This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
This herb is NOT recommended during pregnancy due to potential risks to the developing fetus.
This herb is NOT recommended while breastfeeding as effects on infants are unknown.
Consult your healthcare provider before use.
1 Known Drug Interaction — Some May Be Serious
1 Severe
This herb may interact with medications you are taking. Review the interactions table below and consult your healthcare provider before use.
What is a herb–drug interaction?
A herb–drug interaction happens when a plant or supplement changes how a medication works in your body — making it stronger, weaker, or more likely to cause harm. Herbs contain active compounds that can speed up or slow down the enzymes and transporters your body uses to process drugs.
Why it matters
•St. John's Wort can make birth control, antidepressants, and blood thinners less effective.
•Garlic can increase bleeding risk with warfarin and other blood thinners (also ginkgo, ginger, and turmeric).
•Kava can amplify sedation when taken with anxiety or sleep medications (also valerian).
The risk is highest for older adults, anyone taking several medications, and people with chronic conditions.
Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every herb and supplement you take — and check below before combining.
Known Drug Interactions (1)
1 Severe
Drug
Severity
Description
Anticonvulsants (Phenobarbital)
Severe
Wormwood contains thujone which may lower the seizure threshold and counteract anticonvulsant medications.
This list reflects a curated subset of documented interactions and is not exhaustive. The absence of a drug here is not proof that it is safe to combine. Always confirm with a pharmacist or healthcare provider.
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is a perennial shrubby plant used traditionally for various ailments, containing bioactive compounds such as thujone [PMID:32585887, PMID:16891209].
Background
Artemisia absinthium is a perennial shrubby plant of pharmaceutical and botanical importance [PMID:32585887]. It is a primary component of the alcoholic beverage absinthe [PMID:16891209].
Traditional uses
Traditionally used to manage disorders including hepatocyte enlargement, hepatitis, gastritis, jaundice, wound healing, splenomegaly, dyspepsia, indigestion, flatulence, gastric pain, anemia, and anorexia [PMID:32585887]. It has been known for medicinal properties since Antiquity, recommended by Egyptians (1600 BC), Hippocrates, and Galien [PMID:24919378].
Active compounds
Contains the monoterpene thujone [PMID:16891209, PMID:15896935]. Other bioactive components include flavonoids, sesquiterpene lactones, terpenoids, coumarins, and phenolic acids, specifically chlorogenic acid [PMID:42199532, PMID:36234965, PMID:31450704].
Mechanism of action
Thujone interacts with GABA-receptors [PMID:17912872], and may cause dose-dependent tonic-clonic seizures via GABA type A receptor modulation [PMID:20542104]. In the vascular system, wormwood increases tonus in vascular resistance vessels via a sympathetic reflex [PMID:26074998]. Extract may target the JAK2/STAT3 pathway to ameliorate atherosclerosis [PMID:40647133].
Clinical evidence
Evidence ACoccidiosis (Broiler Chickens)
Plant extracts (essential oil and methanolic) administered in food or water were effective in reducing oocyst shedding, bloody diarrhoea, and mortality rate, while improving weight gain [PMID:38616734].
Evidence DNeurotoxicity (In vitro)
Extract prevented loss of cell viability and reduced ROS generation, lipid peroxidation, and apoptosis in quinolinic acid-induced neurotoxicity in OLN-93 cells [PMID:36998142].
Evidence DCancer (In vitro)
Alcoholic extracts showed cytotoxic effects against A375 (melanoma) and MCF7 (breast adenocarcinoma) cells [PMID:31450704].
Evidence DInflammation (Animal model)
Extracts ameliorated the pro-inflammatory effect of TPA in mice ears [PMID:31450704].
Safety & adverse effects
Thujone is a toxic monoterpene [PMID:16891209]. High concentrations of wormwood oil can cause seizures [PMID:16722551]. Chronic abuse of absinthe was historically linked to 'absinthism,' characterized by hallucinations, sleeplessness, and convulsions, though it is debated if this was due to thujone or chronic alcohol intoxication [PMID:15896935, PMID:16891209]. One case report noted acute suicidality emerging during absinthe consumption [PMID:30282294]. Essential oil may disrupt lipid metabolism in human hepatic stellate cells [PMID:38000518].
Evidence summary
Evidence consists primarily of historical reviews, in vitro studies, and animal models. There is one systematic review/meta-analysis regarding veterinary use (broilers). Human clinical data is limited to case reports and historical accounts of toxicity.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 16891209 (2006) — Absinthe--a review. · Critical reviews in food science and nutrition
3.PMID: 15896935 (2006) — Thujone--cause of absinthism? · Forensic science international
4.PMID: 24919378 (2013) — [Absinthe rehabilitated]. · Bulletin de l'Academie nationale de medecine
5.PMID: 27222528 (2016) — Sunflower seed allergy. · International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology
6.
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
8.PMID: 32585887 (2020) — Bioactive Compounds, Pharmacological Actions, and Pharmacokinetics of Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). · Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland)
9.PMID: 36998142 (2023) — Artemisia Absinthium Extract Attenuates the Quinolinic Acid-Induced Cell Injury in OLN-93 Cells. · Current drug discovery technologies
10.PMID: 38616734 (2024) — Effects of Artemisia absinthium on broiler chicken coccidiosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. · Avian pathology : journal of the W.V.P.A
11.PMID: 31450704 (2019) — Romanian Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.): Physicochemical and Nutraceutical Screening. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
12.PMID: 36978844 (2023) — Antibacterial and Phytochemical Screening of Artemisia Species. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
13.PMID: 26074998 (2015) — Bitters: Time for a New Paradigm. · Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
14.PMID: 20542104 (2010) — Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.)--a curious plant with both neurotoxic and neuroprotective properties? · Journal of ethnopharmacology
15.PMID: 38296909 (2024) — Natural herb wormwood-based microneedle array for wound healing. · Drug delivery and translational research
16.PMID: 40647133 (2025) — Artemisia absinthium L. Extract Targeting the JAK2/STAT3 Pathway to Ameliorate Atherosclerosis. · Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
17.PMID: 16722551 (2006) — Absinthism: a fictitious 19th century syndrome with present impact. · Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy
18.PMID: 32241190 (2020) — Preparation and characterization of wormwood-oil-contained microcapsules. · Journal of microencapsulation
19.PMID: 42199532 (2026) — Unveiling the multifaceted potential of Artemisia: Cutting-edge insights into nutritional benefits and emerging therapeutic applications. · Journal of pharmaceutical analysis
20.PMID: 38000518 (2024) — Predictive toxicological effects of Artemisia absinthium essential oil on hepatic stellate cells. · Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA
21.PMID: 36786997 (2022) — New Plant Species Showing Antiprotozoian Activity. · Doklady. Biochemistry and biophysics
22.PMID: 38242404 (2024) — Wormwood-infused porous-CaCO3 for synthesizing antibacterial natural rubber latex. · International journal of biological macromolecules
23.PMID: 12170397 (2002) — Absinthe: return of the Green Fairy. · Seminars in neurology
24.PMID: 36234965 (2022) — Artemisia Species with High Biological Values as a Potential Source of Medicinal and Cosmetic Raw Materials. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)