HERB - Wormwood

[Walter J. Wakefield]

One thing to note about various members of the wormwood family is that
they have differing medicinal actions, chemical constituents, and tastes.
 For example, mugwort, southernwood and wormwood are distinctive.  Common
wormwood is *extremely* bitter, much more so than hops (I have never
figured out how a palatable liquer could be made from it), though there
are some related species that are not quite so bitter.  Wormwood is also
sedative (in low doses, at any rate), laxative (eliminates worms, hence
the name).  It should never be used by pregnant women, as it can cause
miscarriage.  The deleterious effects of wormwood are supposedly
magnified by alcohol, although I have some reservations about all the bad
press absinthe has gotten over the years.  Wormwood, when tinctured in
pure grain alcohol (Everclear, 190 proof), gives a beautiful emerald
green tincture.  Mrs. Grieve ("A Modern Herbal") says that commercial
wormwood was often adulterated with copper sulfate to enhance the green
color.  This might account for a lot of the problems reported with
wormwood liquers.  However, there is no way to be sure.  So I recommend
extreme caution when using this herb internally.  Besides, it tastes
*nasty*.  There are probably a number of other bitters that could be used
instead, though I would not recommend rue or tansy either.  Maybe
quassia.
Let us know how it comes out.
Suzanna, the herbalist, Barony of the Steppes, Kingdom of Ansteorra
(Dallas, TX)  

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