[MR] Ancient/modern cure for cancer from Wormwood

[Craig Levin]

Magdalena:

> Sorry to contradict, but
> 
> ...although harmless in small and/or inconsistent
> dosages, Wormwood is a)mildly hallucinogenic/euphoric
> in large doses and b)causes permanent nerve damage
> when taken regularly and c)can result in death if you
> do both (large doses, regularly).  You can look this
> up in pretty much any modern herbal.  You extract the
> active ingredient in alcohol.  It is the basis for the
> cordial absinthe which was notorious in the late 19th
> century for addiction and health problems of this
> nature.  I would not recommend that anyone take it on
> a regular basis. I would not want to chose between
> breast cancer and lingering dementia, personally.  

Some of the problems of absinthe may have been due to the fact
that this was fairly high-proof stuff-its modern descendant,
Pernod, is about 80 proof, but absinthe was a stronger item,
easily in the 120 proof range. There's a nifty webpage about
whether it was the herb or the alcohol that was mostly to blame:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/011026.html

This by the (in)famous notes and queries columnist, Cecil Adams.

Also, thujone, the chemical which has the interesting
neurological f/x, may not be the chemical with the anti-cancer
properties.

Pedro
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Craig Levin				Librarians Rule Oook!