ABSTRACT
Among the most popular and intriguing intoxicants of the Victorian Age, absinthe had
all but disappeared after it was banned in nearly all developed countries in the early
1900s. A number of great artists and writers from the late 1800s used absinthe as
a social drink, including Vincent van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec. A recent resurgence
of absinthe use has occurred in Europe and is rapidly spreading to the United States.
Despite its increasing popularity limited information exists on the mechanism of action
and neurotoxicity of absinthe. This paper reviews some of the historical aspects of
absinthe and aims to shed light on the mechanism of action and neurotoxicology of
this the Green Fairy.
KEYWORDS
Absinthe - thujone - van Gogh - neurotoxicology - history of medicine
