Abstract
Artemisia absinthium—wormwood (Asteraceae)—is a very important species in the history of medicine, formerly described in medieval Europe as “the most important master against all exhaustions”. It is a species known as a medicinal plant in Europe and also in West Asia and North America. The raw material obtained from this species is Absinthii herba and Artemisiae absinthii aetheroleum. The main substances responsible for the biological activity of the herb are: the essential oil, bitter sesquiterpenoid lactones, flavonoids, other bitterness-imparting compounds, azulenes, phenolic acids, tannins and lignans. In the official European medicine, the species is used in both allopathy and homeopathy. In the traditional Asian and European medicine, it has been used as an effective agent in gastrointestinal ailments and also in the treatment of helminthiasis, anaemia, insomnia, bladder diseases, difficult-to-heal wounds, and fever. Today, numerous other directions of biological activity of the components of this species have been demonstrated and confirmed by scientific research, such as antiprotozoal, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-ulcer, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, cytotoxic, analgesic, neuroprotective, anti-depressant, procognitive, neurotrophic, and cell membrane stabilizing and antioxidant activities. A. absinthium is also making a successful career as a cosmetic plant. In addition, the importance of this species as a spice plant and valuable additive in the alcohol industry (famous absinthe and vermouth-type wines) has not decreased. The species has also become an object of biotechnological research.
Highlights
Over the past few years, there has been an increase in interest in research on the chemistry and biological activities of Artemisia species
In Indian Unani medicine, A. absinthium is the main ingredient in the drug “Afsanteen”, which is used for chronic fever, hepatitis and oedema [1], while the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) uses
Still other experiments using the diffusion-disc method examined the activity of A. absinthium essential oils against the bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, and the fungi: Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, F. oxysporum, Sclerotinia sp. and Rhizoctonia solani
Summary
Over the past few years, there has been an increase in interest in research on the chemistry and biological activities of Artemisia species. Contemporary pharmacological studies have focused on confirming and determining the mechanisms of these traditional directions of activity They have demonstrated new, previously unknown possible therapeutic applications resulting from proven antiprotozoal, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-ulcer, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, cytotoxic, analgesic, neuroprotective, anti-depressant, procognitive, neurotrophic, cell membrane stabilizing, and antioxidant effects. A. absinthium has today an important place in the production of cosmetics It has an established position in the food industry, as a base for alcoholic beverages and as a spice. Every effort was made to present in detail the qualities of this species, with particular emphasis on the current work on the chemistry of the plant, on the chemistry of its essential oil, its variability in chemical composition, mechanisms of action in the traditional applications and new directions of biological activities confirmed by scientific research, as well as current views on the safety of using this plant species. The position of the plant in food industry and cosmetic industry was underlined and biotechnology investigations were presented
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