Wormwood is an aromatic, bitter, hairy perennial herb. It has effect and ribbed stems, 30 to 90 cm high. It has egg shaped leaves, 2.5 to 5 cm long which are hairy on both sides unequally into segments. It also has numerous, minute yellow dropping flower heads and small, dry and single seeded fruit.The Latin name of the herb comes from the Greek goddess Artemis who took care of women during childbirth. It helped to bring on periods and could be used externally as a compress during labor to expel the placenta.
The active principles of Indian wormwood consist of volatile oil which has an odor resembling cajuput oil and camphor, santonnin and an allied body artemisin
Healing Power and Curative Properties
The whole herb is used medicinally, but its leaves are preferred. The fresh plant is considered more efficacious that a dry one. The herb is tonic, useful in strengthening the functioning the stomach and promoting its action. It stimulates appetite, the digestive juices, peristalsis or movement of the bowels the liver and gall bladder. True to its name, it also expels intestinal worms, especially round and threads worms.
Intestinal Worms
Wormwood had been used by ancient Greek, Roman, Arab and Persian to expel intestinal worms. The flowering tops have been and still used in the Tibbi medicine in India as a drug to kill intestinal worms. They are usually powdered and administered in 8 to 16 gram for roundworms and tapeworms.
The oil distilled from the plant also possesses the property to kill worms. Mixed with eight times its weight of olive oil, it can be given in doses of 50 to 100 grams. An infusion of the herb can be given for killing worms in the rectum.
Bilious Disorders
The herb is essential in the treatment of bilious melancholia besides depressing the yellow bile of jaundice from the skin. An infusion of the herb or its powder can be given in small doses
Skin Disorders
Wormwood helps disperse or absorb a tumor or any other coagulated fluid in case of skin diseases. It also acts as an antiseptic and cleanser. It can be pickled in vinegar and applied with beneficial results to sprains and bruises.
Other Diseases
Wormwood is also useful in several other diseases such as atonic diseases of the digestive system, nocturnal pollutions or ejaculations without the sex act, involuntarily during sleep without any erotic dream, anemia wasting diseases and general debility. It should be given in small doses of 0.756 to 1.25 decigrams in such treatments. The essential oil of the herb is used as a cardiac and respiratory stimulant.
Precautions: The drug should be avoided during pregnancy and if needed, should be taken only for short periods.
