10052. Wormwood

Nomenclature

Absinthium; green ginger.

Description and references

Shrubby, aromatic perennial plant, Artemisia absinthium L., Compositae. Medicinal portions include the essential oil and the dried leaves and flowering tops. Habit. Europe, northern Africa, Asia, North and South America. Constit. Absinthin, anabsinthin, artabsine, matricine, volatile oil. Description: E. Guenther, The Essential Oils V, 487 (Van Nostrand, New York 1952). Isolation of various constituents: Cekan, Herout, Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 21, 79 (1956); Herout et al., ibid. 1485. Characterization of oil: T. Sacco, F. Chialva, Planta Med. 54, 93 (1988). Extraction of antioxidant components: J. M. Canadanovic-Brunet et al., J. Sci. Food Agric. 85, 265 (2005). Botanical description and medicinal uses: J. Gruenwald et al., PDR for Herbal Medicines (Medical Economics, Montvale, 2nd Ed., 2000) pp 829-831; A. J. Skyles, B. V. Sweet, Am. J. Health Syst. Pharm. 61, 239-241 (2004).

Properties

Very strong odor, acrid taste.

Derivative

Volatile oil.

Nomenclature

CAS number: 8008-93-3
Oil of wormwood; artemisia oil.

Description and references

Obtained by steam distillation of leaves and flowering tops. Constit. Highly variable among different strains, chiefly thujone, cis-epoxyocimene, trans-sabinyl acetate, chrysanthenyl acetate.

Properties

Brownish-green liq. d1515 0.925-0.955. nD20 1.460-1.4741. Sol in ether, in 2 vols 80% alcohol; very slightly sol in water. Keep well closed, cool and protected from light.

Caution

Ingestion of large doses may cause vomiting, stomach and intestinal cramps, headache, dizziness and CNS disturbances (Gruenwald).

Use

Oil as flavoring in alcoholic beverages, e.g. vermouth, which is a blend of white wines, contg traces of absinthium and other flavors; formerly in absinthe.

Therapeutic Category

Aromatic bitter; anthelmintic; externally for insect bites and wound healing.