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Background. The 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine, awarded for the discovery of artemisinin in Artemisia annua, reignited interest in aromatic plants, including Artemisia absinthium L. This article delves into the historical, ethnopharmacological and medicinal significance of A. absinthium, examining its bitter taste noted since ancient Greek times and its association with medicinal properties throughout history. Despite being banned in the 20th century due to perceived health risks; recent research has led to the reconsideration of A. absinthium's potential applications. This study focuses on the prebiotic efficacy of essential oils (EOs) from two Artemisia species: A. absinthium and A. annua. Materials and methods. A broth microdilution test, growth curve test and in vivo models were used to study the impact of low doses (from 0.5% v/v to 0.00048 v/v) of Artemisia spp-EO on the three probiotic strains (Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus casei and Saccharomyces boulardii). Results. These essential oils, when used in minimal concentrations (lower than 0.06% v/v), are safe and exhibit prebiotic effects on major probiotic strains, supporting the traditional culinary use of Artemisia spp. Conclusion. This research opens avenues for potential applications in the food industry, emphasizing the need for further exploration into the prebiotic properties of Artemisia spp-EOs and their influence on the microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine, awarded for the discovery of artemisinin in Artemisia annua, reignited interest in aromatic plants, including Artemisia absinthium L. This article delves into the historical, ethnopharmacological and medicinal significance of A. absinthium, examining its bitter taste noted since ancient Greek times and its association with medicinal properties throughout history. Despite being banned in the 20th century due to perceived health risks; recent research has led to the reconsideration of A. absinthium’s potential applications. This study focuses on the prebiotic efficacy of essential oils (EOs) from two Artemisia species: A. absinthium and A. annua. Materials and methods. A broth microdilution test, growth curve test and in vivo models were used to study the impact of low doses (from 0.5% v/v to 0.00048 v/v) of Artemisia spp-EO on the three probiotic strains (Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus casei and Saccharomyces boulardii). Results. These essential oils, when used in minimal concentrations (lower than 0.06% v/v), are safe and exhibit prebiotic effects on major probiotic strains, supporting the traditional culinary use of Artemisia spp. Conclusion. This research opens avenues for potential applications in the food industry, emphasizing the need for further exploration into the prebiotic properties of Artemisia spp-EOs and their influence on the microbiota.

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The widespread misuse of antibiotics leads to a rapid development of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens all over the globe, resulting in serious difficulties when treating infectious diseases. Possible solutions are not limited to the development of novel synthetic antibiotics but extend to application of plant-derived products either alone or in combination with common antibiotics. The aim of this actual review was to survey the literature from the past 10 years regarding the antibacterial effects of distinct Artemisia species including Artemisia absinthiae constituting an integral component of the Absinthe drink. We further explored the synergistic antibacterial effects of the Artemisia plant products with established antibiotics. The survey portrays the Artemisia derived compounds as potent antibacterial agents that can even restore the efficacy of antibiotics against MDR bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and MDR Escherichia coli. This, in turn, is presumably triggered in part by the interaction of the Artemisia ingredients with the efflux pumps of MDR bacteria. In conclusion, biologically active molecules in Artemisia plants enhance the antibiotic susceptibility of resistant bacteria, which provide promising future therapeutic strategies to combat MDR bacterial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peu de boissons sont aussi présentes dans la culture française que l’absinthe, ce spiritueux à base de Artemisia absinthium, autrement nommée herbe de la Saint-Jean. Traitée par les uns comme fée verte, accusée par les autres « qu’elle rend fou et criminel, fait de l’homme une bête et menace l’avenir de notre temps » (formulations des ligues de vertu du début du XXe s.), l’absinthe a fourni un motif largement exploité dans la littérature, dans la peinture, dans la chanson etc. L’usage de l’absinthe s’est largement popularisé à la fin du XIXe et au début de XXe siècle. Par conséquent, la boisson a obtenu en français plusieurs appellations informelles, oscillant entre les formulations mélioratives comme nymphe verte et péjoratives comme poison vert. Dans notre article, il sera question de présenter le lexique de l’absinthe, standard et non standard, ainsi que la façon dont différents auteurs français ont parlé de cette boisson dans leurs ouvrages.

During a faunistic survey on eriophyoid mites associated with weeds in Golestan province of Iran, four eriophyoid species were collected. A new species, Aculops hyperisaemumsp. nov., was found on Hypericum androsaemum L. (Hypericaceae) and herein described and illustrated. Paraphytoptus paradoxusNalepa, 1896, Aceria lamii (Liro, 1943) and Aceria verbenacaede Lillo et al., 2017, were found respectively on Artemisia absinthium L. (Asteraceae), Lamium album L. and Salvia nemorosa L. (Lamiaceae) and are reported for the first time in Iran. Aculops hyperisaemumsp. nov. and A. lamii were vagrant on the underside of the leaves of their host plants and no symptoms were detected. Aceria lamii is redescribed using modern microscopy and terminology. Paraphytoptus paradoxus was vagrant on the leaf underside and caused discoloration of the leaves; this is the first record of Paraphytoptus from Iran. Aceria verbenacae induced erinea on leaves, petioles, stems and flowers on a new host plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The study compared changes in essential oil content and its thujone ratio in two popular herbs (Artemisia absinthium L. and Salvia officinalis L.), pertaining to plant development and plant organs. Both species were harvested in 2018 at the vegetative, floral budding, flowering and after flowering phases; flowers and leaves were sampled separately. The essential content is always higher in the flowers than in the leaves at the same phenophase in both species we examined. Decreased essential oil content in both organs during the developmental phases was also common to both species. In S. officinalis, both leaf and flower oils showed quantitatively different compositional profiles. During plant development, the main component α-thujone decreased significantly in leaf oils, while both thujone isomers demonstrated statistically stable values in flower oils. In A. absinthium, leaf and flower oils exhibited similar thujone ratios. During plant development, neither of the thujone isomers changed significantly in leaf oils but the ratio of α-thujone increased in the flowers. It was established, that only the distribution and dynamics of total volatiles showed common features in the two species, while the variability of thujone ratios represents differences specific to each target species. For the praxis, in S. officinalis timing of harvest seems to be more important while in A. absinthium the ratio of organs may play a more significant role in reaching lower thujone levels of the drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most celebrated creative artists of all time. All his life, he was afflicted by some kind of neurological or psychiatric disorder, which remains a mystery even today. Many historians and his personal physicians believe that he suffered from epilepsy while others felt that he was affected by Ménière′s disease. Features such as hypergraphia, atypical sexuality, and viscosity of thinking suggest the possibility of Gastaut-Geschwind phenomenon, a known complication of complex partial seizure. On the contrary, some historians feel that he was forced to sever his right ear in order to get relief from troublesome tinnitus, a complication of Ménière′s disease. He was addicted to the liquor absinthe, which is known to lead to xanthopsia, and many authorities argue that this was the reason for his penchant for the deep and bright yellow color in many of his paintings. Others have suggested the possibility of bipolar disorder, sunstroke, acute intermittent porphyria, and digitalis toxicity as well.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is becoming more prevalent with the elderly being the fastest growing group. Parallel to this, there is an increasing interest in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Nearly half of patients with IBD have used CAM at one time. The elderly patients, however, are burdened by comorbid conditions, polypharmacy, and altered functional status. With increasing use of complementary and alternative medicine in our elderly patients with IBD, it is vital for the provider to provide counsel on drug-herb potential interactions. CAM includes herbal products, diet, dietary supplements, acupuncture, and prayer. In this paper, we will review common CAM, specifically herbs, that are used in patients with IBD including the herb background, suggested use, evidence in IBD, and most importantly, potential interactions with IBD medications used in elderly patients. Most important evidence-based adverse events and drug-herb interactions are summarized. The herbs discussed include Triticum aestivum (wheat grass), Andrographis paniculata (chiretta), Boswellia serrata, tormentil, bilberry, curcumin (turmeric), Plantago ovata (blond psyllium), Oenothera biennis (evening primrose oil), germinated barley foodstuff, an herbal preparation of myrrh, chamomile and coffee extract, chios mastic gum, wormwood (absinthe, thujone), Cannabis sativa (marijuana, THC), tripterygium wilfordii (thunder god vine), Ulmus rubra (slippery elm bark), trigonella foenugraecum (fenugreek), Dioscorea mexicana (wild yam), Harpagophytum procumbens (devil's claw), ginger, cinnamon, licorice, and peppermint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new baseline correction method, named the Adaptation of The Experimental Background (ATEB), based on the subtraction of the blank sample signal (registered for solution without an analyte, for example a supporting electrolyte), was introduced. However, the method was something more than the simple subtraction of the blank sample signal. An innovation of the algorithm consisted in improving of the blank sample signal through application of the polynomials. Operation of the algorithm was demonstrated in determination of thujone in the synthetic and real samples. The synthetic samples were composed of two different mixtures of the quasi-absinthe herbal matrices spiked with 0.7-14 mg L−1 of thujone. The measurements were conducted with or without presence of Cu2+, which is an interfering agent originating from production of absinthe like alcoholic beverages. The real sample was Rodnik's absinthe, likewise spiked with thujone. Application of the ATEB method enabled calculation of the calibration lines with very good correlation (not lower than 0.997). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Effects of thujone, a major ingredient of absinthe, wormwood oil and some herbal medicines, were tested on the function of α 7 subunit of the human nicotinic acetylcholine (α 7 nACh) receptor expressed in Xenopus oocytes using the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique. Thujone reversibly inhibited ACh (100 μM)-induced currents with an IC 50 value of 24.7 μM. The effect of thujone was not dependent on the membrane potential and did not involve Ca 2+ -dependent Cl − channels expressed endogenously in oocytes. Inhibition by thujone was not reversed by increasing ACh concentrations. Moreover, specific binding of [ 125 I] α-bungarotoxin was not altered by thujone. Further experiments in SH-EP1 cells expressing human α 7 nACh receptor indicated that thujone suppressed choline induced Ca 2+ transients in a concentration-dependent manner. In rat hippocampal CA3-dentate gyrus synapses, nicotine-induced enhancement of long-term potentiation was also inhibited by thujone. Furthermore, the results observed in in-vivo one-trial passive avoidance paradigm show that thujone (1.25 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly impaired nicotine-induced enhancement of learning and memory in Wistar rats. Collectively, our results indicate that thujone inhibits the function of the α7-nACh receptor and impairs cellular and behavioral correlates of cholinergic modulation of learning and memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the cultural appropriation of wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), a plant of European origin, by the Mexican herbalists. This species was introduced by the Spaniards during the conquest of America. Based on the review of historical sources we propose that this appropriation was culturally catalyzed by the existence of the estafiate (iztauyatl or sagebrush: A. mexicana, syn A. ludoviciana) a medicinal plant of the same genus, native of Mesoamerica, and has properties epidemiological and organoleptic similar to woorwood (A. absinthium). Based on the analysis of recent ethnobotanical works we can trace the cultural appropriation of A. absinthium through both the preservation of their ancient uses, as well as the new uses in Mexico, enhancing their medicinal utility. This is an effect both a process of ethnobotanical appropriation and of cultural innovation, outside of established mechanisms of knowledge production. The problem of the cultural erosion of the ethnobotanical knowledge of the wormwood is also discussed, since it is considered a toxic species by the health authorities (Secretaría de Salud) of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabricated from the end of the 18th century, popularized after 1830 by French soldiers returning from Algeria, crowned the green fairy of the Parisian boulevards around 1860, the absinthe dominates the fin-de-siècle imagination as the principal means of transport “anywhere out of the world”. This article resumes the paradoxical mythology of this beverage that appears in French novels in the second half of the 19th century. Octave Féré, Jules Cauvain and the Goncourt brothers give a warning against its pernicious power, while Emile Zola’s attitude to the absinthe is more ambiguous. The magical potential of the green fairy seems to be tempting the father of naturalism who mixes science and mythology, the probable and the grotesque, the strict laws of heredity and the supernatural lightness of a blue flame coming from the “spontaneous combustion”.

The concentrations of α/β-thujone and the bitter components of Artemisia absinthium were quantified from alcoholic wormwood extracts during four phenological stages of their harvest period. A solid-phase micro-extraction method coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentration of the two isomeric forms of thujone. In parallel, the combination of ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry allowed to quantify the compounds absinthin, artemisetin and dihydro- epi -deoxyarteannuin B. This present study aimed at helping absinthe producers to determine the best harvesting period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper demonstrates that differential pulse voltammetry with a controlled growth mercury drop electrode, supported by the unsupervised multivariate chemometric methods enables distinguishing of absinthes brands. Signals recorded for the unpretreated samples are repetitive for the same absinthe producer. Unprocessed complex voltammetric signals recorded by different accumulation time were an input data to PCA, HCA and k-means modeling. Homogeneous clusters were formed which reflected the natural order in the set of samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ostium is the property of Ostium and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most celebrated creative artists of all time. All his life, he was afflicted by some kind of neurological or psychiatric disorder, which remains a mystery even today. Many historians and his personal physicians believe that he suffered from epilepsy while others felt that he was affected by Ménière’s disease. Features such as hypergraphia, atypical sexuality, and viscosity of thinking suggest the possibility of Gastaut-Geschwind phenomenon, a known complication of complex partial seizure. On the contrary, some historians feel that he was forced to sever his right ear in order to get relief from troublesome tinnitus, a complication of Ménière’s disease. He was addicted to the liquor absinthe, which is known to lead to xanthopsia, and many authorities argue that this was the reason for his penchant for the deep and bright yellow color in many of his paintings. Others have suggested the possibility of bipolar disorder, sunstroke, acute intermittent porphyria, and digitalis toxicity as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Absinthe, a famous liquor of the 19th century, has become immensely popular with its return to legality and mass marketing and drug culture enhancement of its purported unique effects. The electronic world of the Internet has greatly expedited the extent and depth of societal knowledge about the allure of the green fairy, absinthe. An extensive number of websites exists, representing 22 categories of topics about or using the word absinthe. Recent research has dispelled many myths about absinthe and its effects, yet beliefs about its magical powers persist, thus maintaining its reputation as an extraordinary experience within a bohemian lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of essential oil (EO) (0.57 - 0.80% yield) from a hepatoprotective herbal mix was analyzed by GC/MS. The major constituents of the EO were 4-epiacorenone (15.04%), dihydroisocalamendiol (11.55%), shyobunone (7.75%), thymol (6.91%), isoshyobunone (3.87%), Z-azarone (3.55%), a-selinene (3.19%), isocalamendiol (2.09%), camphor (1.23%), a-calacorene (1.23%), acoranone isomers 1 (3.07%) and 2 (1.61%), 1,8-cineol (1.61%), spathulenol (1.73%), caryophyllene oxide (1.65%), and caryophyllene (1.01%), which accounted for 67.09% of the oil composition. It was established that thyme, tansy, and absinthe contributed most significantly to the total antioxidant activity of the herbal mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction The Illness of Vincent van Gogh interactive website offers a set of structured scientific analyses to assist the participant in arriving at a keen understanding of acute intermittent porphyria, a congenital disease diagnosed in van Gogh. Methods Unit 1 summarizes the features of the time-course of van Gogh's major medical crises. Concepts such as “organized skepticism” and “working hypothesis” are defined and developed. Prompts and questions encourage the individual participant to self-dismiss irrational options and to disregard the appeals to authority that are so popular among many psychologists and art historians. Unit 2 explains the biochemistry of heme synthesis and describes the hallmarks of acute intermittent porphyria, which is the only working hypothesis to accommodate all of van Gogh's signs and symptoms. Results This self-study exercise was taken by all (N = 255) first year students at Wayne State University School of Medicine in 2005. Their answers to the three questions on the final exam indicated assimilation of the material, and the high scores indicated achievement of objectives. Discussion These results suggest that the biography of a well-known artist can facilitate the understanding of biochemical phenomena.

Abstract: The trace proteome of a Braulio aperitif (a 21% alcohol beverage, named after a mountain in the Val di Stelvio, Italy) has been investigated via capture with combinatorial peptide ligand libraries (CPLL, ProteoMiner). This aperitif is made with an infusion of 13 mountain herbs and berries, among which four are officially indicated in the label: Achillea moschata, juniper (Juniperus communis subsp. alpina) berries, absinthe (Artemisia absinthium) and gentian (Gentiana alpina) roots. Via capture with CPLLs at pH 7.0 and 2.2 we were able to identify 29 unique gene products, among which the PR5 (parasite resistance) allergen Jun r 3.2, a 25kDa species from Juniperus rigida. Due to the paucity of data on these alpine herbs, it was difficult to attribute these proteins to the specific plant extracts presumably present in this beverage; however most of the species identified indeed belong to alpine herbs and plants, living in a habitat between 1000 and 2000m of elevation. Most of them are enzymes, spanning a Mr range from 10 to 65kDa. It is hoped that such a proteomic signature should help tracking counterfeited products sold on the market. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

¹H NMR spectroscopy is utilized to quantify total thujone (sum of α- and β-isomers) in absinthe. For sample preparation, a simple dilution with buffer is required. Thujone produces a distinct peak of the CH2 group in the cyclopentanone moiety in the 2.13-2.11 ppm range. No overlap with other typical constituents such as anethole or fenchone occurs. The detection limit of 0.3mg/L is adequate to control the EU maximumlimit. The relative standard deviation was 6%, and linearity was observed from 1 to 100 mg/L. Applicability was proven by analysis of 69 authentic absinthes. The correlation between NMR and our previous method consisting of liquid-liquid extraction followed by GC/MS was significant (P < 0.0001,R = 0.93). The simple and cheap NMR method can be used for rapid screening of absinthes for total thujone content while chromatographic techniques are recommended for more specific (α- and β-thujone isomers) analysis if required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medical use of the wormwood plant Artemisia absinthium L. dates back to at least Roman times, while during the last century this tradition was seemingly on the decline due to fears of absinthism, a syndrome allegedly caused by the wormwood-flavoured spirit absinthe and more specifically as a result of thujone, a monoterpene ketone often present in the essential oil of wormwood. If threshold concentrations are exceeded, thujone does in fact exhibit neurotoxic properties leading to dose-dependent tonic-clonic seizures in animals, likely caused by GABA type A receptor modulation. Research has shown that the concentrations of thujone present in absinthe were not sufficient to exceed these thresholds, and the marketing of wormwood-flavoured alcoholic beverages has ultimately been reinstated. The declining fears of absinthism may have led to a revival of the medical uses of wormwood, evidenced by several experimental reports, e.g. on the treatment of Crohn''s disease. Most recently in this journal, neuroprotective properties of wormwood were detected in rats, and the plant was suggested to be possibly beneficial in the treatment of strokes. While these results sound promising and worthwhile for further investigation, the well-defined profile of adverse properties of wormwood demands a more cautious interpretation of these results. It remained unclear in the studies, for example, if the threshold dose for thujone (e.g. as set by the European Medicines Agency) would be exceeded during therapeutic usage. Due to the colourful history of wormwood, its application in humans should be preceded by a thorough and careful risk-benefit analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In spite of its history and illegality, the use of absinthe, the aperitif made famous in fin de siècle Parisian cafés, is on the rise again in the United States and abroad. Writers and artists like Baudelaire, Verlaine,Wilde, van Gogh, Hemingway, Degas, Picasso and Gauguin all prominently featured absinthe in their writing and art, often attributing their creativity, as well as emotional instability, to the effects of Ia fée verte, or the green fairy. Consequently, absinthe has earned a reputation as a mysterious and dangerous substance capable of inducing all manner of psychosis, violence and passion. Yet contemporary science shows that the absinthe myth cannot be accounted for by the pharmacological reality. This article describes the history of absinthe and recent scientific developments, and uses a psychoanalytic framework to explain why the absinthe myth endures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The law forbidding absinthe was voted under the stress of emotion at the beginning of the First World War following a manipulation of the public opinion and of his representatives who were made to believe that absinthe was a beverage which caused a criminal madness. Beyond deep economic, political and moral reasons, the campaign of the abolitionists relied on scientific issues which, nevertheless had been challenged from the outset. In defending the reality of an absinthism different from alcoholism, Valentin Magnan played a decisive role in the campaign. The historical survey shows that he let himself be won by a singular case and thus made the mistake of inference. Then, having discovered the highly convulsive effect of the essential oil of absinthe, he convinced himself that the beverage itself was responsible for specific epilepsy (although the amount of the essential oil in the beverage was tiny). His second mistake seems to have come from his commitment to “médicine expérimentale” through the false evidence displayed by the convulsive fits he so easily obtained with the oil. The passion he put afterwards in his fight against alcoholism, the progression of which was mainly coming from absinthe consumption, as well as the lack of criticism from his deferential circle, did not allow him to ever correct his mistake. The epileptic absinthism was quickly called into question upon clinical and common sense issues, while the reality of a criminal madness did not resist the pioneered epidemiological investigation asked by Georges Clemenceau. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Absinthe is a spirit drink that owes its bitter taste to substances found in the wormwood plant (Artemisia absinthium L.). The prohibition against absinthe has recently been annulled, giving rise to numerous inferior products that lack the organoleptic characteristics of wormwood. The monoterpene thujone, which occurs in the essential oil fraction of wormwood, has previously been used as a marker substance to confirm the authenticity of absinthe. However, thujone possesses adverse toxicological properties; thus modern procedures have been developed to remove this substance from absinthe. In addition, thujone-free wormwood is also available from certain cultivation areas. This study is the first to use sensory evaluation of wormwood taste, louche effect, and bitterness in order to classify absinthes. This study also introduces a simple, fast, and sensitive procedure using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) to assess the levels of absinthin, a characteristic bitter substance found in wormwood. Results of this study demonstrate a strong correlation between the concentration of wormwood and the organoleptically determined bitterness value (R =0.75). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article examines the case of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh and declares that historical evidence that he might be addicted to absinthe. He was given antiepileptic medication but he seems not have had epilepsy. His absinthe addiction apparently is set against a background of borderline personality disorder and bipolar illness.

The alcoholic beverage absinthe is recently experiencing a revival after a yearlong prohibition. This review article provides information on all aspects of this bitter spirit and its major components, especially wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.), which contains the toxic monoterpene thujone. Over 100 references on historic and current literature are provided. The topics comprise the history of the alcoholic drink starting from its invention in the eighteenth century. Historical and modern recipes are discussed in the context of different quality categories and possibilities to reduce the content of thujone are given. The analytical techniques used to verify compliance with the maximum limit of thujone as well as further possibilities for quality control of absinthe are discussed. The toxicology of absinthe is reviewed with regard to the cause of a syndrome called "absinthism," which was described after chronic abuse of the spirit in the nineteenth century. Finally, a food regulatory and food chemical evaluation is provided and minimum requirements for absinthe are suggested. Absinthe should have a recognizable wormwood flavor and after dilution with water the characteristic clouding should arise (louche-effect). Products, which are advertized as being of premium grade should be made by distillation, should have an alcoholic strength of at least 45%vol, and should not contain artificial dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Habitual abuse of the wormwood spirit absinthe was described in the 19th and 20th centuries as a cause for the mental disorder “absinthism” including the symptoms hallucinations, sleeplessness and convulsions. A controversial discussion is going on if thujone, a characteristic component of the essential oil of the wormwood plant Artemisia absinthium L., is responsible for absinthism, or if it was merely caused by chronic alcohol intoxication or by other reasons such as food adulterations. To ascertain if thujone may have caused absinthism, absinthes were produced according to historic recipes of the 19th century. Commercial wormwood herbs of two different manufacturers, as well as self-cultivated ones, were used in a concentration of 6kg/100l spirit. In addition, an authentic vintage Pernod absinthe from Tarragona (1930), and two absinthes from traditional small distilleries of the Swiss Val-de-Travers were evaluated. A GC–MS procedure was applied for the analysis of α- and β-thujone with cyclodecanone as internal standard. The method was shown to be sensitive with a LOD of 0.08mg/l. The precision was between 1.6 and 2.3%, linearity was obtained from 0.1 to 40mg/l (r =1.000). After the recent annulment of the absinthe prohibition all analysed products showed a thujone concentration below the maximum limit of 35mg/l, including the absinthes produced according to historic recipes, which did not contain any detectable or only relatively low concentrations of thujone (mean: 1.3±1.6mg/l, range: 0–4.3mg/l). Interestingly, the vintage absinthe also showed a relatively low thujone concentration of 1.8mg/l. The Val-de-Travers absinthes contained 9.4 and 1.7mg/l of thujone. In conclusion, thujone concentrations as high as 260mg/l, reported in the 19th century, cannot be confirmed by our study. With regard to their thujone concentrations, the hallucinogenic potential of vintage absinthes can be assessed being rather low because the historic products also comply with today''s maximum limits derived to exclude such effects. It may be deduced that thujone plays none, or only a minor role in the clinical picture of absinthism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Absinthe, a bitter spirit containing wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.), was banned at the beginning of the 20th century as consequence of its supposed unique adverse effects. After nearly century-long prohibition, absinthe has seen a resurgence after recent de-restriction in many European countries. This review provides information on the history of absinthe and one of its constituent, thujone. Medical and toxicological aspects experienced and discovered before the prohibition of absinthe are discussed in detail, along with their impact on the current situation. The only consistent conclusion that can be drawn from those 19th century studies about absinthism is that wormwood oil but not absinthe is a potent agent to cause seizures. Neither can it be concluded that the beverage itself was epileptogenic nor that the so-called absinthism can exactly be distinguished as a distinct syndrome from chronic alcoholism. The theory of a previous gross overestimation of the thujone content of absinthe may have been verified by a number of independent studies. Based on the current available evidence, thujone concentrations of both pre-ban and modern absinthes may not have been able to cause detrimental health effects other than those encountered in common alcoholism. Today, a questionable tendency of absinthe manufacturers can be ascertained that use the ancient theories of absinthism as a targeted marketing strategy to bring absinthe into the spheres of a legal drug-of-abuse. Misleading advertisements of aphrodisiac or psychotropic effects of absinthe try to re-establish absinthe's former reputation. In distinction from commercially manufactured absinthes with limited thujone content, a health risk to consumers is the uncontrolled trade of potentially unsafe herbal products such as absinthe essences that are readily available over the internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Absinthe was forbidden mainly because of its neuropsychiatric toxicity which, according to Magnan, included a characteristic epilepsy, and he considered his experiments on animals as evidence. A review of the literature shows that a number of clinicians of his time did not share his convictions. Recent toxicological studies have elucidated the mechanism of the highly convulsive effect of thujone, the principal active ingredient of absinthe oil. They do not allow us to conclude, any more than in Magnan''s time, that the beverage itself was epileptogenic. Furthermore, other studies have discovered that anethole, another standard constituent of the beverage, has an anti-convulsive property. The toxicity of old-time absinthes, as that of today''s “absinthes”, seems essentially due to their alcohol content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The tragic life of Vincent van Gogh is summarized, emphasizing his early departure from formal education, failure as a successful salesman in the art world, attempt at religious studies, difficulty with female and family relationships, return to the art world, and tendencies toward extremes of poor nutrition or near self-starvation and excessive drinking and smoking. In Paris he joined the Impressionists, but drank very heavily both absinthe and cognac. Southward he went to Arles and was joined by Paul Gauguin, with whom he had major personality problems, causing van Gogh to cut off part of his left ear. He experienced paranoid ideation and confinement in mental institutions in Arles, and then returned to Paris and onto Auvers-sur-Oise, where he committed suicide at age 37. Possible physical diagnoses include glaucoma, Ménière’s disease, acute intermittent porphyria, and chronic lead poisoning, but these diagnoses seem unlikely. Possible psychiatric diagnoses include borderline personality disorder, anxiety–depressive disorder with episodes of depression and hypomania, and also paranoid schizophrenia. Van Gogh did not have spontaneous seizures and, therefore, did not have epilepsy. Before he began to drink heavily, when he was near starvation, he had “fainting fits,” and after drinking, especially absinthe, a convulsant drug, he continued to have similar attacks. His episodes of unconsciousness can be well explained by chronic malnutrition and alcohol abuse, only possibly exacerbated by drinking large quantities of absinthe. Although van Gogh is an excellent example of the Geschwind syndrome, at times associated with temporal lobe epilepsy, this fact does not establish such an epilepsy. Thus, the syndrome is an orphan without the parent condition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was a wonderfully accomplished artist whose work is now widely appreciated. He created a great number of masterpiece paintings and drawings in just one decade devoted to art. His productivity is even more remarkable when considered in the context of his debilitating illness. He suffered from medical crises that were devastating, but in the intervening periods he was both lucid and creative. He left a profound, soul-searching description of his jagged life in his correspondence, which provides the basis for the present analysis. An inherited metabolic disease, acute intermittent porphyria, accounts for all of the signs and symptoms of van Gogh's underlying illness. On this 150th anniversary of the birth of Vincent van Gogh it is appropriate to revisit the subject and to analyze the lack of organized skepticism in the popular media about other diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convulsant effects of α-thujone, the psychotropic component of absinthe, were attributed to inhibitory actions at the GABAA receptor. Here, we investigated for the first time the 5-HT3 receptor as a potential site of the psychotropic actions of α-thujone. This cation permeable ligand-gated ion channel shows considerable homology to the GABAA receptor. We previously demonstrated that in homomeric assemblies of cloned human 5-HT3A receptor subunits, the endogenous agonist 5-HT induced desensitization via channel blockade. When the 5-HT3B receptor subunit was co-expressed, the resulting heteromeric assemblies desensitized independent from channel blockade. In the present study, patch-clamp experiments revealed an inhibitory action of α-thujone on both homomeric and heteromeric 5-HT3 receptors. This inhibitory action was mediated via channel blockade. However, it was not α-thujone itself which blocked the channel. The present experiments suggested that, in homomeric receptors, α-thujone enhanced the inherent channel-blocking potency of the natural ligand, 5-HT. In heteromeric receptors, α-thujone recruited an additional channel-blocking component of the agonist. By means of kinetic modeling, we simulated possible mechanisms by which α-thujone decreased the 5-HT-induced responses. It is suggested that α-thujone reduced 5-HT3 receptor activity by an effect on mechanisms involved in receptor desensitization, which depend on receptor subunit composition. It remains to be shown if this inhibitory action on serotonergic responses contributes to behavioral effects of α-thujone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Most of my patients are trauma survivors. Their symptoms of PTSD and resulting Dissociation are major indications of past events which have handicapped their lives, affected their attitudes, and shattered their personal equilibrium. Through comprehension and recognition of trauma, a better understanding and treatment of patients can be achieved. It is unusual for a patient who died 103 years ago to speak to us so eloquently for himself. However, through letters and paintings, van Gogh illustrates his own case in such an astonishingly vibrant manner that he leads us to a greater insight and knowledge of the damage caused by trauma. Although labelled as a mad and violent, schizophrenic genius, his symptoms were those of Dissociation caused by PTSD, and I would venture that his epilepsy was a direct result of syphilis and addiction to absinthe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the novelist James Joyce's work. It is often rewarding to examine what one is drinking in Joyce's writing. Dublin's drinking and pub culture was highly codified and politically charged, as is evident, for example, in the historic tension of Jameson's as a Dublin whiskey versus Bushmills as a northern whiskey. The romantic images that come to mind when one thinks of absinthe today—an addictive hallucinogen that flowed from Latin Quarter garrets where artists aspired to Wildean decadence had long been part of the modernist myth by the time Joyce wrote Ulysses.

Absinthe, an alcoholic drink used in certain artistic circles and considered the inspiring muse of many famous artists because it was reputed to stimulate creativity and possess exciting, aphrodisiacal and healing properties, in the past enjoyed enormous popularity so much so that it led to a real collective abuse so causing its prohibition in many countries, is again enjoying a new period of popularity. Also in Italy there is increasing information about the use and abuse of this drink. We received a request to analyse and determine the nature of two samples of alcoholic drinks, obtained by macerating Artemisia absinthium leaves in ethanol. Analyses of extracts by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) identified β-thujone, which is responsible for the activity and toxic effects on the CNS of absinthe, in both alcohol samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents information on a study which aimed to define the mechanism of neurotoxicity of alpha-thujone, a toxic agent in the liqueur called absinthe. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study.

Discusses the significance of the alcoholic drink absinthe in Ernest Hemingway's short story 'Hills Like White Elephants.' Importance of the white elephant symbolism in the title of the story; Connotative and symbolic value of absinthe in the story; Narcotic and carnal history of the drink.

Comments on the effects of absinthe, the emerald green liquor associated with excess. Where was it formulated; Who were the artists touched by the liquor; What are the effects of the liquor's ingredients; Diseases absinthism was associated with.

The article offers details of the absinthe challenge, which is a herbal spirit made from the botanicals wormwood, anise and fennel.

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Comments on the study by Hold et al, which provided an evidence that thujone, an ingredient in absinthe liqueur, acts as a gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor chloride channel blocker. Mechanism of action of thujone; Pharmacological effects of absinthe; Details of the study.

Presents information on several articles and issues concerning alcohol addiction. Concerns of alcohol awareness agencies in Great Britain on the return of absinthe drink; Details on the publication `Guidelines for City Action on Alcohol,' from the World Health Organization; Main goal of needle exchange programs.

The article focuses on the accusations that absinthe, causes absinthism syndrome during the 20th century. Topics discussed include thujone content of the absinthe which was overestimated because of the crude analytical techniques during the period, essential oils contained by absinthe which can dissolve several compounds, including monoterpene thujone and the aromatic compound anethol, and dilution of absinthe with cold water which led to stability of microemulsion.