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Herbs in History: Wormwood & Licorice

March 23, 2023


In an effort to preserve and share the fascinating histories of medicinal plants and herbs that have been used around the world for ages, the AHPA Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals (AHPA-ERB Foundation) is honored to partner with Alain Touwaide, Ph.D., and Emanuela Appetiti of the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions to tell the stories of Herbs in History.

The journey into herbal history continues with wormwood and licorice. Preview the entries below and visit Herbs in History online to read more.


Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

Malaria?
The genus Artemisia raised to world notoriety in 2015 thanks to the Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine awarded to the Chinese scientist Tu Youyou for the research she performed over the previous 45 years on the species A. annua L. (Asteraceae) as an antimalarial agent. Interestingly, she started from the Chinese tradition, specifically ancient texts where she located references to sweet wormwood in correlation with intermittent fevers. | Read more...


Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)

The Sweetness of Horsemen

When talking about licorice in the United States we might not have a direct hint at any way of administering the plant in medicine, whereas in the United Kingdom we would think of some juice thanks to the spelling liquorice that might evoke a liquor or, at the very least, a liquid. However suggestive the association of words and ideas might seem, it does not reveal much about licorice/liquorice and its most specific property: sweetness. | Read more...

 

About the Project

Herbs in History is made possible by funding from the AHPA-ERB Foundation, as part of the nonprofit foundation's mission promote education and research on medicinal, therapeutic, and health-promoting herbs. Tune in monthly for thoughtfully detailed historical accounts of herbs you know and love, and learn more about the origins of medicinal plants that have stood the test of time.

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