你从来没有听说过艾草吗

If you have never heard of wormwood, it is likely you might have been introduced to the perennial herb's other aliases. According to Verywell Health, wormwood also goes by the names: absinthe, absinthium, green ginger, madderwort, and mugwort. The name we are using stems from the herb's ability to remove unwanted parasites. Pam Weathers, a biologist at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, has spent a good part of her career studying the effects the wormwood shrub has on patients diagnosed with malaria and schistosomiasis. The latter is a parasite-inflicted disease that runs rampant in many third world countries but has been "neglected" by modern medicine, according to NPR. Weathers' research suggests that wormwood may one day be effective in combatting schistosomiasis, but more research needs to be conducted.

如果你从来没有听说过艾草，那么很可能你已经知道了这种多年生草本植物的其他别名。根据Verywell Health的说法，艾草也被命名为：苦艾酒、苦艾、生姜、茜草和艾蒿。我们之所以使用这个名字，是因为这种草本植物有去除多余寄生虫的能力。伍斯特理工学院的生物学家帕姆·韦瑟斯(Pam Weathers)在其职业生涯的大部分时间里都在研究艾草灌木对被诊断为疟疾和血吸虫病患者的影响。据NPR报道，后者是一种寄生虫引起的疾病，在许多第三世界国家肆虐，但被现代医学所“忽视”。韦瑟斯的研究表明，艾草也许有一天能有效地对抗血吸虫病，但还需要进行更多的研究。

In addition to the plant's ability to kill off potentially deadly parasites, wormwood has been used as a medicine to help treat a slew of other conditions as well.

除了能杀死潜在的致命寄生虫，艾草还被用于治疗其他疾病。

According to Verywell Health, studies have shown that patients with Crohn's disease — a painful condition that causes the digestive system to swell — have benefited from taking wormwood as an herbal supplement. Patients in a 2007 study published in Planta Medica who were given 1,500 milligrams of wormwood a day for 8 weeks reported more mild symptoms. They also had to take fewer steroids than the patients who did not receive wormwood. Additionally, the herbal drug has been shown to increase appetite and aid with pain management. It can also help with common digestive issues, such as heartburn, stomach pain, and diarrhea.

据Verywell Health报道，研究表明，克罗恩病(一种导致消化系统肿胀的痛苦疾病)患者从服用艾草作为草药补充剂中获益良多。2007年发表在《植物医学》上的一项研究显示，连续8周每天服用1500毫克艾草的患者症状更为轻微。与未服用艾草的患者相比，他们还必须服用更少的类固醇。此外，艾草已被证明能增加食欲，并有助于疼痛管理。它还可以帮助解决常见的消化问题，如胃灼热、胃痛和腹泻。

We know this herb can be medically beneficial when made into tea and in capsule form. WebMD also states wormwood oil can be used topically and help with bug bites and osteoarthritis. However, like most other medicines, there are side effects to be aware of. Long-term use of wormwood may cause adverse side effects, such as nausea, seizures, and hallucinations, according to Veryeell Health.

我们知道这种草药制成茶和胶囊后在医学上是有益的。WebMD还指出，艾草油可以局部使用，有助于治疗虫咬和骨关节炎。然而，像大多数其他药物一样，也有副作用需要注意。据Veryell Health称，长期使用艾草可能会引起不良副作用，如恶心、癫痫和幻觉。