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Botanicals connected by the same goals, effects, or research topics.
Herb Profile
Wormwood
Artemisia absinthium
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) carries a Grade C rating — limited evidence.
Last reviewed: Report a correctionProfile-wide ·C Limited
Use extra caution — Thujone containing preparations can be neurotoxic at high exposure and may provoke seizures. Details
- Evidence
- Limited Evidence
- Typical onset
- Varies by prep
- Safety rating
- High caution
- Best for
- Sleep, Cognitive function, Inflammatory signaling
- Avoid / review if
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding, Seizure Disorder, Liver Disease
At a glance
From this profile's structured data- Evidence
- Grade C
- Safety
- Thujone-containing preparations can be neurotoxic at high exposure and may provoke seizures.
- Profile context
- sleep
Next stepsWhere to go next — guides & comparisons
Continue reading
- If you want help sleeping → Sleep guides
- If you want to browse more herbs → All herbs
Safety
Safety & Cautions
Thujone containing preparations can be neurotoxic at high exposure and may provoke seizures. Avoid concentrated essential oil or high thujone products.
High caution
Caution level: High. Multiple caution categories apply, or the record uses avoid/contraindication language.
- Liver-SensitiveLiver-related caution language appears in the profile.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding CautionPregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Detailed safety fields
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and contraindications
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding
- Seizure Disorder
- Liver Disease
- Children
- And Internal Essential Oil Use.
- Avoid With Antiepileptics
- Sedatives
- Alcohol
- And Other Neuroactive Supplements Or Medicines.
Safety classifications
- Liver-Sensitive: Liver-related caution language appears in the profile.
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution: Pregnancy or breastfeeding caution language is present.
Full safety note
- Thujone containing preparations can be neurotoxic at high exposure and may provoke seizures. Avoid concentrated essential oil or high thujone products.
Safety labels
- Liver-Sensitive
- Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Caution
Evidence-based safety
Caution when combined
Severity and certainty are shown separately. A high-priority caution can still be theoretical: these pairings are screened from shared contraindication mechanisms and are not automatically documented clinical interactions. Provenance identifies the source fields that produced each flag; it does not upgrade the certainty of the pairwise claim.
Moderate Caution
68 flagged pairingsSedation / CNS depression
Moderate Caution
68 flagged pairingsSedation / CNS depression
Representative pairings are shown below. Large mechanism groups are intentionally summarized to keep profiles focused and crawl-efficient.
Sedation / CNS depressionCertainty: Theoretical
Data provenance recorded for 68 of 68 pairings in this mechanism group.
- American Yellow Lotus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Artemisia Absinthium — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Bacopa — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Seed — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Black Tea — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Blue Lotus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Calamus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Catuba — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Celastrus Paniculatus — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Chamomile — Theoretical interaction certainty
- Chinese Skullcap — Theoretical interaction certainty
+56 more pairings share this mechanism. Use the Safety Checker to review a specific combination.
Evidence
Evidence Summary
Evidence lens
Read as directional context, not settled clinical proof.
LimitedLimited Evidence
Human clinical evidence: Not the primary signal
Mechanistic / preclinical: Mechanism mapped — Inflammatory Signaling Modulation · Neurotransmitter Modulation
Research maturity: Theoretical / mechanistic research — Mechanistic or unresolved evidence is kept separate from established human outcomes.
Safety boundary: Safety note available — Thujone containing preparations can be neurotoxic at high exposure and may provoke seizures.
How evidence grades work
Each grade reflects the strength and consistency of published human evidence — not marketing claims. Grades are based on study count, design quality, effect size, consistency, and recency.
- Strong
- Multiple RCTs, consistent direction, adequate effect size
- Moderate
- Some RCTs or consistent observational data in humans
- Preliminary / Mixed
- Animal or in-vitro only, or conflicting human data
- Traditional / Theoretical
- Traditional use only; no controlled human trials
Dosing & Timing
- No standardized dose
- Preparation specific; use standardized product label for Use only regulated low thujone preparations and require source backed dosage review before therapeutic claims.
How Wormwood works
Simplified mechanism pathway based on preclinical and pharmacological evidence. Does not confirm clinical efficacy.
Mechanism Pathway — How Wormwood Works
CompoundTarget / ReceptorMechanismEffect / Outcome
Mechanisms & biological pathways
Preclinical pathways. Proposed mechanisms from in vitro and animal research; these do not confirm clinical outcomes in humans.
- Inflammatory Signaling Modulation
- Neurotransmitter Modulation
Compare related active botanicals
Explore botanicals with similar chemistry, effects, or safety considerations in the Botanical Activity Atlas.
Guides that use Wormwood
Compare & Sourcing
Compare side-by-side tradeoffs or verify active marker guidelines.
Safety first · Harm reduction
This information is educational and not medical advice. Start low, avoid risky combinations, and consult a licensed clinician before making health decisions—especially if you use medications, have diagnosed conditions, or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
Learn how we evaluate confidence, safety, and intensity on the methodology page.
Editorial Review
Checked against primary sources, cited evidence, and contraindication language before publication. Evidence claims, safety language, and affiliate modules are reviewed independently. Not personal medical advice.
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Botanical profile context
How to interpret Wormwood
Wormwood herb profile with evidence context, key research topics, source notes, safety context, and references presented in an evidence-first format. Use this herb profile as a starting point for evidence review, not as a recommendation to start a new supplement. Botanical products can vary by plant part, extract ratio, standardization, dose, and contaminant testing, so two labels with the same common name may not behave the same way.
When reviewing Wormwood, compare the traditional-use context against the human evidence, mechanism notes, and safety cautions. Pay special attention to pregnancy, breastfeeding, liver or kidney disease, blood-pressure effects, sedation, stimulation, anticoagulant use, antidepressants, and any prescription medication overlap.
For product decisions, prefer transparent labels, named extracts, clear serving sizes, and third-party quality testing. Avoid treating a long list of possible mechanisms as proof that an herb will solve a specific condition.