Wormwood
Wormwood is a very strong bitter herb used traditionally for appetite and digestive support. It’s famous historically (absinthe), but for HerbMate it belongs in the ‘use with caution’ box: short-term, conservative dosing only. It’s not appropriate during pregnancy, and high doses can be unsafe due to certain constituents (including thujone).
Key Benefits
- Strong bitter to support appetite (supportive, short-term)
- May support sluggish digestion and post-meal heaviness (supportive)
- Traditional digestive bitter used carefully
- Not a casual daily tea herb
Common Issues It May Help With
- Low appetite (supportive)
- Sluggish digestion (supportive)
- Bloating after meals (supportive)
How To Use (Simple)
- Use only very small amounts as a bitter before meals, and only short-term. Avoid DIY high-strength teas or long-term daily use. Consider gentler bitters first (dandelion, gentian blends, etc.).
Taste / Notes
Extremely bitter, sharp, lingering.
Evidence Level
Traditional digestive bitter use is longstanding; modern evidence is limited, and safety concerns limit routine use.
Cautions
HIGH RISK: Avoid during pregnancy/breastfeeding. Avoid in seizure disorders. Avoid long-term daily use and high doses. Can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and neurotoxicity at excessive doses. Do not use in children.
Interactions
Seizure medications (avoid; thujone-related concern) Alcohol (avoid, additive CNS effects) If on complex medications or liver-impacting drugs, consult clinician before use
Debug: Loaded Herb Fields (verification)
{
"slug": "wormwood",
"title": "Wormwood",
"latinName": "Artemisia absinthium",
"category": "herb",
"tagsCount": 6,
"summaryLen": 343,
"benefitsBullets": 4,
"issuesItTreats": 3,
"howToUse": 1,
"hasTaste": true,
"hasEvidence": true,
"hasCautions": true,
"hasInteractions": true
}