Question - What is wormwood?
Answer- The cited review notes that the wormwood plant (Artemisia absinthium) is a “half shrub which is local in Central Europe and Asia.” These authors point out that “Wormwood contains an oil (0.2-1.5%) of a color ranging from dark-green or brown to blue. It is of a scratchingly adstringent bitter taste and smells rather strong. The bicyclic monoterpene thujone was often described as the main component of wormwood oil (40-90% of the essential oil).” These authors also note “Further characteristic components of wormwood are terpene lactone bitter substances such as absinthin and artabsin.” Once dried, plant parts from the wormwood plant are used for the manufacturing of certain beverages including absinthe. (Lachenmeir DW and Walch SG. Absinthe-A review. 2006 Crit Rev Food Sci Nutrition 46:365-377)