Camphorated Wormwood EO

Latin name :

Artemisia vulgaris

Botanical profile :

Camphorated Wormwood, like Tarragon EO, Wormwood EO or Davana EO, is a plant of the Asteraceae family. It is part of the Artemisia genus.

Geographic origin :

Originated from India, sagebrush is produced from Europe to Himalaya

Chemotypes :

Wormwood has numerous chemotypes, classified according to their oil constitution. This variety is due to two possible botanical synthesis routes : isoprenic (containing Alpha-Terpineol, Eucalyptol, Thuyones, Borneol, Camphor...) and phenylpropanic (containing Estragole, Chavicol, Anethole...).
Thus, different chemotype can be distinguished :
Davanone-containing Wormwood : White wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba) and Davana EO (Artemisia pallens).
Thuyone-containing Wormwood : Wormwood EO (Artemisia absinthium) and Arborescent Wormwood (Artemisia arborescens)
Camphor-containing Wormwood : Douglas Wormwood (Artemisia douglasiana), Camphorated Wormwood (Artemisia alba)

Extraction process :

Wormwood is a very invasive plant because of its rootstocks which is why this plant is rather cultivated in fields or forests.
The stumps of the plant are harvested in the fall prior to losing about 65% of their weight after being dried. After a steam distillation, a yellow-green liquid with a thuyanic smell is obtained, with a yield of 0.15 to 0.7%.
It is also possible to obtain an absolute by treating the flower tops and the rootstock with petroleum ether. Afterward, the concrete is treated with alcohol to precipitate the waxes by glazing. A dark green to brown colour absolute with a camphorated and aniseed smell is obtained.
The essential oil of wormwood can contain a high rate of thujone which has a toxic effect on the body. The thujones can be removed by reprocessing the oil with a fractional distillation.

Major Components :

Alpha-Thuyone (≈50%)
Camphor (30-35%)
Beta-Thuyone (≈8%)
Camphene (≈5%)
Eucalyptol (≈5%)