and Cl4 trans-spiroketalenol ethers and others.

Flavonoids: quercitin 3-glucoside and 3-rhamnoglucoside, spinacetin 3-glucosideand 3-rhamnoglucoside and others.

Phenolic acids: p-hydroxyphenylacetic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, protocatechuic, syringic, vanillic and other acids.

Lignans: diayangambin and epiyangambin.

Medicinal Actions and Uses

• Loss of appetite
• Dyspeptic complaints
• Liver and gallbladder complaints

Bitter, carminative, anti-microbial, anthelmintic, aromatic, tonic, antiseptic and febrifuge. The drug is administered for loss of appetite, dyspeptic disorders, bloating, meteorism and for dyspepsia as a result of convulsive gallbladder disorders.

In folk medicine, wormwood preparations are used internally for gastric insufficiency, intestinal atonia, gastritis, stomach ache, liver disorders, bloating, anemia, irregular menstruation, intermittent fever, loss of appetite, and worm infestation.

Externally, the drug is applied for poorly healing wounds, ulcers, skin blotches, and insect bites.

Wormwood is primarily used as a bitter; it has the effect of stimulating and invigorating the whole of the digestive process. Used for indigestion, especially when due to a deficient quantity or quality of gastric juice. It is a powerful remedy in the treatment of worm infestations, especially roundworm and pinworm. It may also be used to help the body deal with fever and infections. It benefits the body in general.