Absinthe

Artemisia absinthium L.

Fam. Asteraceae (Compositae)
Subfam. Tubuliflorae

Herbe aux vers, herbe sainte, Aluine, absinth
English Worm-wood, Absinth
Spag. Ajenjo major
Ted. Wermuth

Common names: Amarella, Roman or greater wormwood, Incens, Ascenzi, Arsinz, Nascenzio or Assenzu

What is Absinthe

The name "Artemisia" does not identify a species of plant, but a genus comprising more than 200 aromatic species.
Etymologically, the word artemisia comes from the Latin word mugwort, which in turn derives from the Greek "artemes"which means" healthy-whole ", therefore, a plant that heals. Some scholars think it may be linked to Artemis, Greek goddess of fertility, and recalls the emmenagogic properties of the plant.The Romans identified it with Diana or Selene, the Moon. The most real hypothesis connects the name of the plant to Artemisia II, (reigned in 353-352 BC) wife of Mausolus, king of Halicarnassus, expert in botany and medicine, who was the first to discover the properties of this herb in the field gynecological.

Description

Wormwood, also called bitter mugwort, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant, fragrant, very aromatic, very bitter. Provided with a hard rhizome that emits sterile, short and many-leaved shoots. It has round, furrowed and branched stems, long gray leaves. silver green due to the presence of hairs on the underside, pinnate-compound in the lower part of the stem, which become simple and sessile towards the top.
Flowers: the floriferous cauli are erect, 40-60 cm high and very branched; flowers, tubular and yellow, are gathered in small solitary flower heads (3-5 cm of diameter) or in racemose inflorescences. In the heads of the wormwood the peripheral flowers are female, uniseriate, tubular, with a tridentate corollino flap, the internal ones of the disc are hermaphroditic or sterile. The wormwood blooms in summer.
Fruit: smooth, hairless achene, without pappus.
Strongly aromatic odor.
Very bitter taste.

Areal

Absinthe grows spontaneously in stony and sunny places from the Mediterranean to the subalpine area up to 2000 m, but it is also cultivated. Spontaneously it grows only on slopes in full sun and in arid and rocky steppes. In Europe, excluding North, Western Asia , North Africa; Italy (missing in the islands).

Culture

The wormwood reproduces by sowing outdoors, in late spring, and then thinning out at a distance of 30-60 cm. Germination is often slow. It reproduces by cutting in summer, by division of the tufts in spring or autumn. Absinthe prefers medium and sunny soils. Cultivation does not require special care: it is sufficient to try to evoke the natural conditions. Cultivation in pots is not advisable.
Conservation: let the leaves dry in the shade, while the flowers dry in the sun.
The drug consists of the dried leaves and flowering tops, harvested in late September flowering.
The common wormwood contains 0,5 - 2% of essential oil, in greater abundance in the leaves, a and b-tuione and a very bitter terpene principle, absintin.

Uses

The liqueur and the essential oil are very toxic, have convulsive power, but in small doses they are stimulating and tonic.
Absinthe has aperitif properties, due to the bitter principle, which is why it is used in food to make liqueurs. The abuse of absinthe-based liqueurs leads to a disease called absintism, characterized by epileptic delirium (hallucinations, convulsions, brain injuries) and, sometimes, to death. For this reason, in some countries, such as France, the use of absinthe in liqueurs is prohibited.

In phytotherapy, wormwood is also used as a vermifuge against common intestinal nematodes (Ascaris lumbricoides and Oxyurus vermicularis) and antiseptic.

In organic farming with flowers and leaves, infusions are prepared against currant rust and decoctions against ants, aphids and mites; it also serves as a repellent cover.

Historical Notes
The name absinthe comes from the Greek absinthium and means devoid of sweetness and indicates the bitter taste (the most bitter after the rue).
So bitter that, in the Holy Scriptures, absinthe symbolized the vicissitudes and pains of life.
Already mentioned in the ancient Egyptian papyrus of Ebers, absinthe was also known in Germany in the Middle Ages, with the name of vermouth from the German word werimotate.
The medical use of absinthe was widespread in the thirteenth century also in Iceland and Norway.

Other articles on "Absinthe"

1. Absinthe - Properties of Absinthe - Phytotherapy
2. Absinthe in Herbalist: properties of Absinthe

Select plant Fir Acacia Acerola Sorrel Yarrow Yarrow Millefoglie Aconito Adatoda Garlic Agnocasto Agrimonia Alchemilla Alkekengi Aloe Altea Witch Hazel Ammi or Visnaga Pineapple Andrographis Anemone Pulsatilla Angelica Anise Star Anise Japanese Star Anise Bitter Orange Bitter Areca Arnica Harpagophytum Arpagophyte Artemisia Asteragus Basil Asparagus Asparagus Peruvian Asparagus Asparagus Asparagus Hawthorn Boldo Borage Shepherd's Purse Boswellia Bucco Butea superba Cocoa Coffee Cajeput Calamus Calamus Marigold Camedrio Chamomile Roman Chamomile Camphor Cinnamon Ceylon Maidenhair Capuchin Artichoke Cardamom Cardiac Thistle Asian Thistle Carvi Cascara Cassia Catecu Catha Cabbage Celandine Chicory Centaurea Cinnamon Cypress Celandine Chives Cypress Coca Cola Colchico Combreto Condurango Comfrey Coriander Cranberry Barberry American Chrysanthemum Cumin Turmeric Damiana Digital Dioscorea Drosera Dulcamara Dunalilella Echinacea Eder a Ephedra Elenio Eleutherococcus Helichrysum Evening primrose Horsetail Alfalfa Erica Euphrasia Erisimo Escolzia Eucalyptus Farfara Farfaraccio Calabar bean Fenugreek Fennel Phytolacca Frangola Ash Fumaria Japanese Mushrooms Galega Ganoderma lucidum Garcinia Cambogia Mulberry Gentian Broom Ginkgo Guipane Ginkgo Guipana Guipane Gynestra Ginkgo Hibelia Gymnasium Hibelia St. John's Wort Horse Chestnut Ispaghul Hyssop Jaborandi Kava kava Konjac Laminaria Cherry Laurel Lavender Lemongrass Lespedeza Lovage Icelandic Lichen Lemon Flax Lippia Licorice Lobelia Hops Maca Marjoram Maize Mallow Manna Marrubio Marrubio d "water Matè Melaleuca Meliloto American Lemon balm Myrtle Myrama Walnut Nutmeg Walnut vomica Olive tree Meadowsweet Ononide Opuntia Oregano Orthosiphon Nettle Poppy Papaya Parietaria Feverfew Passiflora Chilli Perilla Periwinkle Phyllanthus Plantain Picrorhiza Pilosella Pino Pisci dia Podofillo Polygala Grapefruit Parsley Psyllium Pueraria mirifica Butcher's broom Pygeum Quassia Oak Rhubarb Ratania Rauwolfia currant Castor bean Rhodiola Rosehip Rosemary Rue Willow Sarsaparilla Sage Elderberry Sassafras Sedum Ergot Senna Serenoa Repens Soybean Solidago Tansy Taraxus Tamarind Tamarind Tamarindoil Tamarindo Ursina Valerian Vanilla Mullein Verbena Veronica Viburnum Vinca Pansy Mistletoe Vine Withania Yohimbe Saffron Ginger Pumpkin Select disease Juvenile Acne Rosacea Tinnitus Tinnitus Aerophagia Tendon Affections Afonia Aphthae Algias Functional Halitosis Breastfeeding Allergy Anemia Anguish Anxiety Arteriosclerosis Asthrosis Asthrosis Arthritis Arthritis Men Sex Woman Blepharitis and Conjunctivitis Eye bags Bronchitis Gallstones Kidney stones Salivary stones Baldness Androgenetic Candida Fragile hair Caries Headache Cellulitis Motion sickness Cystitis C limaterio Cholecystopathy High cholesterol Ulcerative colitis Colonoscopy Contusions Hematoma Convalescence Couperose Depression Dermatitis Diaper dermatitis Diabetes Diarrhea Erectile dysfunction Dyslipidemia Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Disturbances of vision Hemorrhoids Epistaxis Cardiac herethism Fever Fibromyalgia Gastrointomnia Hypertension Hypertension Hypertension Intellectia Gastro-intestinal Disease Hypertension Hypertension Hypertons Jaundice Laryngitis Renal lithiasis Toothache Sore throat Thinness Menopause Meteorism Mononucleosis Alzheimer's disease Crohn's disease Nausea Vomiting Obesity Dark circles Onychomycosis Osteoporosis Dry skin Periarthritis Piorea Low pressure Prostatitis Psoriasis Colds Breast fissures Anal fissures Gastro-nasal rhinitis Senescence Premenstrual Syndrome Sinusitis Quit smoking Overweight Fatty liver Constipation Stomatitis Stress Cough Triglycerides high Ulcer Burns Nails Brittle flashes Heat Warts Dizziness Properties herbal Tanning Abortive adaptogenic Aphrodisiac bittering analgesic anesthetic anorectics analgesic antacid anti-allergic anti-asthmatic Antibiotic catarrh Anticellulitiche anticonvulsant Antidiaforetiche antidiarrheal edematous anthelmintic antiemetic Antiemorroidarie antiphlogistic Antiidrotiche Antinevrotiche Antioxidants antipyretic antirheumatic antiscorbutic Antiseptic antispasmodic anti-uric Aperitive Flavoring Astringent Balsamic Bechiche Capillarotrope Cardiotonic Carminative Cathartic Caustics Healing Cholagogues Choleretic Dyes Decongestants Deodorants Purifying Diaphoretic Cleansers Disinfectants Detoxifiers Thirst quenching Diuretics Exciting Emetics Emmenagogues Emollients Hemostatic Energies Hepatoprotectors Expectorants Eupepticus Moisturisers Galactosensitizers lanti Hypertensive Hypnotic Hypoglycemic Hypotensive Irritants Laxatives Soothing Narcotic Nerves Nutrients Odontalgic Pectoral Purgative Revulsive Remineralizing Refreshing Rubefacient Scialagoghe Sedative Soporifugas Sneezing Stomachic Stomatics Narcotic Vascular Tightenitis