What Is Wormwood Used for Today?
Wormwood is sometimes recommended today for the treatment of digestive conditions such as intestinal parasites, dyspepsia , esophageal reflux , and irritable bowel syndrome . However, there is no meaningful evidence to indicate that it is effective for any of these conditions. Only double-blind , placebo-controlled studies can show a treatment effective, and only one has been performed using wormwood. (For information on why such studies are essential, see Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies? ) This 10 week study conducted in Germany evaluated the potential benefits of wormwood for treatment of people with Crohn’s disease , an inflammatory condition of the intestines. 9 All forty people enrolled in the study had achieved good control of their symptoms through use of steroids and other medications. Half were given an herbal blend containing wormwood (500 mg three time daily) while the other half were given an identical-appearing placebo. Both researchers and study partic
