Wormwood is a perfumed, acrid, bushy perpetual herb. It has upright, angular and grooved stems, 30 to 90 cm high. It has egg-shaped leaves, 2.5 to 5.0 cm long, which are hairy on either side and unevenly cut into sections. It also has plenty, small yellow flagging flower heads and tiny, dry and single-seeded fruit.

The Latin name of the herb comes from the Greek goddess Artemis, who attended to women during childbearing. It assisted to induce periods and could be used externally as a compress during labour to quicken birth and afterwards, internally and externally to release the placenta.

The dynamic principles of Indian wormwood consist of essential oil, with a strong odour similar to cajuput oil and camphor, santonin and an associated body- artemisin.

Methods of usage
Wormwood possesses immense curative properties to heal intestinal worms, bilious ailments, skin irritations, involuntary ejaculation, anaemia, cardiac disorders, also boosting appetite.

Healing Power and Medicinal Properties of wormwood
The entire herb is used for curing purposes, but its leaves are always given first preference. The fresh plant is considered more efficient compared to the dry one. The herb is a revitaliser, useful in fortifying the functioning of stomach and boosting its action. It induces appetite, the digestive juices, peristalsis or movement of the bowels, the liver and gall bladder. Staying factual to its name, it also exhausts intestinal worms, particularly round and threadworms.

Intestinal Worms cured by wormwood
Wormwood was used by ancient Greek, Roman, Arab and Persian physicians to eject intestinal worms. The blossoming tops have been, and are still, used in Tibbi medicine in India as a drug to obliterate intestinal worms. They are generally pulverised and given in 8 to 16 gram dosages for roundworms and tapeworms.

The oil extracted from the plant also possesses the attribute to eradicate worms. Blended with eight times its weight of olive oil, it can be administered in dosages of 50 to 100 grams. A concoction of the herb can be administered as an enema for obliterating worms in the rectum.

Bilious Disorders healed by wormwood
The herb is advantageous for treating bilious melancholia, in addition to dissipating the yellow bile of jaundice from the skin. A concoction of the herb or its pulverisation can be administered in small dosages.

Skin Disorders cured by wormwood
Wormwood aids in dissipating or absorbing a tumour or any other glutinous fluid in case of skin diseases. It also acts as an antibacterial and purifier. It can be pickled in vinegar and administered with advantageous results to sprains and bruises.

Other Diseases healed by wormwood
Wormwood is also helpful in various other diseases, such as atonic disorders of the digestive system, nocturnal pollutions or ejaculation without the sex act, involuntarily, during sleep without any erotic dream, anaemia, wasting diseases and general frailness. It should be administered in small dosages of 0.75 to 1.25 decigrams in such treatments. The volatile oil of the herb is used as a cardiac and respiratory stimulant.

Precaution - The drug should be refrained from during pregnancy and if needed, should be consumed only for short periods.