St. John's wort - effect and application

St. John's wort in natural medicine

St. John's wort, also called Hypericum perforatum, has been used as a medicinal plant for more than 2000 years. This light-bringing herb with the sunny yellow flowers is not only extremely pretty to look at, but has a large spectrum of effects. It is applied in the form of tablets, as mother tincture, tincture, ointment, cream, as oil, in the form of ready-made medicines and as a homeopathic remedy.

contents

• St. John's wort in natural medicine
• A medicinal plant as a witch herb
• Appearance
• Propagation by pollen
• St. John's wort is widespread
• Medical ingredients
• A poisonous medicinal plant
• Arnica of the nerves
• St. John's wort for depression
• Therapeutic application internally
• Application as oil
• Application in homeopathy
• side effects
• Contraindications, interactions
• cultivation
• conclusion

A medicinal plant as a witch herb

The St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) takes its name from John the Baptist, as it blooms around the St. John's Day on 24 June. In English, St. John's Wort is spoken for the same reason and in Spanish Hierba de San Juan.

St. John's wort is often used in natural medicine for the treatment of nerve injuries. (Image: emer / fotolia.com)

Previously, the medicinal plant had other names, such as witchwort, Walpurgiskraut and devil's escape. Wrapped in a wreath, worn on his head, people danced with it around the solstice fire and threw the wreaths in the embers to protect themselves from demons, witches or evil spells. People also believed that the herb, suspended from windows, could drive away evil spirits and protect the animals from enchantment in the barn.

The word hypericum comes from the Greek and is probably composed of "hyper" = over and "eikon" = picture together. This could mean that the herb puts the soul of man over his bad inner pictures, his morbid imaginations.

Appearance

St. John's wort grows on roadsides, on dams in sparse forests and bushes. The plant is between 25 and 90 centimeters high. It has pronounced creeping roots, between which a root in spindle form grows up to 50 centimeters into the ground, a two-edged stalk and opposite leaves, whose leaf blades are covered with oil glands. On the leaf margin are black glands.

The herb blooms from June to August, the sepals show light and black glands, the petals shine deep yellow. When we grind them, the intensely red substance hypericin comes out. Therefore, the plant is also referred to as "Herrgottsblut" and St. John's wort oil as "red oil".

Propagation by pollen

Bees and hoverflies pollinate the flowers, while self-pollination rarely occurs - it only works when the flowers close. Animals carry off the seeds, and the wind carries them around, moreover, the plant propagates through Wurzelcrachchsprosse.

St. John's wort is widespread

True St. John's wort grows naturally in Europe, West Asia and North Africa in several subspecies and prefers lean soils: It thrives on the forest and roadside, on railroad slopes, in the heath and on poor meadows. It is a typical pioneer plant that spreads quickly on gravel roads and in construction areas. Typically, it is also found together with broom and heather.

Hypericum perforatum occurs in groups, but rarely covers larger areas. As a plant of partial shade, it can cope with moderate heat as well as with a dry or slightly moist substrate. However, it does not like acidic soil, in the moor it is not to be found.

True St. John's wort is widespread and grows primarily in groups. (Image: M. Schuppich / fotolia.com)

Medical ingredients

Hypericin, pseudohypericin, flavonoids and bioflavones are contained in various species of the plant, in St. John's wort also hyperforin and adhyperforin, which have antibiotic effect. The pharmaceutical effect is probably due to an interaction of different substances.

A poisonous medicinal plant

The plant contains a slight poison - the hypericin dye leads to the "Hartheukrankheit" in farm animals such as goats and sheep in combination with sunlight.

Arnica of the nerves

Today no one believes in the "witch-like" hypericum - its healing effect, which is absolutely worth mentioning, is in the foreground. St. John's wort is often referred to as the "arnica of the nerves" and thus also used as an emergency homeopathic remedy. In case of a fall on the spinal column or on the coccyx, in case of concussion, in connection with a shock - with all injuries of the nerves it is the means of the choice. As an emergency remedy from homeopathy, it is usually administered in a high potency.

St. John's wort for depression

In natural medicine St. John's wort is used for mild and moderate depression. From an own medication is absolutely foreseeable. A doctor or alternative practitioner must decide which dosage and if any hypericum may be used. Higher doses are prescription.

Hypericum should only be used after consultation with a doctor or alternative practitioner. (Image: Printemps / fotolia.com)

However, to date high quality studies are lacking, and therefore the utility of the medicinal plant for depression is controversial; the worse the quality of the studies was in terms of number of participants and methods, the better the result.

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care sees an effect in mild depression as proven, while in severe depression, it considers the plant meanwhile ineffective.

The ingredients cause an increase in neurotransmitters. Added to this is the photosensitizing effect, which results in increased light utilization. Everyone has heard of the so-called winter depression, which develops mainly due to lack of light in the dark days. Here the plant can bring help. Their effect is quite synonymous with one or the other antidepressant drug. Hypericum is anxiolytic, slightly sedating and helps with nervous restlessness.

Therapeutic application internally

If a woman is suffering from a premenstrual syndrome that not only causes physical symptoms such as abdominal pain, water retention and breast tenderness, but also causes discomfort such as depressive mood, increased irritability and mood swings, St. John's Wort can be the drug of choice in many cases. An irritant bladder and bedwetting are also among the areas of application.

In naturopathy it is a first aid remedy for migraine. Here, this is administered high-dose, to kupieren an imminent migraine attack. With weather sensitivity, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, tension headaches and tinnitus (tinnitus), treatment with Hypericum is also worth a try.

In folk medicine, the medicinal plant was also administered in worm infestation, bronchitis, cough and gall bladder complaints.

For a painful strain, rubbing the affected area with red oil can be very effective. (Image: SENTELLO / fotolia.com)

Application as oil

As an externally applied oil, the herb is used for trauma, injury, muscle tension and spinal discomfort. The oil has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. It helps with sharp and blunt injuries, with distorsions (twisting, straining) and contusions (bruise), hematomas (bruises) and herpes zoster (shingles).

Its anti-inflammatory component can be used preventively to prevent decubitus (bedsores) and ulcus cruris ("open leg"). The oil works in first-degree burns and sunburn. In the latter case, due to the photosensitizing effect, it is essential to refrain from a preventive use. The same applies to the application in connection with a radiation therapy: not before (here the calendula oil is recommended), but afterwards the red oil shows its healing properties.

The oil is often recommended by midwives to the pregnant women as a dam care, to make this area supple and elastic before birth. In addition, pads with saturated gauze compresses help with minor wounds. It should be noted that the contained hyperforin can even keep multiresistant staphylococci at bay.

It can also be used internally. Of course, it is important to pay attention to quality. Non-medical practitioners recommend the use for example in gastritis (gastritis) and irritable stomach. The oil clothes the stomach from the inside, protects it and heals.

In proctitis (inflammation of the rectal wall) even enemas with St. John's wort oil are performed. In case of spinal complaints rubbing with red oil brings relief. Thus, in the so-called Breuss massage, a form of massage that is used especially in the naturopathic practice, only the red oil is used. Its soothing and soothing substances support the massage. For scar care, the oil is also suitable.

St. John's wort oil can help with bruising or burning. (Image: behewa / fotolia.com)

Application in homeopathy

In homeopathy Hypericum is the major remedy for nerve injuries, especially of fingers, toes and nails. Just when fingertips are squashed in the car door, for example, St. John's wort is the means of choice. It is also used for pain after surgery or after falling on the coccyx. Other areas of use in homeopathic form are nausea, hemorrhoids, pressure above the cross, tingling in the hands and feet, nerve inflammation with burning pain and much more.

side effects

Since the medicinal plant, especially in light-skinned persons, increases the sensitivity to light, it is essential to foresee a sun exposure in connection with ingestion or external application. Rare side effects include rash, itching, discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract, fatigue and inner restlessness.

The mood brightener can also get out of hand, then the unwanted consequences include strong arousal and manic phases. Patients suffering from bipolar disorder should be careful with St. John's wort in depressive episodes. You should not dose it too high, because in this case, a serotonin syndrome may set in, associated with dizziness, flu symptoms, confusion, muscle twitching and overpowering fears.

This is particularly problematic because the mental characteristics are consistent with the depression, and the patients can easily take an additional overdose.

Contraindications, interactions

As already mentioned, people who are sensitive to light should refrain from using it, especially when it is summer, or, if necessary, provide sufficient sun protection. In addition, the effect of some drugs is affected by the herb. These include, for example, the anti-baby pill, some anticoagulants, psychotropic drugs, protease inhibitors (such as indinavir), cholesterol-lowering drugs, some heart and asthma drugs, antihypertensives and sedatives.

Danger: Children under the age of twelve, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take St. John's wort supplements.

Children as well as pregnant and nursing women should not use Hypericum. (Image: Rido / fotolia.com)

cultivation

True St. John's wort is cultivated for its medicinal properties, but at the same time it is considered a "weed" among farmers. Cultivated varieties are Anthos, Motiv, Uperikon, Hyperimed and others.

The producers bring the seeds into the ground in spring or autumn. Pesticides and herbicides are taboo, unwanted wild herbs remove the growers technically or by hand. The cabbage can be harvested once or twice a year for up to three years, including buds, flowers and twigs, either by hand or by machine. If the plants are to be harvested, combine harvesters are also used. Per hectare comes up to 26 tons of fresh mass.

conclusion

In summary, it can be said that the plant alone captivates by its appearance. When you look, especially the effect on the nervous costume becomes clear. In the figurative sense, this warm color, which supplies us with light, gives the human being back light and joy. (sw, Dr. Utz Anhalt, last updated 11.1.2018))