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Wormwood as a super herb + Cannabis may encourage false memories - Printable Version

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Wormwood as a super herb + Cannabis may encourage false memories - C C - Feb 12, 2020

Cannabis may encourage false memories
https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/cannabis-may-encourage-false-memories

EXCERPT: Cannabis not only induces forgetfulness, it also opens the door for false memories, according to new research. And that’s serious, man. It means the evidence of witnesses, victims and even alleged perpetrators of crimes could be less reliable – and open to legal challenge – if they have recently been under the influence of the most widely used illicit substance in the world.

The main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), already has been linked to short-term memory loss. Researchers [...] wanted to find out something slightly different, however: whether the drug also made consumers susceptible to false memories, particularly as a result of suggestion. Lead researcher Lilian Kloft says this is the first study of its kind. [...] Kloft says the findings have implications for the questioning of cannabis-intoxicated eyewitnesses and victims during investigative interviews.... (MORE - details)



Wormwood as super herb: What you need to know
https://www.medicaldaily.com/wormwood-super-herb-what-need-know-449398

EXCERPT: . . . In 19th century France, wormwood earned a bad reputation because it was used to concoct an alcoholic beverage called absinthe. The addictive drink had side effects since it is a hallucinogen and poison that could negatively impact the central nervous system.The drink was illegal from 1912 to 2007 in the United States and was later legalized for medical purposes, which are as follows:

Antimalarial Drug

The World Health Organization (WHO) advises taking artemisinin-based medication as the first-line treatment for malaria. It is considered the most powerful antimalarial herbal drug currently in the market.

Cancer

Cancer cells are filled with iron, especially breast cancer cells. Artemisinin can fight these cells similar to the manner in which they destroy malaria parasites.

Parasites

Several worms are in the intestine such as pinworms, tapeworms and roundworms, which all cause infections in the intestines. Wormwood helps cleanse the intestine and kills them.

Fights Inflammation

Inflammation is the root cause of several diseases. Artemisinin stops the growth of proteins leading to inflammation called cytokines. Crohn’s disease is caused by the inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract and wormwood can help relieve people with the disease.

Antimicrobial Effects

Essential oils found in wormwood plants promote antimicrobial activities against E.coli and salmonella. The latter causes around 1 million foodborne illnesses every year in the United States. The oils can fight a range of fungi since they contain antioxidant properties.

Side Effects

Exceeding recommended dosages of the herb could have severe consequences since it is toxic in nature. The FDA has categorized wormwood as unsafe due to the toxic properties of thujone oil. It is considered more safe when taken orally.

Taking wormwood for more than four weeks and beyond the doctor’s prescription leads to tremors, seizures, insomnia and vertigo, among other issues.

It is not advisable to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. It can also trigger seizures for people with epilepsy. Wormwood increases the risk of kidney failure for people who have kidney problems.