Absinthe: Mind-Altering Effects Explained

In recent years, the psychedelic nature of absinthe has been hotly debated. Absinthe was notorious among 19th-century and early 20th-century bohemian artists as "the Green Fairy" that expanded the mind. After it became infamous for madness and toxic side effects among drinkers, it was widely banned.

The modern scientific consensus is that absinthe's reputation could simply be traced back to alcoholism, or perhaps toxic compounds that leaked in during faulty distillation. Still, others have pointed at a chemical named thujone in wormwood, one of the herbs used to prepare absinthe and the one that gives the drink its green color. Thujone was blamed for "absinthe madness" and "absinthism," a collection of symptoms including hallucinations, facial tics, numbness and dementia.

"Today it seems a substantial minority of consumers want these myths to be true, even if there is no empirical evidence that they are," said researcher Dirk Lachenmeier, a chemist with the Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Laboratory of Karlsruhe in Germany.

Keep reading.

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Watch this video on how absinthe is prepared:

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Read about the role absinthe played in this year's Oscar parties.

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Buy absinthe here or buy absinthe here!

Tell us: have you had absinthe? What did it do to you?

Comments

[Queenhuh]

McCain should try a bottle of the stuff, God knows he really needs the help.

[Theda]

It certainly can't be any stronger than the Russian/Armenian vodka----60 percent proof---that's available in Glendale, California.

[ReallyEvilCanine]

"Certainly" indeed. Apparently you've been drinking too much of that quality Glendale hooch that you're unable to do a simple search.

La Fee is 63%. Alandia Suisse La Bleue Clandestine 72 is 72%. Absinthe Gothica is 80%.

The whole notion that there are any effects is reminiscent of the rubbish people said about Jägermeister in the '80s. The reason the distillation ban was lifted was specifically because there's not enough psychoactive material in an entire bottle to have any effect. Any perceived effect comes from the alcohol and wishful thinking.

[Dale Sundstrom]

I've had real high-quality absinthe (Jade Edouard). It's a wonderfully scented and delicious herbal beverage that combines the soothing effects of a cup of herbal tea with a very high alcohol content (about 72%, or 144 proof). It has a light and complex blend of planty herbal scents and flavors, the primary one being anise (a liquorice-like flavor). The effects are almost entirely from alcohol; other effects are no stronger than a cup of Celestial Seasonings tea mixed with aroma therapy and romantic thoughts. Very pleasant and enjoyable however, and highly recommended.

[LiberalBuzz]

Sometimes I think it takes the combination of certain things to get certain effects.

I have no doubt that the combinations of all the things that went into making the original Absinthe were responsible for some of the euphoric effects. It reminds me of the morons who are anti medical pot claim that the pill made from cannabis is the same, BUT IT IS NOT.

So you have to take some things with a grain of salt.

I'd like to try Absinthe the way it's supposed to be served just to try it, sugar cubes and chilled and all that.

[JohnJames]

It reminds me of the morons who claim the alcoholic content of what you drank is all that matters in causing a hangover and its severity.

[CyrusBeaucephus]

Real absinthe from Europe has a way different and better buzz than just drinking Everclear, Moonshine , or some other similar high proof alcohol. Its not just thujone either, there are tons of other herbal incredients in real absinthe that are either precursors to pyshoactive compounds, or mildly pschoactive in their own right. Sweet Flag, (acorus calumus) is an ingredient aften ommitted from modern recipes, and it is a hallucinogen (although the amount in absinthe is a fairly low dose. Western scienctific analysis of drugs always zeros in on one suspected 'active priciple', and usually overlooks all the other chmicals present in a natural substance. That's why pot is a way better high than synthetic THC. There are a couple hundred other chemicals in pot that interact with THC. Same with Coca leaf vs purified cocaine. Same with raw opium vs synthetic narcotics. There are hundreds of other examples. I've drank some awful bitter absinthe that didn't get me off (the bitterness is from steeping wormwood in water, instead of distilling the liquid)

There is a lot of speculation that cheap toxic dyes were added to absinthe, or that on of the many other ingredients was simply contaminated with a toxin during the manufacturing process, and that anectdotal reportds of madness delerium, etc. were due to these unknown factors. Real high quality absinthe is a joy to consume. I have never felt the need to sever my ear. It seems to deepen concentration, while causing physical relaxation

[rwt1138]

Actually, I like it a lot. The reason that it was popular among artists in the 1800's was not for hallucinogenic or psychedelic qualities, but rather because, unlike other alcohols, you got the so called "fun" effects, without the usual loss of focus or dulling of the senses. You relax, loosen up, lose inhibition and anxiety, but don't get stupid. Hence, the name Lucid for one legal brand--my reaction after trying it was that the name, which I had originally thought odd for an alcoholic spirit, was in fact perfectly apt.

You can get drunk off of it (assuming you can handle a strong anise flavor), but aren't as dulled as you normally would be at the same BAC on other drinks. That shouldn't be construed to mean that driving is any safer; you are still just as physically impaired, you're just more conscious of your condition; if anything, you're less likely to drive or clean you guns because of the sense of your own limits.

An example would be playing a video game ripped; normally you forget button combinations, don't remember certain moves and such. With absinthe, you're less likely to have those kinds of problems of clarity. Your reaction time will still suck. It's an interesting experience.

[jamjam]

I refer you to the studies cited below, as well as this site:

http://thespiritworld.net/2007/01/15/absinthe

It has an interesting article on absinthe. It comes to the conclusion that has long been accepted: absinthe has no psychoactive properties beyond those provided by ethanol.

I further suggest you research 'subject expectancy effects': this is the neurofeedback mechanism by which the 'placebo' effect is derived. Essentially, if you expect that absinthe will affect you in a way that is different to alcohol, you may experience slightly different effects.

Consider over or under perception of various effects, consider environment, mindset, consider levels of neurotransmitters and state of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters at the time of ingestion, consider the various physiological factors that can contribute to subjectivity in terms of the recreational drug experience.

Experience is quite clear, for example,with a substance like amphetamine, although even it's dopaminergic effects differfrom person to person, experience to experience, and time to time. And the same applies considerably moreso, for compounds like absinthe which are debated to have a hallucinatory effect, but in reality, do not. Seek or expect an effect different from the 'normal' (and even this is a considerably variable state of mind) ethanol intoxication, and you you may perceive very subtle differences in effect based on prior presumption.

Consider if you were to imbibe absinthe in one sitting, and ethanol of the same strength in another - the question of whether you would be able to tell the difference is arguable.

[FeloniouslyAnnoying]

AGHAAGHAGHAGHAGHAAGGH!!!

Reality, it burns!

[curly2]

I like it too-- I've only tried it when visiting Montreal (we can't get the same kinds here in the states). I think part of the reason I enjoyed it was the ritual of drinking it, so much more fun than popping open an aluminum can of beer.

[jamjam]

Also, for those bothering to read that long-winded series of posts, it's clear they are my first here and so have been posted in order from top to bottom. Order is indicated by the 'Part' headings. Clarity, however, is more difficult to find.

[jamjam]

Part 4 -

The references are available here:

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/97/9/4417 - 'Absinthe and gamma -aminobutyric acid receptors'

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/97/8/3826 - 'alpha -Thujone (the active component of absinthe): gamma -Aminobutyric acid type A receptor modulation and metabolic detoxification'

And lastly, the study on which this article (and the magazine article another user referred to) are based on:

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/jafcau/asap/html/jf703568f.html - 'Chemical Composition of Vintage Preban Absinthe with Special Reference to Thujone, Fenchone, Pinocamphone, Methanol, Copper, and Antimony Concentrations'

I would highly reccomend reading the last study. It has it's limitations as all such studies do, but comes to conclusions which make a great deal of scientific sense.

(Lastly, on a more personal note, for those who bothered to read this far, the reason I post such a detailed commentary is not to act aggressively or argumentatively in regards to other users of this website. Rather as being engaged in the healthcare field and psychopharmacological fields of study specifically, I think it is important to propogate correct information, especially on websites which have high rates of visitation and are, in my own, in this case unscientific opinion, occupied by right thinking, open minded and intelligent individuals.)

[jamjam]

Part 3 -

Let me refer to the literature:

Olsen (2000) published an enlightening commentary in regards to thujone and it's capacity to act as a GABA antagonist. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and in general terms, GABA agonism and release is responsible for anxiolytic effects of the benzodiazepine compounds, as well as the recreational effects of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. It furthermore plays a significant role in the physiological effects of ethanol, and inhibition of it's reuptake or inhibition of it's breakdown by enzymatic means allows for the effects of several new anxiety, psychosis and bipolar affective medications.

Dextromethorphan along with ketamine and phencyclidine, is classed generally as a 'dissociative', and more specifically in neuropharmacological terms as an NMDA antagonist.

There is little evidence that dextromethorphan, orany of the NMDA antagonist drugs you've mentioned, have antagonistic effect at the GABA-A receptor sites, as does thujone.

Olsen (2000) cites studies which "convincingly [demonstrate] that thujone acts as a GABAA receptor antagonist", and that thujone is excitatory, possibly leading to anxiogenic effects.

Further:

"One may note the anxiogenic and possibly alerting effect of GABA antagonists, as opposed to the anxiolytic, sedative, but also amnestic effects of GABA-enhancing drugs like benzodiazepines and ethanol...[do] not forget, however, that in absinthe one is balancing the effect of thujone with the intoxicating, disinhibitory, and depressant effects of ethanol, not to mention those of the other herbal ingredients of oil of wormwood and others added to the myriad recipes for absinthe now in existence."

[jamjam]

Part 2 -

In reference to erroneous suggestions by several users here:

Firstly, user 'Berettasskeeter' suggests: 'Be careful. Real absinthe is laced with morphine. Absinthe sold here in the U.S., legally, is not the real thing at all."

Nowhere in the literature (this study, or anywhere else) does it state that morphine is commonly found in 'real' absinthe. Furthermore, the notion of 'real' absinthe is a subjective one, as suggested by the study referenced in the article. If we are to consider the popular perception of 'real' absinthe, we might consider a distilled alcohol containing those phytochemicals derived from artemisia absinthium. Other concoctions have been cited as containing phytochemicals derived from other herbs.

The chances of absinthe - commercially bottled, or dug up in a preserved state from some 19th century French distillery - containing morphine are slim to none.

Where does this idea come from?

Secondly, user 'onceler', suggests that either the author, or the other posters, have "no idea" of what they're discussing.

However, considering onceler's post, it might be prudent to to indicate to onceler that he or she has a limited and scientifically baseless understanding of psychopharmacology, esp. that of the psychopharmacological effects of thujone.

User 'onceler' states: "yes, thujone is a psychoactive chemical, and is definitely principally responsible for the intoxicating effects of Absinthe."

'Onceler' goes on: "[T]hujone is not a hallucinogen, it is a dissociative drug more along the lines of ketamine or dextromethorphin."

[FeloniouslyAnnoying]

You're really trying to bring science to these people?

The newage hippy's on huffpost have no more understanding, or care for science than your average holy roller.

Americans in general is a country full of soft heads, with a few brilliant examples to the contrary.

[SolarPowerGuy]

Careful now. There are plenty of us scientists here at HuffPo. Because -- to paraphrase the esteemed Mr. Colbert -- scientists deal in reality. And reality has a known liberal bias.

[TheFatLadySings]

Actually - the first time I ever tasted absinthe - it was laced with opium (in the sugar cubes, I surmise). The soporific effects were enhanced, to say the least " very Winona Rider in Coppola"s "Dracula". Because of that experience - I initially thought absinthe was distilled with or from opium. It wasn't until I had the opportunity to try it again (many years later) that I learned the operative ingredient was wormwood. Needless to say - I never have, nor will I ever try it altered again (opium should never be mixed with alcohol, in my opinion). Absinthe on its own should be treated as a liqueur or aperitif - not something to get drunk on (too sweet, for one thing). For those interested in the experience - but not wanting something with quite as high an alcohol content - try Pernod. Its flavor is derived from wormwood, it has a kick, but it's lighter - less apt to knock a person out.

[jamjam]

Part 1 - Let me first refer to the article:

"The modern scientific consensus is that absinthe's reputation could simply be traced back to alcoholism [...] others have pointed at a chemical named thujone in wormwood, one of the herbs used to prepare absinthe [...] Thujone was blamed for "absinthe madness" and "absinthism," a collection of symptoms including hallucinations, facial tics, numbness and dementia."

Referring to the literature, firstly, the study published on the Internet on the 18th of April, on which this article is based:

"All things considered, nothing besides ethanol was found in the absinthes that was able to explain the syndrome "absinthism"."

This is the published in the JAFC, entitled 'Chemical Composition of Vintage Preban Absinthe with Special Reference to Thujone, Fenchone, Pinocamphone, Methanol, Copper, and Antimony Concentrations'.

Furthermore this is the study conducted by, among others, the researcher, 'Dirk Lachenmeier', quoted in the article.

[Nyland8]

A myth ith ath good ath a mile.

Absinthe makes the fart grow yonder.

8~>

[mamacat]

A few years ago Scientific American magazine carried an article on absinthe. The article concluded that the drink was mind altering, but also damaging. Also stated that it was illegal to sell the real mccoy in the U.S..

[Berettasskeeter]

Be careful. Real absinthe is laced with morphine. Absinthe sold here in the U.S., legally, is not the real thing at all. The real McCoy is banned in the U.S.
Semper fi

[RoloTomassi]

That's total BS.

[tmoraca]

Wrong. Absinthe was NEVER in fact banned here, whether you believe it or not. What was banned was high thujone content. European manufacturers have just realized that regular, original Absinthe registers a much lower thujone content than the U.S. cap and have therefor begun marketing and selling here, holding dumb, posh release parties and the such through mostly New York and L.A. for the time being, but you can see what states and distributors have it (at least the Lucid brand) at drinklucid.com.

[ekwhite]

140 proof? That stuff was rocket fuel...whew!