ethyl alcohol-wormwood-green anise

This bitter distilled alcoholic beverage (about 140 proof), popular early in the 20th century was flavored with aromatic herbs including wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), angelica root, star anise, green anise, dittany leaves, licorice, hyssop, sweet flag and others. Henri-Louis Pernod began producing it commercially in 1797, but it was first concocted by French Dr. Ordinaire. Its production was prohibited in many countries based on the belief that it may cause brain damage (absinthism) over and above that which can result from alcohol alone resulting from the neurotoxic substance alpha-thujone (GABA type A receptor and GABA gated chloride channel modulator) which is found in oil of wormwood.