How to Use Wormwood: A Detailed Folk Guide to Internal Cleansing, Skin, Digestion, and Home Remedies
Wormwood therapy is used in folk medicine for many inflammatory conditions, especially those of the digestive tract. It is also traditionally taken for prostatitis, urethritis, and problems of the skin, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, and kidneys.
7-day dry wormwood course (folk method)
The usual folk course with bitter wormwood is 7 days.
Diet during the 7 days
Avoid animal food, fish, dairy, eggs, sweets, alcohol, and smoking. Smoking is said to reduce the effect by about one third.
Allowed: vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, vegetable oil, potatoes. Bread is limited to 2–3 small pieces per meal, preferably dried, not fresh.
During the course people sometimes feel strong weakness and a temporary flare-up of old or hidden complaints: a joint may hurt, or there may be a stitch in the side. In folk interpretation this is seen as “deep cleansing.” If there is sharp pain that might be related to stones, folk advice is to take a vasodilator — but this is a situation for a doctor, not self-treatment.
A similar course is often repeated twice a year, in spring and autumn. Vegetarian food and wormwood enemas (once a day) are sometimes added.
Enema infusion: 1–2 teaspoons of dry chopped wormwood per 1 liter of boiling water. Infuse until body temperature, then strain.
- Days 1–3: every 2–2.5 hours take a pinch of dry wormwood, regardless of meals. Put the pinch in the mouth, moisten with saliva, swallow, and drink water.
- Days 4–7: 5–6 times a day.
- At night there is a break.
- The gap between daytime doses should not be longer than 2.5 hours.
Diet during the 7 days
Avoid animal food, fish, dairy, eggs, sweets, alcohol, and smoking. Smoking is said to reduce the effect by about one third.
Allowed: vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, vegetable oil, potatoes. Bread is limited to 2–3 small pieces per meal, preferably dried, not fresh.
During the course people sometimes feel strong weakness and a temporary flare-up of old or hidden complaints: a joint may hurt, or there may be a stitch in the side. In folk interpretation this is seen as “deep cleansing.” If there is sharp pain that might be related to stones, folk advice is to take a vasodilator — but this is a situation for a doctor, not self-treatment.
A similar course is often repeated twice a year, in spring and autumn. Vegetarian food and wormwood enemas (once a day) are sometimes added.
Enema infusion: 1–2 teaspoons of dry chopped wormwood per 1 liter of boiling water. Infuse until body temperature, then strain.
Folk recipes against parasites
In folk medicine, worms and other parasites are believed to steal nutrients and poison the body with their waste. Wormwood is used both alone and with other plants.
1. Wormwood + clove + flax
Grind wormwood, clove, and flax seeds to powder. Take ½ teaspoon of each, mix. Put the dry mix in the mouth and drink a glass of carrot juice.
Folk idea: wormwood acts on intermediate and adult stages of many parasites, clove on larvae and eggs. They are used together.
2. Wormwood and pumpkin seed tincture
Mix equal parts wormwood leaves and crushed pumpkin seeds. Cover with vodka 1:3. Infuse for a week in warmth or in the sun. Drink 1 shot glass twice a day on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before lunch and dinner. The course lasts several weeks, until the stomach is considered “cleared.” Used as a general anthelmintic folk remedy.
3. Dry wormwood powder
About 100 g of dried wormwood, ground to powder.
First 3 days: an incomplete teaspoon every 2–2.5 hours, 5–6 times a day, swallowed with water.
Next 4 days: 3–4 times a day. Total course: 1 week. Not tied to meals.
1. Wormwood + clove + flax
Grind wormwood, clove, and flax seeds to powder. Take ½ teaspoon of each, mix. Put the dry mix in the mouth and drink a glass of carrot juice.
Folk idea: wormwood acts on intermediate and adult stages of many parasites, clove on larvae and eggs. They are used together.
2. Wormwood and pumpkin seed tincture
Mix equal parts wormwood leaves and crushed pumpkin seeds. Cover with vodka 1:3. Infuse for a week in warmth or in the sun. Drink 1 shot glass twice a day on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before lunch and dinner. The course lasts several weeks, until the stomach is considered “cleared.” Used as a general anthelmintic folk remedy.
3. Dry wormwood powder
About 100 g of dried wormwood, ground to powder.
First 3 days: an incomplete teaspoon every 2–2.5 hours, 5–6 times a day, swallowed with water.
Next 4 days: 3–4 times a day. Total course: 1 week. Not tied to meals.
Other traditional uses
Wormwood is also used in folk practice for diarrhea, anemia, insomnia, pain around the appendix area, heartburn, and bad breath.
For appetite
Mix 8 parts wormwood and 2 parts yarrow. Take 1 teaspoon of the mix, pour 2 cups of boiling water, infuse. Drink ¼ cup 3 times a day.
Wormwood flowers in bread
A few wormwood flowers are rolled into small bread balls and swallowed.
Root decoction
2 tablespoons of chopped dry wormwood root + 1 cup of boiling water. Simmer 10 minutes on low heat, covered, so the essential oils do not evaporate. Cool, strain. Take 2 tablespoons 3 times a day, 20–30 minutes before meals — that is, the whole decoction during the day.
The root is also used in baths for gout and neurosis. Course: 2 weeks.
Wormwood oil
Fill a jar loosely with fresh wormwood, cover with olive, corn, or flax oil, close tightly so no air enters, and infuse for 10 days. The oil becomes dark green or pearly. Strain and keep in the fridge. Used for inflamed airways, flu, cough, and bronchitis. Ready-made wormwood oil is also sold.
For the liver
Powder of bitter wormwood and sage, 1:5. Take 0.2–0.5 g 3 times a day.
Other traditional uses: scrofula, tuberculosis, hemorrhoids, joint rheumatism, epilepsy, leucorrhea, scanty or irregular periods. The infusion is said to stimulate circulation and metabolism, so it is also used for obesity.
For weight loss
The same wormwood infusion: 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, 15 minutes before meals. Another mix: buckthorn, wormwood, and tansy.
For fever and malaria
Infusion or decoction internally.
Wormwood + garlic enema
2 cups wormwood decoction + 1 cup decoction from one head of garlic. Used in folk practice against worms.
Azulene in bitter wormwood is the reason it is given internally for allergic skin conditions.
External use
For appetite
Mix 8 parts wormwood and 2 parts yarrow. Take 1 teaspoon of the mix, pour 2 cups of boiling water, infuse. Drink ¼ cup 3 times a day.
Wormwood flowers in bread
A few wormwood flowers are rolled into small bread balls and swallowed.
Root decoction
2 tablespoons of chopped dry wormwood root + 1 cup of boiling water. Simmer 10 minutes on low heat, covered, so the essential oils do not evaporate. Cool, strain. Take 2 tablespoons 3 times a day, 20–30 minutes before meals — that is, the whole decoction during the day.
The root is also used in baths for gout and neurosis. Course: 2 weeks.
Wormwood oil
Fill a jar loosely with fresh wormwood, cover with olive, corn, or flax oil, close tightly so no air enters, and infuse for 10 days. The oil becomes dark green or pearly. Strain and keep in the fridge. Used for inflamed airways, flu, cough, and bronchitis. Ready-made wormwood oil is also sold.
For the liver
Powder of bitter wormwood and sage, 1:5. Take 0.2–0.5 g 3 times a day.
Other traditional uses: scrofula, tuberculosis, hemorrhoids, joint rheumatism, epilepsy, leucorrhea, scanty or irregular periods. The infusion is said to stimulate circulation and metabolism, so it is also used for obesity.
For weight loss
The same wormwood infusion: 1 tablespoon 3 times a day, 15 minutes before meals. Another mix: buckthorn, wormwood, and tansy.
For fever and malaria
Infusion or decoction internally.
Wormwood + garlic enema
2 cups wormwood decoction + 1 cup decoction from one head of garlic. Used in folk practice against worms.
Azulene in bitter wormwood is the reason it is given internally for allergic skin conditions.
External use
- Fresh juice: calluses (as a bandage), bleeding wounds, disinfection, wound healing.
- Crushed fresh herb: bruises, sprains, dislocations.
- Infusion: scabies, calluses.
- Chamazulene preparations: anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic action; used for X-ray burns, eczema, rheumatism, bronchial asthma.
- Tincture diluted 1:10 with warm boiled water: eye compresses, periosteum inflammation, bruises, joint rheumatism.
- Tincture half-and-half with water: gum and mouth disinfection.
Contraindications
Large doses or long use (several months) are not allowed. Wormwood can disturb the nervous system, cause intoxication, and in severe cases kidney failure.
A course should not last more than 2 weeks, maximum 1 month if you feel well. Then take a break of at least 2 weeks, better 1 month or more.
Do not use if you have:
hypersensitivity, high stomach acid, hyperacid gastritis, stomach or duodenal ulcer, reflux esophagitis, acute cholecystitis, calculous cholecystitis, pregnancy, breastfeeding, age under 12.
A course should not last more than 2 weeks, maximum 1 month if you feel well. Then take a break of at least 2 weeks, better 1 month or more.
Do not use if you have:
hypersensitivity, high stomach acid, hyperacid gastritis, stomach or duodenal ulcer, reflux esophagitis, acute cholecystitis, calculous cholecystitis, pregnancy, breastfeeding, age under 12.
- Before starting any wormwood course, consult a doctor.