Botanical name of wormwood: Artemisia absinthum L.
plant family: Asteraceae (Compositae, Asteraceae)
Main botanical characteristicsPerennial, woody stem with densely branched, gray-tomentose, hairy flower stalks up to 1 m tall. Silver-green, tripinnate, gray-tomentose leaves with lanceolate leaflets. Yellow flowers sit in hemispherical heads, surrounded by bracts.
Flowering time: June-September
Plant parts used: herb (Herba absinthii)
Ingredients: Bitter substances (absinthin), essential oils (thujone->nerve poison), tannins, ascorbic acid
Effect: Appetite stimulant, digestive, anti-flatulent (carminative), choleretic, antispasmodic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, tonic for stomach, gall bladder and intestines, stimulant for the central nervous system (large quantities).
indicationsDyspeptic complaints, flatulence, loss of appetite, heartburn, feeling of pressure, fullness, colic, liver and gallbladder disorders, atonic (slack) gallbladder or stomach, dyskinesia of the bile ducts, bad breath, menstruation-promoting, flu, worms, generally in hypotonic persons.
Contraindications / Side effects: Pregnancy, essential oil (thujone, in absinthe liquor) can cause dizziness, cramps and even unconsciousness.
Preparation and dosage form:
Internally:
- Infusion (3 cup 1 times a day)
- Tincture (2-3x days, 15-20 drops)
- Spice (for fatty foods)
- Hom. (D1-D12, 3-5x/day. For epilepsy, cramps)
- Medicinal wine with wormwood (3x/day after meals)
Effect of wormwood according to TCM: (warm)
- Resolves Liver Qi Stagnation
- For spleen qi deficiency
- Stimulates bile flow
- Leads to heat in the blood layer
Humoral qualityWarm 1, Dry 3. Dispersing, thinning, astringent, tonic. Cleanses and expels bile from the stomach and liver. Disperses and expels thick phlegm.
