Wormwood Artemisia absinthium L.

Wormwood is the classic dewormer,
but long term use can be toxic,
check with your vet

Wormwood is used today mainly as a bitter tonic, in fact "as bitter as Wormwood" is a very Ancient proverb, and is also mentioned in Biblical texts "her end was as bitter as wormwood." ^{Proverbs 5:4}

The azulenes in the plant are anti-inflammatory and reduce fevers, and the plant was used in ancient times as an emmenagogue, but is no longer used that way, and should be avoided in pregnancy. Small doses of wormwood tea taken before meals can stimulate digestion and prevent heartburn and gas, and even boost energy.

As the name implies, wormwood is a powerful worming agent that has been used for hundreds of years to expel tapeworms, threadworms, and especially roundworms from dogs, cats, and their humans. Although wormwood makes like miserable for parasites, it is not kind to the host. Wormwood is a common ingredient in many herbal "cleansing" formulations. If you suspect you or you child has been infested with worms, it really is best to seek medical help rather that rely on home cures.

Wormwood is one of the major ingredients in absinthe, a fashionable drink in the nineteenth century became associated with the death of the American writer Edgar Allan Poe and the suicide of the painter Vincent Van Gogh. It was immortalized in a painting by Edgar Degas, which shows a haunting portrait of two absinthe drinkers, hollow-eyed and oblivious to all but the intoxicating beverage.¹