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St. John's Wort
St. John's Wort
St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) This tough little perennial shrub grows 12-36 inches tall and is covered with pretty, fragrant yellow flowers from mid to late summer. The flowers have 5 petals and clusters of feathery gold stamens. The dark green leaves have oil glands which look like tiny perforations on their undersides. Cultivation St. John's wort is usually propagated from runners in the autumn or by seed sown early in the spring. The plant does best when planted on an average soil and prefers dappled shade or full sun. the plants grow rapidly but are short lived, usually lasting only five or six years. Because of their dense, compact habit of growth they rarely need pruning, but if it is necessary to cut off deadwood, do so in early spring. New plants can be started from softwood cuttings of young growth in late spring or early summer. Harvesting Cut flowers when fully open and pick leaves as required. Always harvest before the heat of the day. Medicinal Uses Use caution as this plant can cause photosensitivity in some people. For Depression Many clinical trials show Saint-John's-wort to be useful in treating mild depressive states. Studies in 3,250 patients found improvement or total freedom from symptoms in about 80% of the cases treated, with only 15% not responding. In Germany, the most popular prescription drug of any type, natural or synthetic, for the treatment of mild depression is a concentrated extract of the flowers and leaves of Saint-John's-wort, often simply called hypericum. There, just under 200,000 prescriptions per month are filled for a single brand (Jarsin), compared with about 30,000 per month for fluoxetine (Prozac). This figure does not include sales of other hypericum products, whether they are prescribed or self-selected. Approximately 80% of the sales are prescriptions, which allows their cost to be reimbursed by the German health-insurance system. When preparing St. John's Wort grown in your garden, use two to four grams of dried herb daily. The herb can be prepared as a tea. Both leaves and flowers are used. For Other Conditions For medicinal use, prepare a tincture or infusion of the aerial parts. It is useful as a wound healer, encouraging the formation of granulation tissue and promoting nerve repair. Taken internally, the red oil from the plant helps to heal stomach ulcers. Take an infusion or tincture internally for rheumatism, or massage the oil into the joint. Treats nerve-related disorders such as neuralgia, sciatica and shingles. Eases symptoms of menopause. The oil is good to use topically for wounds, sunburn, burns, and post-operative scars. In Germany it is traditionally used for colic, aches and pains, inflammation of the digestive tract and bed-wetting.
The Herb of St. John It has been known as goatweed, klamath weed and tipton weed. It has a rich folkloric tradition and a history of use that began with the ancient Greeks and has continued to the present. It grows and is used throughout Europe, North America and elsewhere. It has been celebrated for its magical qualities and blasted as a "noxious weed." The herb is St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). St. John's wort ("wort" is an Anglo-Saxon word meaning herb) is named after John the Baptist. The red oil glands that dot the herb's leaves were once believed to be drops of blood, a reminder of the day the saint was beheaded. Some traditionalists believe that the best day to harvest St. John's herb is on June 24, the Feast of St. John. Interestingly, that harvest date often does yield optimal potency in the herb. A Hardy Immigrant This shrubby perennial is found in dry soils, fields and sunny places. Though it was originally introduced to America from Europe, St. John's wort now thrives throughout much of eastern and pacific coastal North America. It's related to Rose of Sharon (Hypericum calycinum), a cultivated ornamental plant. St. John's wort has a pale brown stem and oblong leaves that grow in pairs. The leaves contain many translucent oil glands that look like holes (hence the species name perforatum, which describes the apparent perforations). The bright red color in these glands is produced by the pigment hypericin. The plant produces clusters of yellow flowers from June to September. Each of these flowers has five petals with black dots at the edges. These petals produce the same dark red pigment, hyper-icin, if you crush thembetween your fingers. The herb has a strong acrid flavor and an aroma reminiscent of turpentine. Because it's relatively common and has been known to cause photo- sensitivity in grazing animals (this photosensitivity may in turn produce skin problems in animals who are exposed to extensive direct sunlight), St. John's wort is regarded among some ranchers and others as a nuisance and a noxious weed. Others cherish the colorful perennial, whose green leaves and bright yellow flowers make for a stunning splash of summer color. Those who cultivate the herb typically germinate and plant the seeds in early May or late April. It is the bright red pigment, hypericin, that is regarded as the key constituent in St. John's wort, though there are dozens of other active constituents. Hypericin may be found throughout the plant, but is typically found in greatest concentration in the yellow flowers. Hypericin concentration is typically highest when the flower buds are full but not quite open. At Frontier Natural Products Co-op, we bring the plant in whole, then cut and sift it, using the potent flowering tops with a significant proportion of buds. We test the herb for the levels of hypericin, using HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). You can evaluate the quality of your St. John's wort without HPLC equipment by immersing the herb in olive oil
(yielding a simple flower oil appropriate as a supportive skin dressing). As a rule of thumb, the redder the oil becomes, the more potent the herb. A Magical Wort St. John's wort has long been associated with magic, and it was regarded as having power over evil spirits. The genus name Hypericum is derived from two Greek words - hyper and eikon, meaning "over" and "apparition." Early Christians and pre-Christians saw power in the bright, sun yellow flowers and stamens - the power, as they saw it, to ward off encroaching darkness and evil apparitions. Herbalist, author and educator Rosemary Gladstar notes that in pre-Christian religious practices in England, St. John's wort was used in many of the ceremonies and rituals. Bringing the flowers into the house on mid-summers eve would protect against the evil eye; and sleeping with a sprig of the plant under one's pillow on St. John's Eve would ensure a vision of the saint and his blessing. A Tradition of Healing St. John's wort has been used as a health enhancer since the time of the ancient Greeks. It was favored by both Galen and Paracelsus, two of the great Greek healers and scientists, for purposes still employed today. Externally, the oil of St. John's wort may be used as a reinforcing balm for the skin. Internally, St. John's wort is a specific for the nervous system, and it is used to support nerve tissues throughout the body. The herb induces hypotension in blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow. It is often used by those who are experiencing high degrees of stress or mental burnout. It is also used as a general support to the nervous system. It is not generally appropriate for those who suffer from severe depression.
Caution: St. John's wort has been known to induce photosensitivity in grazing animals, particularly cattle, sheep, horses and goats. While its potential to induce similar photosensitivity in humans is not well documented, it is generally advisable, when using the herb internally, to keep the doses small. Furthermore, people who are consuming St. John's wort should avoid extended exposure to direct sunlight, since they may be more susceptible to sunburn, rashes and other skin conditions.
Conclusion As a magical charm, a nurturing skin balm and a nervous system support, St. John's wort is the herb par excellence. The next step for us at Frontier in our relationship with this herb is to develop a good organic source that we can bring in direct from the grower and that meets our stringent quality targets.
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St Johnswort
Other names: Hypericum perforatum
Parts Used: The leaves and flowering tops.
Culinary uses: The herb and fruit are sometimes used as a tea.
Flowers can be used for making mead.
Other uses: An ointment or tincture of the flowers is most useful for skin eruptions, scratches, insect bites, general irritations and wounds.
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