Absinthe Research is a rather fascinating area. Scientists from many disciplines produce absinthe studies on a regular basis. Absinthism, thujone toxicity, Van Gogh’s mental illness, acute absinthe intoxication, GABA receptors; all make for interesting topics in the realm of absinthe studies. The entire subject of absinthe could use a reworking, a new book, since there is still so much confusion out there. This absinthe research page is certainly not any definitive work, but merely another glimpse into the murky green world.

Seminars in Neurology, March 2002, Volume 22, No. 1, Pages 89-93.

This study is mildly interesting. It’s funny that the scientific community is interested in people being interested in absinthe. They can’t figure out why. But they are nerds after all. What do they know about partying? The authors say “limited information exists on the mechanism of action and neurotoxicity of absinthe.” Haven’t they read #5 and #8 below?

Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie, Jan 2007, Volume 75, No. 1, Pages 10-17.

This study discusses GABAergic inhibition as well as a reduced serotonin metabolism, both of which are partially responsible for absinthe’s effects.

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2006, Volume 46, No. 5, Pages 365-377.

Here’s another review of the history and toxicology of absinthe. Interestingly, the authors include this: “a food regulatory and food chemical evaluation is provided and minimum requirements for absinthe are suggested.” This leads me to believe that within the European Union, they may be preparing absinthe for a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, probably in Switzerland, or at least a Protected Geographic Origin (PGO).

To buy the study, click here .
For information about PDO and PGO, click here.

4. Electrocardiographic findings after acute absinthe intoxication

International Journal of Cardiology, Nov 10 2006, Volume 113, No. 2, Epub July 7 2006, pages 48-50.

A comatose patient was admitted to hospital with acute alcohol intoxication. Later he “admitted important absinthe consumption.”
The authors found that the patient developed bradyarrhythmias, heart rhythm of less than 50 beats/minute, whereas tachyarrhythmias, heart rhythm of more than 100 beats/minute, usually develop in acute alcohol intoxication. The patient recovered.

Forensic Science International, April 20 2006, Volume 158, No. 1, Pages 1-8.

This study finds that the mental disorder called "absinthism”, which includes hallucinations, sleeplessness and convulsions is not caused by thujone. The authors analyzed several absinthes and found the most potent to contain 9.4 mg/liter of thujone, a very low dosage and not even close to the supposed 260mg/liter concentration of thujone in 19th century absinthes.

To buy the study, click here.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 11 2000, Volume 97, No. 8, Pages 3826-3831.

This is the study that demonstrated how the thujones in absinthe work on the old noggin. It’s pretty fascinating if slightly difficult for a layperson to follow. One key fact here is this: “Alpha-thujone Is a Convulsant. The i.p. LD50 of alpha -thujone in mice is about 45 mg/kg, generally with 0% and 100% mortality at 30 and 60 mg/kg, respectively.” LD50 means the lethal dose at which half a test population dies when given a substance. Watch out for those mouse studies! Translated into human terms, a 160-pound (73 kg) man would have to consume 1.49 pounds (3.285 kg) of pure alpha-thujone to reach the LD50. In the above study “Thujone-cause of absinthism?” researchers analyzed several absinthes and found the most potent to contain 9.4 mg/liter of thujone. Are you ready to drink 349.46 liters of absinthe to reach that LD50? Perhaps the most important point of the study is that ”current low levels of alpha - and beta -thujone in absinthe are of much less toxicological concern than the ethanol content.”

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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 97, No. 9, Pages 4417-4418.

This report is interesting but presents nothing new as it quotes the above study: Alpha-thujone (the active component of absinthe): gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor modulation and metabolic detoxification. Also, this guy repeats the incorrect idea that people are making absinthe with oil of wormwood. Pure gibberish.

New England Journal of Medicine, Sept 18 1997, Volume 337, Pages 825-827.

All wormwood isn’t the same. I cringe to think of the poor fool that took pure wormwood oil. At some point in his life, he probably overdosed on nutmeg, too. Interestingly, some of the old studies from the 19th century used jtjoxic doses of wormwood oil on rats, which obviously killed them, then used their “findings” to claim that absinthe was toxic. Obviously, the wormwood in distilled absinthe carries very little of the oil or bitter flavor compounds of the raw herb. Even well made macerated absinthe isn’t so bad, though it is a tad bitter.

Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Sept 2004, Volume 65, No. 5, Pages 573-581.

Here we have a report from Germany comparing the effects of alcohol alone against the effects of alcohol with a high thujone concentration. Without access to the full study, we can only guess by what they consider a “high” concentration. They did say that “the subjects tended to direct their attention to signals in the central field of attention and to neglect peripheral signals; the number of correct reactions decreased significantly in the peripheral field of attention, and reaction time and the number of "false alarm" reactions increased significantly.” Well, I’ll be dipped! That’s not what I found in my own experiments. In fact, one night while floating on my back in a swimming pool, having consumed 8 oz. of organic absinthe (the first on record, mind you!) I enjoyed a great peripheral light show of golden shafts shooting into the sky. (See Pool of Absinthe on Modern Absinthe Literature page.

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Chemical Research in Toxicology, May 2001, Volume 14, No. 5, Pages 589-595.

This study is a real tongue twister and not for the faint of heart. It basically talks about how different thujone molecules are metabolized in “mouse, rat, and human liver microsomes and human recombinant P450 (P450 3A4), in orally treated mice and rats, and in Drosophila melanogaster.”

Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, And Policy, Volume 1, No. 14.

These guys nail it right on the money in their first paragraph, saying “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.”

But I think these guys are maneuvering to become the “experts” in a move to bring absinthe production within the European Union’s ‘Designation of Quality’ labeling program, not necessarily a bad thing. They mention that “Switzerland also proposed to introduce protected geographic denominations of origin and protected geographic indications on the labeling of absinthe, as well as the ban of artificial food dyes.”

See www.eu-authentic-tastes.com to learn about the Designation of Quality labeling program.

Nature, Jan 31 1975, Volume 253, Pages 365-366.

This study tried to make the connection between thujone and THC in marijuana because of their chemical similarity. Though the theory has been disproved, you will still hear these rumors floating around in absinthe circles.

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, March 1999, Volume 62, Issue 3, Pages 473-480.

This study definitively disproves the hypothesis in Marijuana, absinthe and the central nervous system.

BMJ, Dec 18, 1999, Volume 319, Pages 1590-1592.

Like other studies, this one begins with a cursory history of absinthe. Like other studies, this one footnotes the accursed study (Magnan V. Epilepsie alcoolique; action spéciale de l'absinthe: épilepsie absinthique. Comptus Rendu des Seances et Memoires de la Société de Biologie (Paris)  1869; 5(4th series): 156-161.) as the source for the now largely boring and erroneous claim that absinthe is a toxic convulsant. Yawn! To its credit, this study notes that “the possibility emerges that much of the syndrome of absinthism was actually acute alcohol intoxication, withdrawal, dependence, and other neuropsychiatric complications---major health and social problems, but not unique to absinthe.” The study closes with this warning: “Until data from properly conducted studies are available, one can only resort to limp warnings of the potential risks from the low levels of thujone in contemporary absinthe-like products.”

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