What's Wormwood?

Wormwood – A Bitter Tonic

Grown in Siberia, Europe, and the US, wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) has been used for centuries to treat parasites internally and as a hemostatic externally. Wormwood also had a plethora of disparate uses including treatment of sore eyes, the common cold, as a hair tonic, and to bring down the swelling of wounds. It is considered one of the most bitter herbs and is used for a bitter tonic, especially to eliminate intestinal worms.

Wormwood is also known to counteract fevers, regulate the liver, treat anemia, and reduce arthritis symptoms. The herb has been used for a variety of female conditions including promoting menstruation, stimulating uterine circulation, and relieving menstrual cramps. Wormwood oil can act as a local anesthetic and makes a good liniment to relieve pain from inflammation such as bruises, sprains, back pain, and rheumatism. A compress of wormwood tea can also be used for swelling due to inflammation. An uncontrolled trial found that a wormwood supplement containing leaves and stems of the herb might be beneficial in treating IgA nephropathy, which can lead to kidney failure (See HC 111046-419).

Wormwood has also been used as a nervine tonic and is one of the main ingredients for the alcoholic drink absinthe (See HC News, February 13, 2009).Because it is such a powerful herb, it should be used sparingly, only for short periods of time, and not used during pregnancy or given to children.

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