Wormwood Herb - Benefits of wormwood oil and extract

Common Name for Wormwood Herb

Wormwood is also referred to as Artemisia absinthium and is an herb that is pleasantly aromatic, but bitter to taste. Occurrence: Wormwood is usually found growing in a natural state in climates that are mild and temperate especially in the climate zones of Europe, North Africa, and in Asia. Wormwood is also cultivated in North America. The herb has an attractive appearance and a pleasant aroma and is often used to enhance aesthetic beauty in some residential and commercial landscaping. The wormwood herb possesses grayish-green leaves and the herb usually grows to a height of about three feet height. Wormwood as a plant has tiny hairs all over the plant and in summer produces yellow flowers.

Parts Used of Plant

The wormwood extract, from the wormwood herb, is harvested to make herbal teas and medicinal extracts. The wormwood oil that is extracted from the wormwood shrub possesses two chemical compounds, known as absithin and anabsinthin that give it the bitter taste. There are no noted or scientific studies conducted or trial made to substantiate the effectiveness of the wormwood herb or its extracts as herbal remedies. Wormwood oil on the other hand contains two toxins known as thujone and isothujone. These chemical compounds are identical to tetratetrahydrocannibinol (THC) which is an important ingredient found in marijuana. Due to the presence of these compounds, the FDA has placed the wormwood herb and any extract from it, in the unsafe category. According to medical experts, thujone is known to cause nerve damage and bring about unpleasant side effects. It is important to consult with a healthcare expert or medical professional who is well-versed in herbal medicine before consuming wormwood herb or wormwood extracts.

Medicinal Uses

Herbalists also strongly recommended or made use of wormwood extracts to treat intestinal worms, particularly pinworms and roundworms. Due to its anti-parasitic properties, wormwood oils or extracts are sometimes used as insect repellents, and a local insecticide to be used in gardens and local application on pets. Herbalists believe the power of wormwood extracts are highly useful in treating inflammation of the gall bladder, hepatitis, jaundice, fever, stomach and liver infections. In some cases it is believed to be effective in treating even mild cases of mild depression. Some herbalists opine that wormwood extracts can also be used as a preventative especially in the case of protecting the liver from harmful chemicals. There have been reports that wormwood extracts have been used to treat the troubles linked to childbearing, muscle sprains, arthritic aches, and in some severe cases to treat broken bones.

Herb Administered as

In almost all herbal preparations made from the herb, wormwood is never used in isolation. Wormwood extracts are usually mixed with other herbs with medicinal properties such as peppermint or caraway in order to prepare herbal remedies. A blend of wormwood extract, peppermint extracts, and caraway extracts are useful in treating heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). As a conventional form of medicine, herbalists would use absinthe wormwood or its extracts to enhance digestion, to get rid of worm parasites, and to induce menstruation. Wormwood extracts were also revered by naturalists and herbalists as useful curatives for liver and gallbladder disorders.