Omnia SanaPlant Comparison
Wormwood vs Wild Lettuce
A side-by-side comparison of two medicinal plants — every documented constituent, action, use, safety note and cited source, assembled automatically from the Omnia Sana database.
At a glance
Wormwood and Wild Lettuce: both belong to the Asteraceae family.
Key Constituents
Intensely bitter sesquiterpene lactones responsible for the classic digestive-bitter action.
Volatile oil containing thujone (alpha- and beta-isomers), the neurotoxic ketone that limits safe internal use, along with other monoterpenes.
Antioxidant constituents contributing to the plant's antioxidant activity.
Bitter, centrally-active constituents responsible for the sedative and pain-relieving effects; isolated lactucin and lactucopicrin produced analgesia comparable to ibuprofen and sedation in rodent tests.
The historical medicinal preparation, concentrating the active lactones.
Pharmacological Actions
Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) total flavonoids and its constituent alpha/beta-thujone induce ROS- and caspase-mediated apoptosis in cervical and choriocarcinoma cancer cells (preclinical).
Mild analgesic / anodyne for pain (lactucin and lactucopicrin act on the central nervous system) - in mice these compounds produced analgesia comparable to ibuprofen
Calming for nervous tension and restlessness
Traditional & Indicated Uses
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from antidiabetic action
Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) total flavonoids (cynaroside, astragalin) inhibit HeLa cervical cancer cells via ROS-mediated apoptosis, and its terpenoid alpha,beta-thujone induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in choriocarcinoma cells and sensitizes them to paclitaxel (preclinical).
inferred from antimicrobial action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
inferred from antispasmodic action
inferred from antidiabetic action
inferred from antispasmodic action
inferred from anti-inflammatory action
Antitussive for an irritable, dry cough (traditional)
Sedative for sleeplessness / insomnia - lactucin and lactucopicrin showed sedative activity in animal models
Calming for nervous tension and restlessness
Mild analgesic / anodyne for pain (lactucin and lactucopicrin act on the central nervous system) - in mice these compounds produced analgesia comparable to ibuprofen
Safety, Cautions & Contraindications
CAUTION: Contains thujone, which is neurotoxic in significant amounts. Internal use should be limited in duration and dose — short-term use only (under 4 weeks). Contraindicated in pregnancy (powerful uterine stimulant). Avoid in epilepsy, renal disease, and in children. The small amounts present in properly prepared bitter tinctures and vermouth are generally considered safe. The thujone content of absinthe was historically exaggerated.
Duke (2002) rates wormwood as + (use with caution) and provides clinical evidence (score 2) for use as an aperitif and bitter digestive tonic, consistent with Commission E approval for dyspeptic complaints and loss of appetite. The plant contains absinthin and artabsin (bitter sesquiterpene lactones) responsible for digestive stimulation, and also thujone — a neurotoxic ketone that is the active agent responsible for 'absinthism' (historical neurological syndrome linked to absinthe consumption). Duke strongly cautions that thujone content limits safe long-term use, and wormwood should not be taken internally for more than 4 weeks at a time. Strictly contraindicated in pregnancy (abortifacient, neurotoxic) and epilepsy (Duke, 2002).
Can be unsafe in large amounts or if harvested too early: overdose can cause sweating, fast heartbeat, dilated pupils, dizziness, ringing in the ears, vision changes, heavy sedation, breathing difficulty and, in extreme cases, death.
External Ids
Botanical Description
Aromatic, silvery-grey perennial herb with finely divided, silky-hairy leaves and numerous small, pale yellow, drooping, globe-shaped flower heads borne in loose branched panicles. The whole plant has a characteristic intensely bitter taste and a pungent, sage-like aroma.[4]
Tall, bristly biennial herb with a milky latex throughout, and prickly-edged, often blue-green leaves that tend to twist to align edge-on with the sun ('compass plant' habit). Small, pale yellow, dandelion-like flower heads are borne in loose branched clusters atop a tall, spiny-stemmed flowering stalk.[11]
Habitat
Grows on dry, sunny, stony or waste ground, roadsides and field margins; native to Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia, and naturalised in North America.[4]
Grows on dry waste ground, roadsides, hedgerows and disturbed soil; native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia and naturalised in North America.
Harvesting
The flowering aerial parts (leaf, stem and flower) are cut as flowering begins, in mid- to late summer, and dried in a warm, shaded, airy place.[4]
The milky latex is traditionally collected by scoring the flowering stem and letting the exuded sap dry into lactucarium; the aerial parts (leaf and stem) are also cut and dried while the plant is flowering.[11]
Traditional Uses
Wild lettuce has a long folk history, reflected in the name 'opium lettuce', as a mild sedative and analgesic remedy for insomnia, nervous tension and pain, and as an antitussive for irritable dry cough, its dried latex (lactucarium) once used as a milder, non-addictive alternative to opium.[11]
Preparations
Dried flowering herb infused briefly in hot water as a very bitter digestive tea, taken before meals to stimulate appetite.
Dosage
Because of its thujone content, traditional herbal references limit internal use to small bitter doses (around 0.5-1 g dried herb per cup) for no more than about 4 weeks at a time. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
Because of documented overdose toxicity (rapid heartbeat, heavy sedation, breathing difficulty), only conservative traditional herbal doses should be used and this herb should not be self-dosed at concentrated or extract strength without professional guidance. Educational reference only, not a prescription.
References
Lookalikes Review
Drug Class Interactions
Not documented
References & Sources
- Batiha, G.E.S., Olatunde, A., El-Mleeh, A., Hetta, H.F., Al-Rejaie, S. et al (2020) 'Bioactive Compounds, Pharmacological Actions, and Pharmacokinetics of Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)', Antibiotics (Basel), 9(6), pp. 353. doi:10.3390/antibiotics9060353 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9060353 - Wubuli, A., Abdulla, R., Zhao, J., Wu, T. and Aisa, H.A (2024) 'Exploring anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-related quality markers of Artemisia absinthium L. based on spectrum-effect relationship', Phytochemical Analysis, 35(5), pp. 1152-1173. doi:10.1002/pca.3350 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/pca.3350 - Rashidi, R., Akaberi, M., Gholoobi, A., Ghazavi, H. and Forouzanfar, F (2023) 'Artemisia absinthium Extract Attenuates the Quinolinic Acid-Induced Cell Injury in OLN-93 Cells', Current Drug Discovery Technologies, 20(4), pp. e300323215213. doi:10.2174/1570163820666230330105331 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.2174/1570163820666230330105331 - Szopa, A., Pajor, J., Klin, P., Rzepiela, A., Elansary, H.O., Al-Mana, F.A., Mattar, M.A. and Ekiert, H (2020) 'Artemisia absinthium L. - Importance in the History of Medicine, the Latest Advances in Phytochemistry and Therapeutical, Cosmetological and Culinary Uses', Plants, 9(9), pp. 1063. doi:10.3390/plants9091063 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091063 - Hbika, A., Daoudi, N.E., Bouyanzer, A., Bouhrim, M., Mohti, H., Loukili, E.H., Mechchate, H., Al-Salahi, R., Nasr, F.A., Bnouham, M. and Zaid, A (2022) 'Artemisia absinthium L. Aqueous and Ethyl Acetate Extracts: Antioxidant Effect and Potential Activity In Vitro and In Vivo against Pancreatic alpha-Amylase and Intestinal alpha-Glucosidase', Pharmaceutics, 14(3), pp. 481. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics14030481 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14030481 - Bagheri, F., Amri, J., Salehi, M., Karami, H., Alimoradian, A. and Latifi, S.A (2020) 'Effect of Artemisia absinthium ethanolic extract on oxidative stress markers and the TLR4, S100A4, Bax and Bcl-2 genes expression in the kidney of STZ-induced diabetic rats', Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation, 41(4), pp. 20200028. doi:10.1515/hmbci-2020-0028 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1515/hmbci-2020-0028 - Al-Malki, A.L (2018) 'Shikimic acid from Artemisia absinthium inhibits protein glycation in diabetic rats', International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 122, pp. 1212-1216. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.09.072 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.09.072 - Boeing, T., de Souza, J., Vilhena da Silva, R.C., Mariano, L.N.B., Mota da Silva, L., Gerhardt, G.M., Cretton, S., Klein-Junior, L.C. and de Souza, P (2023) 'Gastroprotective effect of Artemisia absinthium L.: A medicinal plant used in the treatment of digestive disorders', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 312, pp. 116488. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2023.116488 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2023.116488 - Liu, Z., Li, X., Jin, Y., Nan, T., Zhao, Y., Huang, L. and Yuan, Y (2023) 'New Evidence for Artemisia absinthium as an Alternative to Classical Antibiotics: Chemical Analysis of Phenolic Compounds, Screening for Antimicrobial Activity', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(15), pp. 12044. doi:10.3390/ijms241512044 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241512044 - Moaca, E., Pavel, I.Z., Danciu, C., Crainiceanu, Z., Minda, D., Ardelean, F., Antal, D.S., Ghiulai, R., Cioca, A., Derban, M., Simu, S., Chioibas, R., Szuhanek, C. and Dehelean, C (2019) 'Romanian Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.): Physicochemical and Nutraceutical Screening', Molecules, 24(17), pp. 3087. doi:10.3390/molecules24173087 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24173087 - Turak, A., Shi, S., Jiang, Y. and Tu, P (2014) 'Dimeric guaianolides from Artemisia absinthium', Phytochemistry, 105, pp. 109-114. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.06.016 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.06.016 - Correa-Ferreira, M.L., Noleto, G.R. and Oliveira Petkowicz, C.L (2013) 'Artemisia absinthium and Artemisia vulgaris: a comparative study of infusion polysaccharides', Carbohydrate Polymers, 102, pp. 738-745. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2013.10.096 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2013.10.096 - Grieve, M (1931) 'A Modern Herbal'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A%20Modern%20Herbal - Hoffmann, D (2003) 'Medical Herbalism'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Medical%20Herbalism - Lee, J.-Y. and Park, H. and Lim, W. and Song, G (2020) 'alpha,beta-Thujone suppresses human placental choriocarcinoma cells via metabolic disruption', Reproduction, 159(6), pp. 745-756. doi:10.1530/REP-20-0018 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-20-0018 - He, M. and Yasin, K. and Yu, S. and Li, J. and Xia, L (2023) 'Total Flavonoids in Artemisia absinthium L. and Evaluation of Its Anticancer Activity', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(22), pp. 16348. doi:10.3390/ijms242216348 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242216348 - Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition
- Ullah, M.I., Anwar, R., Kamran, S., Gul, B. et al (2022) 'Evaluation of the Anxiolytic and Anti-Epileptogenic Potential of Lactuca serriola Seed Using Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Kindling in Mice and Metabolic Profiling of Its Bioactive Extract', Antioxidants (Basel), 11(11), pp. 2232. doi:10.3390/antiox11112232 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11112232 - Lee, M., Park, J., Cho, W., Jun, Y. et al (2024) 'Lactuca L. Extract Enhances Sleep Duration Through Upregulation of Adenosine A1 Receptor and GABA-A Receptor Subunits in Pentobarbital-Injected Mice', Journal of Medicinal Food, 27(7), pp. 661-668. doi:10.1089/jmf.2023.K.0250 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2023.K.0250 - Paulsen, E. and Andersen, K.E (2015) 'Lettuce contact allergy', Contact Dermatitis, 74(2), pp. 67-75. doi:10.1111/cod.12458 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.12458 - Wesolowska, A., Nikiforuk, A., Michalska, K., Kisiel, W. and Chojnacka-Wojcik, E (2006) 'Analgesic and sedative activities of lactucin and some lactucin-like guaianolides in mice', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 107(2), pp. 254--258. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2006.03.003 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2006.03.003 - Gumprecht, T (1815) 'On the use of the Lactuca Virosa, in Hooping-Cough', Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, 6, pp. 608-617. doi:10.1177/095952871500600125 Traditional / reference
https://doi.org/10.1177/095952871500600125 - Trojanowska, A (2005) 'Lettuce, Lactuca sp., as a medicinal plant in Polish publications of the 19th century', Kwartalnik Historii Nauki i Techniki, 50(3-4), pp. 123-134. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Lettuce%2C%20Lactuca%20sp.%2C%20as%20a%20medicinal%20plant%20in%20Polish%20publications%20of%20the%2019th%20century - Spadari, M., Pommier, P., Canioni, D., Arditti, J., David, J.M. and Valli, M (2003) 'Abuse of Lactuca virosa', Presse Medicale, 32(15), pp. 702-703. Preclinical
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Abuse%20of%20Lactuca%20virosa - Lo Faro, A.F., Di Trana, A., La Maida, N., Tagliabracci, A., Giorgetti, R. and Busardo, F.P (2019) 'Biomedical analysis of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) of natural origin', Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 179, pp. 112945. doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2019.112945 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpba.2019.112945 - Besharat, S., Besharat, M. and Jabbari, A (2009) 'Wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) toxicity', BMJ Case Reports, 2009, pp. bcr0620080134. doi:10.1136/bcr.06.2008.0134 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr.06.2008.0134 - Stojakowska, A., Malarz, J. and Kisiel, W (1994) 'Sesquiterpene Lactones in Tissue Culture of Lactuca virosa', Planta Medica, 60(1), pp. 93-94. doi:10.1055/s-2006-959419 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-959419 - Herbal Reality (n.d.) 'Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa): Benefits, Uses, Safety'. Available at: https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/wild-lettuce/ Traditional / reference
https://www.herbalreality.com/herb/wild-lettuce/ - RxList (n.d.) 'Wild Lettuce: Health Benefits, Side Effects, Uses, Dose & Precautions'. Available at: https://www.rxlist.com/supplements/wild_lettuce.htm Traditional / reference
https://www.rxlist.com/supplements/wild_lettuce.htm - Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar, M. and Hosseinzadeh, H (2024) 'Therapeutic potential of hypnotic herbal medicines: A comprehensive review', Phytotherapy Research, 38(6), pp. 3037-3059. doi:10.1002/ptr.8201 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.8201 - Block, K.I., Gyllenhaal, C. and Mead, M.N (2004) 'Safety and efficacy of herbal sedatives in cancer care', Integrative Cancer Therapies, 3(2), pp. 128-148. doi:10.1177/1534735404265003 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735404265003
Generated automatically from the Omnia Sana plant database and its cited sources. For educational purposes only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants.