Wormwood (absinthe)

Wormwood (absinthe)

Other Names:

Absintio, Ajorizo, Artemis Amarga, Herb Holy Incense of Andalusia.

Plant by the ancient Greeks dedicated to Artemis (Diana to the Romans) goddess of fertility. No doubt that this influenced their remarkable effect on the uterus. But what has most contributed to its spread in recent times has undoubtedly been under aperitive and his stomach. The vermouth is a liqueur based on wormwood, Wermuth is precisely because the German name of this plant.

In the last century, when many remedies are still used for empirically, without a knowledge of their true meaning, it was thought that the stimulant wormwood liqueur, obtained by macerating in alcohol, was a panacea. Tapered is so much of him, especially in France, which occurred severe acute and chronic poisonings and even deaths, like the French poet Verlaine.

Habitat: Own the mountainous areas of southern Europe. It abounds in ditches and.

dry land. At other times it was cultivated. Description: Plant perennial, the family of the Compound, from 40 to 80 cm in height, all of it covered with a thin hair that gives it a silvery appearance. The flowers, yellow, are grouped into cones. Parties used: leaves and flower heads.

Part used: leaves and flowering tops.

Properties and indications: the use of wormwood as a medicinal plant, is free from the disastrous effects of the liquor that occur with him, among other things, because its strong bitter taste makes it suitable for a low consumption of water. It contains bitter principles (absintina) which owes its digestive properties, essential oil - rich Thujone, worming and emenagoga action, but toxic in high doses; minerals (potassium nitrate) and tannins. Applied correctly, the wormwood gives us some interesting medicinal properties, which we mentioned below:

Gastric Tonic: like all plants bitter develops a tonic effect on the stomach, increasing the appetite and stimulating the secretion of gastric juices. It is therefore to inapetentes and dyspeptic (which suffer from heavy digestions) Not to the ulcerosos and the temperament of blood, because the increased secretion of gastric juices is harmful to them. Como. Font Quer well indicates, "the wormwood should not be taken without necessity. ".

Colerética: because of increasing bile secretion, acts on the liver favorable action, Decongestion and encouragement of their duties. It is appropriate in cases of liver failure, and during the convalescence of viral hepatitis.

Worming powerful: the adults come to take it, though resigned, but children reject it outright. For them it is better to use other worming.

Emenagogo powerful serves on the uterus (womb) causing menstruation, but also standardizes cycles. It was therefore recommended for young women pale and weak, which usually suffer from irregular and painful rules. Avicenna, the renowned physician hispanoárabe of the eleventh century, as prescribed "to calm the women bitter and bile. ".

Use: infuse with 10 to 20 grams. Plant per liter of water. To soften his bitterness, you can add a spoonful of one of the following plants: licorice, mint and anise. Sweetened with honey. For digestive disorders, take 1 - 2 cups a day before meals. The disorders of menstruation, take 2 cups of this tea per day during the week preceding the date on which it is hoped the rule. Macerated: We put about 100 grams of dried flowers in a liter of olive oil. Allow to stand for a month. A spoonful of dessert of this oil on an empty stomach, and another before lunch (noon meal) for the affections of the gallbladder. As insecticide: the infusion of wormwood is an effective insecticide. Can be sprayed with her pets and plants. As a lotion applied to the skin, repels mosquitoes. And at dry wormwood placing bags of cloth between the clothes, effectively prevents the moth.

Precautions: At high doses can cause tremors and convulsions.

They should refrain from wormwood pregnant women because of their possible abortifacient effect, as well as infants and are excreted in the milk and is harmful to the baby. Nor should those who suffer from gastro - duodenal ulcers or gastritis.

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