Wormwood - All One Needs To Know

What Is Wormwood?

For centuries, plants have been used for treating certain infectious diseases. Artemisia absinthium, or shrub wormwood, comes under the genus Artemesia under the plant family Compositae. It is a shrubby plant that grows up to one to three feet. It is native to regions like Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. It is a perennial plant and is used for treating many ailments.

It has white or gray-green stems, yellow-green leaves, and bulbous pale or bright yellow flowers. Sweet wormwood or Artemisia annua, also called annual wormwood, sweet annie, sweet sagewort, etc., is native to temperate parts of Asia. The plant tastes bitter and is used in alcoholic beverages, absinthe, and vermouth.

Wormwood is either used in fresh or dried form. All parts, including the plant's leaves, stems, and flowers, have medical value; the plant is mainly consumed as tea for various ailments. It has been used for treating various disorders like jaundice, indigestion, gastric pain, anorexia, anemia, etc. However, wormwood essential oils' long-term use is found to result in toxic effects, including mental disorders in humans with symptoms like hallucinations, sleeplessness, and convulsions.

What Are the Uses?

The traditional uses of wormwood include the management of:

• Indigestion.

• Anemia.

• Anorexia (an eating disorder in which one reduces foot intake, leading to unhealthy weight loss).

• Depression.

• Chronic fever.

• Epilepsy (brain disorder characterized by repeated seizures).

• Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen).

• To expel intestinal worms.

• Hepatocyte enlargement.

• Weak memory tremors.

• Gout (inflammatory arthritis resulting in swelling and joint pain).

• Rheumatism (a group of chronic musculoskeletal disorders that results in inflammation, pain, and swelling).

• Skin diseases.

• Esophageal bowel syndrome.

Additionally, it is used as an insect repellant and antihelminthic. It is also used for:

• Reduce pain during labor.

• Management of leukemia (blood cancer) and sclerosis.

• Used in the food industry to produce bitters, spirits, and aperitifs.

• Management of muscle stiffness.

• Healing bruises.

• Reduce pain during the menstrual cycle.

• Management of cardiac disorder and hypertension.

The beneficial effects of wormwood are:

• Antibacterial - Studies showed that Artemisia absinthium ethanol extract has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, but is not effective against E. colli, Streptococcus faecalis, etc. Studies showed that wormwood extracts had an antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive disease-causing bacteria.

• Antiviral - Studies showed that Artemisia absinthium extract is effective against viral hepatitis and relieves 80 to 90 percent of the symptoms. The effect was due to inhibition of integrase enzyme by bioactive compounds in the extract. This integrase enzyme in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) catalyzes the insertion of viral DNA with host DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).

• Antifungal - Reports suggest that wormwood essential oil extracts display antifungal effects. Because of this, they have been used in the cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical industries. The antifungal effects are said to be due to the presence of thujone.

• Antihelminthic - Both alpha and beta forms of thujone in essential oil extracted from Artemisia absinthium have an antihelminthic effect. Wormwood has been used to eliminate pinworms, intestinal worms, tapeworms, and roundworms.

• Antiprotozoal - Artemisia absinthium extracts have antiprotozoal activity. The antileishmanial action is said to be due to flavonoid composition. Malaria is a serious parasitic illness transmitted by the bite of infected female mosquitoes. Artemisinin, an extract isolated from sweet wormwood plants or Artemisia annua, has an antimalarial effect. The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends artemisinin-based combination therapies as the first line of treatment for uncomplicated P. Falciparum malaria.

• Anticancer - The anticancer effect of Artemisia absinthium extracts results in programmed cell death or apoptosis. Studies show that Artemisinin fights against iron-enriched breast cancer cells, similar to its action against malarial parasites. So, it is a potential natural remedy for women with breast cancer.

• Antiulcer and Digestive Activities - Studies show that wormwood effectively fights SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) symptoms. Wormwood is also used for indigestion issues. Studies suggest that Artemisia absinthium extracts cause an increase in biliary, intestinal, and gastric secretions following oral administration.

What Are the Side Effects?

1. Long-term use of Artemisia absinthium extracted essential oil leads to absinthism-mental disorder in individuals, which presents with symptoms like hallucinations, convulsions, headaches, and sleeplessness.

2. The adverse effects include:

• Nausea.

• Vomiting.

• Restlessness.

• Insomnia or sleep disturbances.

• Tremors.

• Urine retention.

• Stomach cramps.

• Vertigo.

3. Toxicity studies on thujone conducted in experimental animals revealed a dose-dependent toxic effect.

4. Wormwood may result in allergic reactions, especially in cases where the individual is allergic to plants in the Compositae family.

What Are the Contraindications?

Wormwood is contraindicated in the following conditions:

• Pregnancy - Intake of wormwood is contraindicated in case of pregnancy. Wormwood is a uterine stimulant and can cause uterine contractions; there is a chance that it may lead to miscarriage if taken during pregnancy.

• Breastfeeding - Wormwood is contraindicated in children and breastfeeding mothers due to a lack of safety information.

• Kidney Disease - Wormwood is contraindicated in those with kidney disorders as it may increase the chance of kidney failure.

• Allergy - Wormwood is contraindicated in those who develop an allergic or hypersensitive reaction to plants of the Asteraceae family like marigolds, ragweeds, etc. This is because there is a chance that the person is allergic to wormwood, too.

• Heart Disease - Wormwood is contraindicated in those individuals with heart disorders who are taking blood thinners like warfarin because wormwood increases the risk of bleeding in such patients.

• Porphyria - Porphyria includes a group of uncommon disorders that affect the nervous system or skin and is characterized by a buildup of porphyrin in the body. Wormwood is contraindicated in such patients as it can worsen the condition.

What Are the Preventive Measures to Be Taken?

• Several plant species are called “wormwood”. So, identification of the correct species may be difficult for a layman, but incorrect identification of the plant may have negative effects.

• Wormwood can result in uterine contraction and hence should not be taken by pregnant women.

• Due to toxicity, wormwood’s essential oil should not be taken internally.

• Alcoholic beverages that contain wormwood are both toxic to the nervous system and addictive. Hence, its consumption has been banned in many countries.

• Individuals with intestinal or stomach ulcers should avoid consumption due to irritating effects.

• Those with nervous disorders or having seizures should avoid wormwood.

• Should not be consumed by children below 6 years.

• As mentioned above, it should only be consumed by some of those in contraindicated cases.

Conclusion

Wormwood has traditionally been used to treat ailments like indigestion, menstrual cramps, anemia, anorexia, etc. Studies suggest that wormwood has anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. However, it has side effects, especially long-term use has been linked with mental health disorders. Hence, it should only be consumed under the guidance of a physician in the recommended dosage for the specified period.