A Brief History of St. John’s Wort
St. John’s wort’s scientific name is Hypericum perforatum, which refers to the plant’s use by the ancient Greeks, who hung the herb over depictions of gods to ward off evil spirits.
Natural Antidepressant to Heal Mind and Body
According to the 8th-century “Lorscher Arzneibuch,” the oldest preserved book on monastic medicine, St. John’s wort can alleviate melancholy.
Later, herbalists and physicians found that it could also help with depression.
German neurologist and psychiatrist Karl Kleist, who conducted research between the 1930s and 1950s, found that depression symptoms go beyond disorders of brain metabolism. The disease affects the entire person, both physically and psychologically. It’s thought that St. John’s wort can help with depression by healing its psychological side.
Consequently, taking the plant may make increase feelings of happiness, energy, and resilience in day-to-day life. It may also aid sleep.
Moreover, St. John’s wort seems to help alleviate physical exhaustion from burnout and stress.
Safe, Not Addictive, but a Bit Slow
Like many old-world treatments, St. John’s wort has a track record of efficacy throughout its hundreds of years of use, showing that it poses few risks.
The aforementioned 2008 review found that St. John’s wort has fewer side effects than antidepressants. This can likely be attributed to its being free of manmade chemicals that can often trigger reactions.
However, natural healing requires patience, just like other forms of “slow medicine.”
A ‘Universal Medicine’
Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th-century abbess, expressed concern about St. John’s wort’s cultivation standards and viewed it as unfit for human consumption, but the famous 16th-century Swiss physician Paracelsus considered St. John’s wort to be a universal medicine.
Improves Immunity
St. John’s wort enhances the skin’s photosensitivity. Sunlight enables the body to produce vitamin D, which supports the immune system and many other biochemical processes. Sunlight also induces metastatic melanoma cell death.
Helps Heal Wounds
St. John’s wort helps wounds to heal more quickly and cleanly. Midwives used to use St. John’s wort oil if a woman’s perineum ruptured during childbirth. St. John’s wort has also been used to heal burns.
The yellow flowers yield a deep red oil; the color comes from hypericin, a red pigment believed to be one of the active components, along with hyperforin.
Soothes Chronic Pain
This plant is also claimed to ease the pain of various conditions, including sciatica, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, and menstruation, as well as lumbago, strains, and contortions in the lower back. It may also ease the itching and burning of hemorrhoids and vaginitis.
- Balancing blood sugar
- Nervous tension and nerve pain (neuralgia)
- Bladder infections
- Contracting (astringent) slowing bleeding (hemostatic)
- Stomach discomfort, including diarrhea and flatulence
How to Use St. John’s Wort
There are many ways to use St. John’s wort oils, extracts, tinctures, and teas to address minor symptoms of psychological and psychosomatic problems.
Red oil is produced when the flowers and leaves are pressed.
To create a topical ointment, combine the herb with Vaseline, cocoa butter, or beeswax. For topical application, compresses (with water) can also be used.
To make tinctures with St. John’s wort, mix 1/4 jar of the dried herb with 80 to 90 proof alcohol poured up to the top of the jar. Place a lid on the jar. Store the tincture in a tightly sealed glass container in a dark place for about six weeks. Consider diluting the solution for use in compresses. Apple vinegar works as an alternative to alcohol.
To take the tincture, add about 10 drops to a glass of water.
The skin’s sensitivity to UV light increases with higher daily doses, so avoid excessive sun exposure while taking it.
How to Find or Grow St. John’s Wort
Hypericum has deep roots, a two-edged stem, and five-petaled yellow flowers, which have yellow stamens, black spots, and violet longitudinal stripes.
A variety of habitats support the plant, including roadsides, embankments, forest margins, and dry grasslands.
It’s easy to cultivate; gardeners and pot gardeners have been able to grow the plant in barren conditions.
Cautions
St. John’s wort can interact with medications and weaken their effects, so be sure to check with an herbalist or physician before taking it.