Still imagining this time period... Many "free thinkers" are using absinthe, and its use is associated with creative types, intellectuals, rebels, and to a lesser extent, the underground. Absinthe use is beginning to affect people physically, and to rock the boat socially, and its reputation is beginning to tarnish.
Absinthe is green in color from the chlorophyll in the wormwood and other herbs used to flavor it. However, many disreputable manufacturers at this time (remember you are in the 1800s) use copper sulfate, turmeric, cupric acetate (acetate of copper) or aniline green to make the beverage green in color.
And here's the kicker, symptoms of absinthism include; delirium, nausea, hallucinations and epileptic attacks. Many of these absinthism symptoms are identical to the symptoms for copper toxicity, and were possibly signs of poisoning from the various colorants used. However, because of the reports of the dangers of absinthe (both socially and physically) it was outlawed in most countries by the early 1900s (1906 in Switzerland, 1912 in the U.S., 1915 in France, etc.).
Now come back to the present. Absinthe remains legal in some areas such as Spain, and interestingly even widely available Vermouth contains wormwood and similar absinthe flavorings.
There is no doubt that wormwood contains mind altering, and potentially dangerous chemicals, however some of the bad rap it receives is rooted in the times of heavy absinthe use in the 1800s when people were showing signs of absinthism (or copper poisoning).
Just like coffee has caffeine, chocolate has theobromine, and nutmeg has myristicin . . . wormwood has thujone. Every plant contains many chemicals, however what most books and herbalists are referring to in regards to the toxicity of wormwood, and to a lesser extent, mugwort, is thujone. However, most herbalists and authors of herbal books don't even know what consituent in an herb is responsible for its toxicity! Many herbalists are educated through books written by crafters rather than scientists, but that's another story for another article.
Back to the subject of thujone. Thujone is found in many household products, and in many plants like tansy, sage, thyme, rosemary, white cedar leaf and of course, most of the Artemisias including wormwood and mugwort. Thujone can be dangerous, but then most things can be if you try hard enough to use them improperly.
The amount of thujone in any given plant can vary greatly. Two identical wormwood plants, grown in different elevations, soils and lighting conditions may contain vastly different amounts of thujone. In addition, some people are very sensitive to even a small percentage of thujone taken internally, while others can consume large quantities without ill effects. Therefore, the safe ground for thujone is always rather shakey.
In general, wormwood should not be taken internally. Specifically, no thujone containing plants should be consumed by pregnant women, ever. Let me say that again and clarify further. If you are pregnant, intend to become pregnant soon, have any trouble with irregular menstruation, or have any other reproductive system concerns, you should never, ever, under any circumstances, consume mugwort, wormwood or other artemisia family plants or plants high in thujone.
In addition, even if you have no reproductive system concerns and are not pregnant or intending to become so, you should not consume these plants simply because a book on herbs said it was okay to do so. Research, think, discover for yourself, ask questions from those with experience and find out for yourself why a plant is said to be used for something magically. Wormwood tea is reputed to increase psychic and magical awareness, and this action can be attributed to the mind altering effects of thujone more than any unknowable or mystical powers of the plant. Also, there are better herbs for enhancing psychicism, and many are far safer.
Mugwort also contains thujone, and is related to wormwood. Many references incorrectly cite mugwort as a safe alternative to wormwood. However, it is not necessarily any more safe. As stated before, each person varies in his or her sensitivity to thujone, and each plant varies in its thujone content.
Whenever you see an something recommended for internal use, find out what the toxicity is for the material. Check botanical names in your reference materials. Scott Cunningham, a popular Pagan author, was bad about citing accurate botanical names, and many of the Latin names and common names in his books contain glaring errors.
If you intend to consume any herb, additional caution should be taken if you are on any kind of medication. Always consult a qualified health care practitioner before consuming potentially dangerous plants. The chemical constituents in certain herbs can cause deadly interactions with some medications.
Below is a list of the thujone content of some plants you will encounter in your herbalism studies. These percentages are for the combined iso-thujone and thujone content. As stated earlier, thujone content can vary greatly from plant to plant, and sensitivity to thujone can vary greatly from person to person. I do not recommend the consumption of thujone containing plants except in very minute quantities, and novices should avoid these plants altogether in their practice blends. The following percentages are averaged and plants are listed somewhat in order of greatest percentage to least, as much as is possible.
- Cedar Leaf (Thuja occidentalis) 58% - 72%
- Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) 55%-69%
- Sage (Salvia officinalis) 36% - 50%
- Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) 0.03% - 7% (much less than most wormwood, hence the perceived safety)
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