Absinthe Uncorked: The 'Green Fairy' Was Boozy -- But Not Psychedelic

Science Daily ^ | 5-1-2008 | American Chemical Society

[blam]

Absinthe Uncorked: The 'Green Fairy' Was Boozy -- But Not Psychedelic

ScienceDaily (May 1, 2008) — A new study may end the century-old controversy over what ingredient in absinthe caused the exotic green aperitif's supposed mind-altering effects and toxic side-effects when consumed to excess. In the most comprehensive analysis of old bottles of original absinthe -- once quaffed by the likes of van Gogh, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec and Picasso to enhance their creativity -- a team of scientists from Europe and the United States have concluded the culprit was plain and simple: A high alcohol content, rather than thujone, the compound widely believed responsible for absinthe's effects. Although consumed diluted with water, absinthe contained about 70 percent alcohol, giving it a 140-proof wallop. Most gin, vodka, and whiskey are 80 -- 100-proof and contain 40-50 percent alcohol or ethanol.

Absinthe took on legendary status in late 19th-Century Paris among bohemian artists and writers. They believed it expanded consciousness with psychedelic effects and called it "the Green Fairy" and "the Green Muse." The drink's popularity spread through Europe and to the United States. However, illness and violent episodes among drinkers gave absinthe the reputation as a dangerous drug, and it was banned in Europe and elsewhere.

In the new study, Dirk W. Lachenmeier and colleagues point out that scientists know very little about the composition of the original absinthe produced in France before that country banned the drink in 1915. Only a single study had analyzed one sample of preban absinthe. The researchers analyzed 13 samples of preban absinthe from sealed bottles -- "the first time that such a wide ranging analysis of absinthe from the preban era has been attempted," they say.

The analysis included thujone, widely regarded as the "active" ingredient in absinthe. "It is certainly at the root of absinthe's reputation as being more drug than drink," according to Lachenmeier. Thujone was blamed for "absinthe madness" and "absinthism," a collection of symptoms including hallucinations, facial contractions, numbness, and dementia.

However, the study found relatively small concentrations of thujone, amounts less than previously estimated and not sufficient to explain absinthism. Thujone levels in preban absinthe actually were about the same as those in modern absinthe, produced since 1988, when the European Union (EU) lifted its ban on absinthe production. Laboratory tests found no other compound that could explain absinthe's effects. "All things considered, nothing besides ethanol was found in the absinthes that was able to explain the syndrome of absinthism," according to Lachenmeier.

He says that scientific data cannot explain preban absinthe's reputation as a psychedelic substance. Recent historical research on absinthism concluded that the condition probably was alcoholism, Lachenmeier indicates.

"Today it seems a substantial minority of consumers want these myths to be true, even if there is no empirical evidence that they are," says Lachenmeier. "It is hoped that this paper will go some way to refute at least the first of these myths, conclusively demonstrating that the thujone content of a representative selection of preban absinthe... fell within the modern EU limit."

The study "Chemical Composition of vintage Preban Absinthe with Special Reference to Thujone, Fenchone, Pinocamphone, Methanol, Copper, and Antimony Concentrations" is scheduled for the May 14, 2008 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS

[uglybiker]

Absinthe rule of thumb:

Any brand that hypes thujone levels is crap.

The funny thing is, the REAL high quality brands (Duplais, La Petit,Clandestine, etc.) don't cost any more. And in many cases cost less!

[hewhowaits]

hehe

[alarm rider]

Wormwood?

I tried it and it was not that tasty. I know why they cut it with sugar.

I caught a moderate buzz, but nothing special.

[hewhowaits]

Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out.
regards

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Often in the case of toxicity in products, the assumption of the active agent is incorrect—it is contaminants and breakdown products that produce the problems.

For example, investigators looking at Agent Orange, the Vietnam-era defoliant, kept looking at the active agent, herbicide 2,4-D. But it was not the problem, which was both contaminants and breakdown products that released dioxins into the herbicide.

So what if thujone isn’t the problem in absinthe?

Any number of other things, such as fungus or bacteria on the wormwood or other plants, or different plants growing side by side with any of the eight or more plants put into absinthe.

The different recipes of the main types of absinthe: Blanche/la Bleue, Verte, Absenta, and Bohemian style absinth varied considerably, as did the various ingredients.

Anethole, the principal component of anise oil is a precursor that can eventually produce 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde which is used in the clandestine synthesis of psychedelic drugs such as ecstasy.

[hewhowaits]

not the brands hyping, the online vendors. what a suprise.
I think I'll try to get some of those you mentioned. This conversation is making me want to go check the liquor cabinet to see what I have left thanks regards

[uglybiker]

Check the reviews at The Wormwood society and at The Absinthe Buyer's Guide.

[hewhowaits]

Thanks! I will
hehe ; )

[VOA]

“...a colleague did the distillation with Thujone she grew in her garden.”

Minor point: the colleague probably grew wormwood...which is the plant
ingredient that AFAIK gives abisinthe it’s content of the molecule thujone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thujone

History Channel’s “Modern Marvels” had a segment on a fellow trying to
imitate the pre-ban abisinthe production process. In addition to
wormwood, I think there were at least two other spices used
(one of them being sweet anise?)

[Yollopoliuhqui]

Creativity is thinking outside the box. Getting outside the box can be done in many ways. “I’m gonna tell you one thing, kid...lateral connectivity.”

[Ghengis]

I tried it a few years ago. Felt like a deeper, more intense buzz than having a few beers or some sipping whiskey.

[donna]

But then it’s just an accident, not an achievement.

[hewhowaits]

“Minor point: the colleague probably grew wormwood...which is the plant
ingredient that AFAIK gives abisinthe it’s content of the molecule thujone.”

LOL yes you are absolutely correct, I really had no Idea how far the thead was going to go WRT the actual chemistry. I had another colleague who gave me huge clumps of it from his garden. (it makes an interesting ground cover) She never know he was growing it, he never knew she was distilling it and they work in the same lab. hehe regards

[Yollopoliuhqui]

Depends on the what sort of intellectual equipment you bring to the playground of accident. I wouldn’t recommend adding chemicals together to see what happens in a laboratory, but doing something analogous to that in art, adding randomness, is totally legitimate. The thing about going on an expedition, is you bring a lot of gear to take care of as many contingencies as possible, but you still don’t know where the trail will lead. It’s a mix between accident and plan to one degree or another depending on how daring you want to be. Daring is good in my book.