St. John's wort medicinal properties and contraindications recipes. What diseases does St. John's wort help from? Hypericum liver treatment

One of the most popular medicinal plants in herbal medicine is St. John's wort (Latin Hypéricum perforátum). In the literature, there is also another name for a perennial herbaceous culture - St. John's wort, and among the people it is called hare blood, red grass, ailments, Svetoyansky potion, St. John's wort.

The plant is widespread throughout the Eurasian continent, found in the USA, Australia, North Africa, the Canary Islands and the Azores. Grown on plantations or growing like a weed along forest edges, in meadows, fields, along roads, in orchards and vegetable gardens, the aerial shoots of St. John's wort are harvested in the flowering phase.

For medicinal purposes, the herb of cultivated or wild St. John's wort is used, dried at temperatures up to 40 ° C in dryers or in well-ventilated rooms. Store medicinal raw materials in paper or cardboard packaging for 24 months. Further conservation and use of St. John's wort is impractical, since over time, some of the bioactive compounds in it are destroyed.

The herb St. John's wort, due to its beneficial properties and aromatic qualities, is used not only for medical purposes, but also in the food industry for the manufacture of bitter and spicy seasonings for seafood dishes (mussels, shrimp, rapana, oysters, crabs, lobsters, bivalves, lobsters, octopuses ), as well as in the production of alcohol, tinctures, wines, tonic drinks, teas.

Useful properties of St. John's wort, composition

This is what St. John's wort flowers look like, photo

Useful properties and contraindications of St. John's wort are provided by the compounds present in the aerial part. Fresh and dried plant materials contain tanning compounds, phytoncides, essential oils, saponins, bioflavonoids, mineral salts, vitamins (ascorbic acid, tocopherols).

In medical practice, the unique properties of St. John's wort are used - water extracts, alcoholic tinctures and plant extracts are used in traditional and folk medicine as an antiseptic, astringent, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-hangover, hemostatic, wound healing, regenerating, diuretic and anesthetic.

The herb is part of medicinal preparations (gastric, female, hepatic, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, cleansing, endocrine, articular, gynecological), and extracts are present in many pharmaceutical preparations, for example, in natural antidepressants or ointments for the treatment of infected wounds, abscesses, phlegmon.

Medicinal use in official and traditional medicine

In gastroenterology, extracts from St. John's wort are used for the following diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, peptic ulcer and duodenal ulcer, colitis, enterocolitis, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids, biliary dyskinesia, chronic and acute hepatitis, gallstones, cholecystitis.

In dental practice, experts recommend rinsing the oral cavity in order to heal and sanitize the mucous membrane with gingivitis, stomatitis, halitosis, periodontal disease. Therapists recommend gargling with infusion and decoction of St. John's wort for sore throat and tonsillitis, both in the acute and in the chronic phase.

Neuropathologists and psychiatrists use the plant in the complex therapy of neuroses, depression, neurasthenia, migraine, neuralgia, sleep and wakefulness disorders. St. John's wort is used for urological diseases, including urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis.

The healing properties of St. John's wort for men have been reliably studied and confirmed by numerous studies. Extracts of the plant are actively used by phytotherapists for inflammation in the prostate gland, as well as for the treatment of prostatitis and prostate adenoma. Short-term use of herbal medicines stimulates potency.

St. John's wort is widely used in gynecology in patients with leucorrhoea and heavy menstrual flow, as well as for amenorrhea, inflammation of the appendages, external injuries of the genital organs and cervix. Taking a plant during menopause is an effective prevention of neoplasms.

Allergists prescribe plant preparations for allergic diathesis in childhood. Both tincture and decoctions are useful for patients with tuberculosis, gout, myocarditis, endocarditis.

Dermatologists note an improvement in the condition of the skin with the local use of water, alcohol and oil extracts, as well as dry and fresh herb of St. greasy skin and hair and irritation.

In folk medicine, there are methods of treating pathologies of the musculoskeletal system with extracts from St. John's wort: arthritis, radiculitis, sciatica, articular rheumatism, pain in muscle tissues. The crushed plant material is applied topically for wound healing. Alcohol extract is taken orally for rheumatic diseases.

Separately, you should dwell on the oil extract from the grass. It is made by hot or cold extraction of fresh shoots of a medicinal plant, drenched in vegetable oil (unrefined olive or sunflower oil). The product is sold over the counter or prepared at home.

St. John's wort oil has unique medicinal properties (regenerating, anti-allergic, absorbable, decongestant, angiotonic, anti-sclerotic, vasoconstrictor, antiviral, anti-seborrheic) and can be used as an independent product for topical application or act as a base for essential oils and enrichment of caregivers.

St. John's wort is also irreplaceable in cosmetology. The plant extract can often be found in cosmetics for face, body and hair care. Oil, tincture, infusions and decoctions are used at home to improve the condition of the skin by adding the listed elixirs to lotions, rinses, masks, creams, massage mixtures. When used correctly, St. John's wort oil can stimulate the formation of sunburn.

Hypericum infusion: preparation and reception

A tablespoon of dried St. John's wort is steamed in a thermos with a glass of boiling water, infused for 4 hours, filtered. Elixir is taken 15 ml three times a day before meals for 14-20 days. The same regimen for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the genital area in men and women.

For the treatment of depressive conditions, it is recommended to consume 1/3 cup of infusion twice a day for 15 days. For other pathologies, the dosage, taking into account the age, condition of the patient and the individual characteristics of the organism, should be prescribed by the doctor.

Alcohol tincture of St. John's wort: reception features

For 1 part of plant materials (dried), 5 parts of medical alcohol diluted in half with distilled water or ordinary, but high-quality vodka are taken. The agent is insisted in a dark glass bottle with a ground-in lid in a shaded place for 10 days, not forgetting to shake the suspension several times a day.

The filtered liquid is stored at room temperature and 30 drops are taken, added to 15 ml of drinking water, during lunch for 10 days. The medicine helps against depression, the effects of stroke, neurosis, insomnia. In case of nervous disorders and dizziness, the tincture is drunk in the same dosage, but before lunch, for 2 weeks.

St. John's wort tincture can be used to improve hair condition by rubbing it into the scalp every night before going to bed, as well as disinfect acne-covered skin, especially if there is bleeding and pus-producing masses in acne.

Caution, there are contraindications!

In order not to harm health and get a lasting therapeutic effect from the treatment of St. John's wort with herbal raw materials, it is advisable to brew and take teas, infusions and decoctions after consulting an experienced doctor. This advice is especially relevant if you have serious chronic diseases and are taking certain medications, for example, antidepressants, antibiotics, heart medications, HIV maintenance therapy, oral contraceptives.

Due to the presence of low-toxic compounds in the plant, treatment with all types of drugs based on it should be limited in time. Uncontrolled intake can cause an overdose and provoke side effects, including flushing of the skin, urticaria, pain in the right hypochondrium, temporary loss of male strength (impotence). Abuse of strong infusions and teas leads to abdominal cramps and pain in the stomach.

It should be borne in mind that the internal and external use of products based on St. factor and in no case visit the solarium.

The following conditions are considered unconditional contraindications to the use of St. John's wort:

• individual intolerance and tendency to allergies;
• increased skin sensitivity;
• persistent arterial hypertension;
• photodermatitis or the need for prolonged exposure to the sun;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• age up to 12 years;
• severe liver pathologies;
• endogenous depression.

When treating prostatitis, it should be borne in mind that prolonged use (more than 3 weeks) of St. John's wort leads to a decrease in potency.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude: despite the numerous useful properties of St. John's wort, treatment with its drugs should be approached thoughtfully, without neglecting the advice of experienced specialists.

Good health to you!

Jan-17-2017

What is St. John's wort?

What is St. John's wort, medicinal properties and contraindications, what is treated with this plant, all this is of great interest to those who lead a healthy lifestyle, monitor their health, and are interested in folk methods of treatment, including with the help of medicinal herbs and spices. So we will try to answer these questions in the following article.

St. John's wort (Latin Hypericum) is a genus of plants from the family of St. John's wort (Hypericaceae); perennial grasses, shrubs or trees with a thin branched rhizome and numerous adventitious roots. Stems are erect, 30–80 cm high, mostly tetrahedral, strongly branched in the upper part. Leaves are opposite, odorous, oblong-oval, most often whole-edged, with translucent oily glands. Flowers with a golden yellow corolla, serrated at the crown, 5 sepals, 5 petals, 3 bundles of stamens, 3 columns, three-celled ovary. The plant blooms from June to August.

The fruit is an ovoid tricuspid capsule with small seeds.

The family of St. John's wort numbers more than 150 species, mostly growing in the temperate climate of the Northern Hemisphere, subtropics, as well as in the mountains of the tropics.

In Russia, this herb grows almost throughout the country, with the exception of the Far North. There are several species of this plant, of which the most common in the European part of Russia are St. John's wort, or perforated, and tetrahedral. Both types are considered curative.

Grass collected during flowering before the appearance of unripe fruits is used as a raw material. Dried in attics, under a canopy or in rooms with good ventilation, tying it in small bundles or laying it out in a thin layer on paper, nets, stirring occasionally. The end of drying is determined by the degree of fragility of the stems. Properly dried grass does not change its color. There are many biologically active substances in the grass: hypericin, flavonoid glycosides, tannins, essential oil, ascorbic acid, vitamin PP, carotene. Such a diverse chemical composition explains the many-sided pharmacological properties of St. John's wort. It is not for nothing that the people call it a herb for 99 diseases.

St. John's wort is currently introduced into cultivation, the basic methods of plant cultivation have been developed. The herb collected during flowering serves as a medicinal raw material. The raw materials are harvested by carefully cutting off the top of the plant up to 30 cm with a sharp knife or scissors so as not to uproot. With this method of harvesting, one plant can give 2-3 harvests per summer. Collection time - June-July. It is dried in the shade (under a canopy) at a temperature of 35–40 ° C. The herb should be stored in wooden boxes lined with paper from the inside. In a cool dry place, the grass is stored for up to 2-3 years.

The healing properties of St. John's wort:

In traditional medicine, this plant, along with chamomile, is very popular. It has been known for over 3000 years and has long been used in Tibet and Ancient Greece. Traditional medicine in many countries of the world considers it to be the main cure for 100 diseases.

Its widespread use is due to the complex chemical composition of the plant.

The terrestrial part of the plant contains hypericin and pseudohypericin - dyes, flavone glycosides - hyperoside, quercitrin, rutin, a greenish essential oil, which includes terpenes, sesquiterpenes, carotene, isovaleric acid esters, tannins, choline and cetyl alcohol. St. John's wort contains resinous substances and traces of niacin, as well as ascorbic acid. The chemical composition of the plant includes macroelements (mg / g): iron - 0.11, potassium - 16.8, calcium - 7.3 and magnesium - 2.2, as well as trace elements (μg / g): copper - 0.34 , zinc - 0.71, manganese - 0.25, cobalt - 0.21, chromium - 0.01, molybdenum - 5.6, aluminum - 0.02, nickel - 0.18, lead - 0.08, boron - 40.4, selenium - 5.0, strontium - 0.1 and cadmium - 7.2.

St. John's wort is one of the few medicinal plants that concentrate cadmium, which is harmful to the human body. Probably, technogenic pollution is the reason for the increased concentration of cadmium in plants; therefore, it is necessary to collect the medicinal raw materials of St. John's wort far from highways and industrial enterprises.

Molybdenum, which also accumulates in this plant, has a beneficial effect by trapping fluoride and preventing the development of caries.

Due to the presence of so many chemical elements in the plant, St. John's wort has a healing effect in various diseases.

This herb is a remedy for cholelithiasis, chronic kidney and liver diseases, as well as some gynecological diseases. In addition, it has an analgesic, diuretic and anthelmintic effect. Its infusion is also used for heart disease, rheumatism, migraines, flu and colds, chronic gastritis and colitis, stomach and duodenal ulcers with high acidity, inflammation of the bladder, hemorrhoids. And the so-called St. John's wort oil is an effective remedy for periodontal disease, stomatitis, gingivitis, pharyngitis and many other diseases.

St. John's wort flowers accumulate manganese and contain saponins, bioflavonoids, tannins, essential oil, carotenoids. More recently, the ability of St. John's wort to influence the level of serotonin in the central nervous system and act as an antidepressant due to the presence of hypericin was discovered.

The aerial parts of the plant contain tannins and dyes (especially a significant amount of hypericin), flavonoids, essential oil, carotene, ascorbic acid, choline and alkaloids. In folk and official medicine, preparations containing St. John's wort are prescribed as agents with anti-inflammatory, regenerating, astringent and antibacterial effects. They are indicated for diseases of the throat and mouth, organs of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, with their help, they successfully treat skin diseases: furunculosis, abscesses, ulcers.

An antibacterial drug, Novoimanin, was obtained from this herb. In the form of a 1% alcohol solution, it is used externally in the treatment of infected wounds, boils, trophic ulcers and burns. Solutions of novoimanin are an integral part of aerosol inhalations for the prevention and treatment of bronchitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, acute respiratory diseases. This plant is widely used in homeopathy.

St. John's wort has an antispasmodic effect in diseases of the stomach, intestines, biliary tract, has pronounced astringent, antimicrobial, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory properties, well stimulates regenerative processes. Thanks to hypericin, it has a photosensitizing effect - it increases the sensitivity of the skin to the effects of ultraviolet rays.

However, be careful: this herb can cause discomfort in the liver and a feeling of bitterness in the mouth, constipation, reduce appetite, and increase blood pressure.

In cooking, dried and fresh herb St. John's wort is used as a seasoning for meat and fish dishes. In addition, it is included in spice mixtures. The powder from the dried leaves of the plant is added to alcoholic beverages.

Contraindications St. John's wort:

St. John's wort should not be taken if:

• You drink antidepressants regularly. Nor should it be used for severe depression.
• The herb can lead to photosensitivity, that is, increased sensitivity to sunlight. Therefore, during treatment, you should not stay in the sun for a long time, and even more so in a solarium.
• In some people with bipolar depression, this herb can cause mania.
• Allergy sufferers should first consult with a specialist, since one of the side effects is various allergic reactions.
• Use carefully in patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• It should not be used in patients with insufficient liver and kidney function, since they will not be able to remove hypericin from the body.
• Cannot be used in patients with estrogen-dependent tumors.
• You can not combine treatment with St. John's wort with taking drugs such as warfarin, theophylline, heparin, drugs for the treatment of migraines, antiepileptic drugs.

In addition, it should be remembered that herbal treatment requires compliance with:

Collection and storage:

Stems, flowers and leaves are considered medicinal. St. John's wort should be harvested in June-July at the beginning of flowering, cutting off shoots 20–35 cm long.

Raw materials should be tied into loose bundles and dried under a canopy, spreading in a 5–7 cm layer on a cloth or thick paper. When drying in an oven, the temperature must not exceed 40 ° C. Raw materials can be stored in a dry place for 3 years.

How is St. John's wort useful for men?

This herb has been used for a long time as a powerful aphrodisiac. Ancient legends claim that this plant evokes in a man just bestial, primal passion in an intimate sense. This plant is certainly present in many ancient love drinks, which was a good reason for its study. Numerous studies have shown that this plant really has a strong effect on the male genital area, causing sex drive, emancipation and desire.

This herb is especially useful for men with potency disorders against the background of fatigue, psychological disorders and stressful conditions. It is successfully used in the treatment of prostatitis and impotence. This herb increases blood circulation, resulting in a lasting erection.

How is St. John's wort useful for women?

The unique properties of this plant have been used for centuries in folk medicine for the treatment of diseases in gynecology. A decoction of St. John's wort relieves pain in PMS, improves well-being during menopause.

Regulates hormonal levels in women - reduces the content of prolactin in the blood and slightly increases the level of androgens (male hormones).

Such a correction can be extremely important in case of imbalance in the menstrual cycle and diseases of the tissues of the internal genital organs. However, due to its strong effect on the female body, St. John's wort cannot be taken by pregnant and lactating mothers, since prolactin is extremely important for their body.

A very interesting video about St. John's wort! Worth seeing!

What does St. John's wort treat?

In folk and official medicine, preparations containing St. John's wort are prescribed as agents with anti-inflammatory, regenerating, astringent and antibacterial effects. They are indicated for diseases of the throat and mouth, organs of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, with their help, they successfully treat skin diseases: furunculosis, abscesses, ulcers.

How to treat St. John's wort gastritis?

For gastritis, accompanied by high acidity, it is recommended to prepare the following mixture of dry herbs: 30 teaspoons of St. John's wort, 15 teaspoons of peppermint, 2 teaspoons of watch leaves, 15 teaspoons of yarrow flowers, 15 teaspoons of dill seeds.

Take 2 tablespoons of the mixture, pour 2 cups of boiling water and leave in a hot oven for 2 hours. Then strain and take 0.25 cups in small sips 4-6 times a day.

For gastritis with low acidity, a mixture of dry herbs should be prepared: 2 tablespoons of St. John's wort, yarrow, centaury, gentian roots, 3 tablespoons of chicory herb, 4 tablespoons of smoke herb.

Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture, pour 1 liter of hot water and leave for 12 hours. Then bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes and leave again for 30 minutes. Strain the broth and take 1/2 cup 4 times a day.

How to treat hepatitis St. John's wort?

Pour 1 tablespoon of dry chopped herbs with 1 glass of boiling water and leave for 1 hour. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals or 1 hour after meals.

1 tablespoon of dry grass, 1 1/2 tablespoons of sandy cmin flowers and 1 tablespoon of chopped buckthorn bark pour 1 liter of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. Take 1 glass 5 times a day.

Colitis treatment:

Pour 1 tablespoon of dry herb with 1/2 liter of 40% alcohol. The container should be tightly closed and infused in a cool dark place for 3 days. Take 30 drops, diluted in water, 3 times a day after meals.

Cold treatment:

Pour 1 tablespoon of dry herb with 1 glass of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. In case of a runny nose, instill 2-3 drops in each nostril every 3 hours. With sinusitis, it is effective to rinse the nasal cavity with St. John's wort infusion.

Treatment of burns, wounds and skin diseases:

For any damage to the skin, fresh crushed leaves of St. John's wort are used for the speedy healing of fresh and infected wounds, for the treatment of boils and purulent inflammatory processes, applying them to sore spots. You can also make an ointment or St. John's wort oil.

Take 100 g of fresh leaves of St. John's wort and sage and thoroughly grind them with 200 g of fresh lard. Squeeze the mixture through cheesecloth and store in a cool place in a tightly sealed container. If necessary, lubricate burns and wounds, changing dressings 3-4 times a day.

Pour 2 tablespoons of dried plant flowers with 4 tablespoons of almond or sunflower oil. Insist for 2-3 weeks. The use of St. John's wort oil is especially effective in the treatment of burns. In addition, the oil can be used for severe bruises by rubbing it thoroughly into the affected area.

St. John's wort for acne:

Pour 1 tablespoon of dry grass with 200 ml of 40% alcohol and leave for 3-4 days in a cool dark place. Dilute 40 drops of tincture in 0.5 cups of water and wipe the skin in places of acne rash.

Recipes from S. Kashin's book "We are treated with spices."

St. John's wort is a medicinal herb that is used in almost all countries of the world. This is a fairly common plant. In English-speaking countries, St. John's wort has an interesting name - herb St. John's wort (St. John's herb). The one that already from the name alone can be understood that the grass also relieves of all harmful diseases (animals) and brings healing.

St. John's wort is a perennial plant, it belongs to the St. John's wort family. It has a fairly wide distribution both in Russia and in Europe. Since ancient times, our ancestors used St. John's wort in the treatment of many diseases.

What is the reason for the medicinal properties of this plant? The answer to this question will give us a study of its chemical composition. So, St. John's wort contains the following substances:

• flavonoids;
• tannins;
• isovaleric and other organic acids;
• ascorbic and niacin;
• vitamins PP and P.

The composition of St. John's wort, in fact, determines its antiseptic, antibacterial, diuretic, choleretic and antispasmodic properties, and St. John's wort also promotes tissue healing. Its healing properties are recognized not only by folk, but also by scientific medicine. It is used in the manufacture of certain medicinal products such as gelarium, deprim, and negrustin. In folk medicine, as a rule, a decoction, tincture of St. John's wort is used.

Useful properties and contraindications

St. John's wort is used in a wide variety of forms:

• decoctions,
• tinctures,
• alcohol extracts,
• butter,
• ointments,
• compresses ...

What does the herb heal?

St. John's wort is so popular not only because of the wide halo of distribution, but also because of the incredibly wide range of diseases in which this herb gives a good positive result:

• atherosclerosis;
• diseases of the stomach and intestines;
• diseases of the liver and gallbladder;
• joint pain;
• varicose veins;
• haemorrhoids;
• headache;
• depression;
• diarrhea;
• diseases of the oral cavity;
• infectious skin lesions;
• urolithiasis disease;
• nervous disorders;
• burns;
• bedsores;
• cystitis.

But since the herb is strong enough and with a very wide spectrum of action, St. John's wort certainly has a number of contraindications.

Contraindications

Any types of medicinal forms containing St. John's wort cannot be taken simultaneously with:

1. antibiotics (with a complex combination of antibiotics and St. John's wort, vision can significantly deteriorate),
2. antidepressants,
3. contraceptive pills (if women use contraception, then St. John's wort will reduce the degree of their influence, men have the opposite effect - the movement of sperm slows down),
4. medications that suppress the immune system during organ transplants.

John's wort also cannot be taken:

1. children under 12 years old,
2. pregnant and lactating women,
3. suffering from internal bleeding.

There are cases when the use of this medicinal plant can have negative consequences. So, it is referred, in particular, to low-toxic herbs, therefore, its long-term use is strictly prohibited. Long-term use can increase pressure due to vasoconstriction, hypertensive patients should use St. John's wort with caution.

Another factor to consider when treating St. John's wort is increased sensitivity to sunlight. If a person has such an increased sensitivity, treatment with St. John's wort must be carried out very carefully and be sure to refuse to be in the sun during the treatment period.

Application

• For the treatment of vitiligo use St. John's wort oil. The oil is applied both internally and externally. The oil is taken orally 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for a course of 3 weeks. Then a break of the same duration (3 weeks) is required and the course is repeated. oh, it is taken in a tablespoon three times a day for three weeks, then they take a break for a week and repeat the course. In severe forms of the disease, to obtain good results, you need to go through more than 2 courses. In parallel with ingestion, oil should be applied to the affected areas. Or apply gauze soaked in St. John's wort oil for 30 minutes a day.
• For the treatment of dysbiosis... A very good result for dysbiosis is given by alcohol tincture of St. John's wort, and especially in the initial stages of the development of this disease. It is used together with tea: several (3-4) tinctures are added to the tea and such tea is taken 2-3 times a day.
• For a sore throat it is good to gargle the sore throat with a warm decoction of St. John's wort. The duration of such a procedure is not short - 5-7 days, but the broth will help consolidate the recovery and will not spread to other organs. Although the decoction is very helpful for a sore throat, it is rather an adjunctive treatment.
• For muscle and joint pain oil is used. St. John's wort oil is used in the form of warm oil applications: the oil is heated, it is blotted with a gauze napkin and the napkin is applied to the sore spot. The oil wipe should be wrapped in wax paper and wrapped in a cloth to keep warm. This bandage can be kept for about 1 hour.
• With hypertension and varicose veins use a decoction of the herb. It should be taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. For the prevention of varicose veins and hypertension, it is useful to regularly drink herbal tea with the addition of St. John's wort. It is most useful to conduct such courses for 1 month in autumn and spring.
• For depression, nervous disorders and insomnia the most effective will be the use of alcohol tincture. Tincture is taken as well as decoctions 30 minutes before meals. In a glass with a small amount of water (50-100 ml), you need to drip 10-15 tinctures. The course lasts 20-30 days.
• For diseases of the spine St. John's wort oil is considered an excellent massage oil. It is used in a warm form as a mono oil during massage and when it is added to the composition made up for massage for problems with the spine.
• With a runny nose and sinusitis an excellent remedy is rinsing the nose and sinuses with water infusion of St. John's wort. In principle, this is a fairly well-known procedure, only sea water is used. But if you take an aqueous decoction of St. John's wort warmed to room temperature, the effect will be much stronger. How to do a nasal lavage -.
• With no appetite herbal tea, which includes St. John's wort, I drink in the morning. The minimum course is 7-10 days.
• With a headache an aqueous infusion of St. John's wort should be taken twice a day, 1/4 cup after meals.
• With stomatitis and gingivitis rinse the mouth with water to which 30-40 drops of an alcoholic tincture of St. John's wort are added. For rinsing, 0.5 cups of lukewarm and boiled water is enough.
• With cholecystitis St. John's wort broth should be taken 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day after meals. The course of treatment is 7-10 days.
• For chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis it is recommended to take 10 drops of tincture three times a day for a month, then another three weeks twice a day to drink tea with the addition of St. John's wort.

How to cook St. John's wort

Depending on the method of preparation, quite often different goals in the treatment are achieved.

Cooking infusion

An aqueous infusion of St. John's wort is prepared by infusing herbs, filled with hot water. For St. John's wort, the proportion is as follows: pour 1 tablespoon of herbs with 1 cup of boiling water. Then we cover with a lid and it is better to wrap it in a warm towel and leave for 1-2 hours. Before use, the infusion is filtered through a strainer.

Application of infusion:

1. rinsing with angina, tonsillitis, pharyngitis;
2. washing the sinuses with sinusitis and runny nose;
3. rinsing the mouth with stomatitis;
4. lotions and compresses for skin diseases;
5. internal use for headaches and colds.

Decoction

The broth has a higher concentration and is prepared differently accordingly. The broth is prepared in a water bath. To do this, pour 1 tablespoon of the herb into a container and pour 1 glass of boiling water. Then put this container with grass in a water bath and boil on it for about 30 minutes. Before use, of course, you need to judge and strain.

Decoction application:

1. taken orally for stomach problems and cholecystitis;
2. gargling for sore throat;
3. decoction of St. John's wort for the face - compresses and lotions for problem skin (perfectly cleanses the skin), with excessive fat content, with acne (narrows the pores);
4. St. John's wort decoction for hair - rinsing with decoction after washing hair - helps in the fight against dandruff, as well as excessive oily scalp (the decoction is especially good in combination with sage decoction).

How to make a tincture

It's simple. The tincture is prepared in the same way as other herbal infusions. It can be prepared with alcohol (70%), or with high-quality vodka. It is better on alcohol, since it is believed that the degree of extraction of useful substances is higher.

Take 3 tablespoons of the herb and fill it with alcohol in a volume of 250 ml (you need to take the same amount of vodka). It is infused for 14 days in a dark room at room temperature. A ready-made tincture of St. John's wort is also sold in pharmacies.

Application of alcohol tincture:

1. used tincture of St. John's wort for depression and other nervous disorders;
2. added to water and used for hepatitis and liver cirrhosis;
3. for the treatment of dysbiosis, it is added to tea;
4. for stomatitis and gingivitis, the diluted tincture is used as a gargle;
5. for rubbing or as an alcohol compress for muscle pain.

Oil preparation

The oil is prepared by the infusion method. Although it is rather an oil infusion of St. John's wort. But you can cook it at home. To do this, fresh grass is poured into a glass container and poured with olive oil. The oil should completely cover the grass.

The oil is infused in the light under the influence of direct sunlight in a warm place. The infusion time is 1 month. It is also convenient to make such oil in a French press (a kettle for brewing tea with a press). Then every day you can pump the grass with a press, as it were. The peculiarity of this oil is that it magically changes color from yellow-green to red.

on the left is fresh grass, on the right is the finished St. John's wort oil

Oil applications (very wide range):

1. oil-soaked compresses are used for pain in muscles and joints, for bedsores;
2. as massage oil for diseases of the spine;
3. for the treatment of vitiligo;
4. St. John's wort oil for hair - nourishes the scalp and cleanses it of excess fat;
5. St. John's wort oil for skin - for problem skin prone to acne.

All contraindications for the use of St. John's wort also apply to oil, especially the increased reaction of the body to the sun (be careful when using oil). It is not recommended to use St. John's wort oil during a holiday at sea or during a long stay in the active sun.

At the 3rd minute, it is very well shown how to correctly collect ordinary St. John's wort (about which we wrote) from St. John's wort is not medicinal.

St. John's wort is one of the most famous and, perhaps, a cult plant. In old medical books one can find the saying: "Just as bread cannot be baked without flour, medicine cannot be prepared without St. John's wort."

The medicinal properties of St. John's wort have been known for a long time, but not only about them. St. John's wort was used in their experiments by the ancient alchemists, who were looking for a way to turn base metals into blooming gold - they discovered that a dye for fabric can be obtained from a plant (a cold infusion of flowers gives a yellow color, and a hot one - from pink to red). St. John's wort was very often used during magical rituals, it was used as a talisman protecting the home from evil spirits. Bunches of dried grass can still be often found in rural houses, even if the owner of the home has no idea about folk medicine - just a tribute to traditions.

The herb St. John's wort is included in the register of medicinal raw materials and is used in the pharmaceutical industry for the preparation of various medical preparations.

The area of ​​distribution of St. John's wort is quite extensive - it can be found in the steppe, in forest glades, on the edges, near water bodies, near human habitation, on the sides of roads. Unfortunately, the harvesting of herbs is often carried out by illiterate collectors, as a result of which the natural reserves of medicinal raw materials decrease annually, and therefore, for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry, St. John's wort is grown in specialized farms.

For medical purposes, only St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is suitable for procurement, which stands out from related species in a number of ways:

1. The grass has a dihedral stem;
2. When viewed into the light, light dots are clearly visible on the leaves of St. John's wort (hence the name - perforated);
3. When rubbing the flowers of St. John's wort between the palms, the yellow color changes to blood red.

St. John's wort blooms from June to September. The medicinal properties of raw materials are at their peak if the grass is harvested at an earlier date - traditional healers assure that the most optimal day for harvesting is June 24 (Ivanov's Day).

The grass must be cut off with a pruner at a certain distance from the soil surface, - in no case uprooted - this leads to the death of the plant.

The grass is dried, as a rule, by hanging it in bunches in attics or under awnings. With a couple for medicinal purposes, only the flowering tops of the plant are harvested, in this case it is convenient to dry the grass, spreading it on a bed of cloth or paper.

The chemical composition of medicinal raw materials

St. John's wort herb is incredibly rich in organic chemicals (below is a short list):

1.Compounds of the flavone group [glucoside hyperoside (the highest concentration is observed in flowers - more than 1%; in grass - up to 0.7%), quercitrin and its isomer isoquercitrin, rutin, myricetin, anthocyanins and their leuco bases].
2. Dyes of the anthraquinone group are represented by hypericin (approximately 0.4%) and its derivatives (pseudohypericin, protopseudohypericin, etc.).
3. Essential oil, consisting of a mixture of terpene and sesquiterpene compounds, esters of isovaleric acid.
4. Vitamins C and E, approximately 50 mg% carotene, etc.
5. Herbal antibiotic hyperforin.
6. Alkaloids, coumarins, saponins of the triterpene group, etc.

St. John's wort preparations have a detrimental effect on a large group of pathogenic microorganisms. St. John's wort has an astringent effect, relieves inflammation, stimulates tissue regeneration processes, and also accelerates blood clotting (the hemostatic properties of the herb are reflected in the popular name "bloodstone").

Internal use of drugs based on St. John's wort increases vascular tone, has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart.

With intravenous administration of St. John's wort preparations, an increase in blood pressure, an increase in the amplitude of heart contractions and other effects are noted.

The use of St. John's wort and preparations based on it in medicine

Aqueous extracts (infusions, decoctions) of St. John's wort are used as anthelmintics used to combat roundworm and dwarf tapeworm.

St. John's wort tincture is a complete replacement for imported ratania, which is used in dentistry (stomatitis, gingivitis, bleeding gums, etc.)

Pharmacological scientists have developed the drug imanin, which is used as an external agent (treatment of infected wounds, cracked nipples, burns, abscesses, etc.). Imanin increases the action of penicillin and streptomycin (increases the susceptibility of pyogenic pathogenic microflora to antibiotics).

St. John's wort preparations

- Infusion (Inf. Hypericum). Pour 3 tbsp. herbs with boiling water (200 - 250 ml), leave for 2 hours. Prescribed at the reception for a third of the glass.

- Tincture (Tinct. Hyperici). For preparation, alcohol of 70% strength is used (at home, you can use vodka - then in this case it is simply necessary to increase the dosage of the drug). The proportions of raw materials to the extractor are 1:10. Duration of infusion is 2-3 weeks. To rinse the mouth, dilute 30 drops in 100 ml of water. Internal use of the tincture is indicated in the treatment of cystitis, colitis and stones in the gallbladder or ducts.

A medicinal product obtained by infusing fresh flowers of St. John's wort in vegetable oils. It is used as an external agent, by analogy with the use of imanin. "St. John's wort oil" is also used for rubbing in for lumbago and rheumatism, in case of dislocations, tendon sprains, etc.

Inside "oil" is prescribed for the treatment of gastric ulcer. In clinical trials, the oil was prescribed on an empty stomach in 1 tbsp. (the course of treatment is from 1 to 2 months). As a lung choleretic, 1 tsp is prescribed. twice a day.

The drug is easy to prepare at home. For 1 liter of olive oil (+ 500 ml of white wine), you will need 500 g of St. John's wort flowers (fresh, pounded in a porcelain mortar in advance). For the first couple of days, do not close the container (transparent bottle) until the fermentation process is over. Then the bottle is tightly closed and exposed to the sun.

The whole cooking process takes about one and a half to two months. At the end of the infusion period, strain the liquid, then evaporate the wine in a water bath.

Some traditional healers propose to prepare "St. John's wort oil" from the powder of dried flowers. For 1 liter of sunflower (linseed, olive) oil, you will need 100 g of powder. Pour the raw materials with hot (temperature within 60 - 80 ° C) oil in a glass container, leave for two weeks.

The medicinal properties of St. John's wort in diseases of the female genital area

- Algodismenorrhea (painful menstruation) during puberty (puberty). Prepare a herbal collection: valerian root, rue and St. John's wort herb, mint and tripoli leaves (three-leafed watch), chamomile and yarrow flowers - all ingredients are taken in equal proportions by weight. For 2 cups of boiling water, you need to take 2 tablespoons. the medicinal mixture, insist for half a day. Consume 50-100 ml three times a day. The course of treatment is approximately 90 days. If you need to repeat the course, you must take a break of 30 days.

- Hypomenstrual syndrome (poor and infrequent menstruation). They often appear during puberty, or during menopause. Ingredients for collection: rose hips, parsley root and wormwood herb - 4 parts each; 2 parts each of fennel fruits, juniper berries, parsley seeds, St. John's wort, rue and cinquefoil goose. For 2 cups of boiling water, you need 2 tablespoons. collection from herbs. Insist for a couple of hours. Consume 100 ml 2 times a day. The duration of continuous treatment can be several months.

- Oligomenorrhea (abnormally increased interval between periods). It is often a manifestation of hypomenstrual syndrome. To prepare the collection, you will need the herb St. John's wort, valerian root and wild thorn flowers (take all the ingredients in an equal weight ratio). For 200 ml of boiling liquid, 1 tbsp is required. medical mixture. Insist until cool. Take in the evening.

- Hyper- and polymenorrhea. The collection includes: horsetail herb - 3 parts, 2 parts each of St. John's wort and centaury grass, juniper fruits and plantain leaves. For 1 liter of boiling water - 4 tablespoons. herbal mixture. Insist in a cooling oven for half a day. Take 100 ml before meals. The course of treatment is 10-14 days.

- Fibroma of the uterus. To prepare a medicinal collection, you need to take in equal parts the following plants: flower baskets of yarrow, chamomile, immortelle herb (dried annual) and St. John's wort, bearberry leaf. For half a liter of boiling water, you need to take 1 tbsp. mixture of herbs. Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, leave to cool. The dosage is indicated on the basis of three times a day.

- Itching in the vaginal area. For 4 liters of water, you must take 1 tbsp. chamomile flowers, St. John's wort and bearberry leaves, as well as 2 tbsp. oak bark. Boil the mixture for a quarter of an hour (over low heat). At the end of cooking, add 6 tablespoons. coarse table salt (sea salt can be used). When the temperature of the broth drops to 37 - 38 ° C, add 40 drops of eucalyptus tincture (sold in pharmacies). The composition is used for douching.

The healing properties of St. John's wort in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

- "Universal tincture" of St. Peter. The herb St. John's wort has been used since ancient times in the manufacture of medicines intended for the treatment of a wide range of diseases of the digestive tract. From past centuries, a recipe for a tincture came to us, which, according to legend, St. Peter advised to take for the treatment of many diseases, including extremely dangerous ones, for example, during a plague epidemic in order to protect against infection. The composition of the healing tincture includes elecampane root, St. John's wort and centaury herb, anise seeds - 20 g each, and 50 g of raisins. The quantitative composition is based on one and a half liters of grape wine. Insist for 10 to 14 days, then strain. Take 30-50 ml before meals.

- With chronic gastroduodenitis against a background of increased acidity, traditional healers advise using a decoction of medicinal collection, which includes hops, chamomile flowers, mint leaves, St. chicory root. Pour the prepared mixture of herbs with 3 cups of boiling water, cook for 7 - 10 minutes at a moderate boil. After cooling, it would be good to add spirulina powder (3 g). Drink the broth before meals, three times a day, 100 ml. The course of treatment is 20 days, after which another phytopreparation should be used.

- Infectious bowel diseases. The recipe below has shown quite good results in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases provoked by the introduction of pathogenic microflora (Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella, dysentery amoeba, etc.). The collection includes wormwood (0.5 parts), St. John's wort and agrimony (1 part each), mint, plantain and chamomile (2 parts each). You need to brew the medicinal mixture at the rate of: adults - 2 tablespoons. 200 ml of boiling water; children - 0.5 tbsp. for the same amount of liquid. Insist for half an hour, then strain. Children are prescribed 1 tsp. at the reception, adults - 1 tbsp. After stool normalization, the dosage is reduced by 2 to 3 times and taken to consolidate the results for another 2 to 3 days.

- Food poisoning with nitrates. The infusion should be consumed immediately after the first symptoms of poisoning appear. To prepare the drug, you need: St. John's wort herb, plantain (grass with seeds), horse sorrel with a seed capsule. All ingredients are taken in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. For 2 glasses of liquid, 1 tbsp is required. herbal mixture. Cook after boiling for 2 - 3 minutes; insist half an hour. The drug is taken depending on the severity of the poisoning - in especially severe cases, 1 - 2 glasses every 1 - 2 hours. Further, when the patient's condition improves, the dosage and frequency of administration must be reduced. After the symptoms of poisoning disappear, for the purpose of prevention, the infusion is continued for another 2 - 3 days, half a glass 3 times a day. This herbal tea binds free nitrates and blocks their absorption through the gastric and intestinal mucosa. To protect the liver from the harmful effects of nitrates, it is necessary to simultaneously take an infusion of burdock and milk thistle seed powder.

- Kidney tea. The remedy is advised to be taken in case of inflammatory diseases, as well as in preparation for surgery. For a three-week course, you need: 6 g of St. John's wort and 8 g of knotweed herb, 10 g of nettle leaves, 15 g of horsetail. A pinch of the herbal mixture is taken on a glass of boiling water, insisted for 15 minutes. After infusion, the liquid is drained, the raw material is poured with a double amount (of the original volume) of the liquid and boiled for 10 minutes. The decoction and infusion are combined. Use the drug 1/2 cup three times a day: on an empty stomach in the morning, an hour and a half before lunch and before bedtime. You can repeat the course after a two-week break. It is also advised to use renal tea for the purpose of prevention - 4 times a year for 3 weeks.

- Soothing tea. Ingredients: motherwort and St. John's wort - 50 g each, maral root - 100 g, lavender - 10 g. For 1 glass of water you need 1 tablespoon. herbal collection. Brew like tea (leave in a porcelain teapot for 15 minutes). Take half a glass in the morning and evening.

- Fortifying tea. The remedy is advised to be taken for the purpose of treating or preventing various diseases. Medicinal tea has a positive effect on the state of the cardiovascular system, has the property of normalizing the metabolism in the body, and helps to cleanse liquid media from toxins and pathogenic microflora. As the adherents of traditional medicine assure, this tea serves as a faithful prevention of heart attacks and strokes, stimulates the protective functions of the body and normalizes the work of all organs and systems. The composition of the wellness collection includes the herb St. John's wort and wild strawberry (along with the roots), inflorescences of sandy cmin (immortelle), chamomile flower baskets and birch buds. For the course of treatment, you need to take 100 g of each of the listed ingredients. You need to prepare tea in the evening: for half a liter of boiling water - 1 tbsp. mixture of herbs, leave for 20 - 30 minutes. Drain the liquid, dissolve 1 tsp. honey and drink (1 glass). In the morning, warm up the rest of the infusion and drink it on an empty stomach (one hour before meals). Prophylactic courses are repeated every 4 to 5 years.

St. John's wort preparations for external use

- Ointment-balm. The remedy is recommended by the Ukrainian healer M. Groza, who assures that this balm is able to counteract even gangrene. To prepare the ointment, you need 2 parts of pine resin, 3 parts of incense, 5 parts of honey, 10 parts of fresh flowers of St. John's wort and 50 parts of olive oil. Heat the vegetable oil, load the flowers of St. John's wort and cook over low heat for 1 hour. At the end of cooking, strain the oil and mix with the rest of the ingredients, stirring vigorously with a wooden (glass) stick until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. The balm is used for dressings (compresses) that need to be changed in the morning and evening.

- A decoction of St. John's wort and oak bark. It is used to treat traumatic and other skin injuries, trophic ulcers, including burns, neglected and festering wounds, etc. St. John's wort and oak bark are taken in a 1: 2 ratio. Pour the mixture with water (the volume of the liquid should be 2 times more than the medicinal raw materials). After boiling, cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and add 1 part of calendula flowers. A warm infusion is used to apply compresses to the damaged area.

Other uses of St. John's wort

- With involuntary urination. For 3 glasses of water, 1 tbsp is needed. elderberries, St. John's wort and lingonberry leaves. Cook after boiling for 10 minutes, then leave for about 1 hour. You need to start taking the broth after lunch (from about 4 pm), half a glass 4 - 5 times at regular intervals.

- With increased pressure. The collection includes the following components: St. John's wort and astragalus - 3 parts each; infructescence of hops, lemon balm, mint, calendula - 2 parts each; 1 part thyme herb. For 2 cups of boiling water, you need to take 1 tbsp. mixtures. Insist for half an hour and take half a glass before meals.

Side effects and contraindications

There are no special contraindications for treatment with monopreparations of St. John's wort, and in the case of multicomponent fees, one should take into account the possible side effects of other ingredients that make up the medicinal products. It should be borne in mind that St. John's wort increases the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet light.

The administration is not responsible for the consequences caused by the use of the information published on the website.

This plant is not safe. Allergies, conflict with a number of medications, side effects and other "troubles" threaten those who have not figured out the specifics of using herbal preparations. But with a reasonable approach to therapy, St. John's wort is able to improve the condition with cholecystitis, hepatitis, gastritis, correct dysfunction of the biliary tract and many other, even rather rare, pathologies.

Composition and nutrients

What exactly is used and in what form

The herb St. John's wort serves as the basis for the preparation of tinctures, decoctions, infusions, extract, prescribed both for internal use and externally. St. John's wort is part of a variety of herbal preparations. Tea with St. John's wort is useful. The herb of the plant is also a source of imanin and a component of many ointments. John's wort is popular in homeopathy. St. John's wort oil is successfully used in the treatment of burns and wounds in the form of oil compresses.

Medicinal properties

The herb St. John's wort (common) contains flavonoids (hyperoside, rutin, quercetin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin), volatile oils, which include terpenes, sesquiterpenes (azulene), naphthodianthrons (hypericin, pseudohyperacin, hyperinic or hypericin light; it is a kind of catalyst for certain intracellular reactions, a regulator of vital processes, affects biochemical processes in organs affected by malignant tumors, increases the sensitivity of the skin to the effects of ultraviolet rays), isovaleric acid esters (have a calming effect), tannins, bacteriostatic resinous substances, ceryl alcohol, niacin, antibiotic, carotene and ascorbic acid.

St. John's wort is used in the treatment of diseases of the digestive system. St. John's wort preparations reduce intestinal spasms, dilate blood vessels, improve the functioning of gastric glands, stimulate blood circulation, relieve inflammation in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, act as an astringent and bacteriostatic, relieve spasms in the biliary tract.

St. John's wort is effective for biliary dyskinesia, bile stasis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, it is prescribed in the initial stages of cholelithiasis, hypoacid gastritis (gastritis with low acidity), flatulence, acute and chronic colitis, intestinal upset and hemorrhoids. At the initial stage of kidney stones, St. John's wort is used as a diuretic and is prescribed for reduced filtration capacity of the kidneys. Tincture of St. John's wort is used for helminthic invasions (with enterobiasis, hymenolepiasis). Plant-based preparations strengthen capillaries, improve venous circulation. It is advisable to prescribe St. John's wort for violations of peripheral circulation, with a tendency to stagnation in the bloodstream. The photosensitizing properties of the plant and the presence of hypericin among its components are used in the treatment of a disease such as vitiligo. St. John's wort is prescribed for disorders of the nervous system, enuresis in children, migraine and neurodystonia. External use of St. John's wort is due to its astringent, bacteriostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. St. John's wort oil is effective for burns, gingivitis, pityriasis of the face, leg ulcers and wound healing. In dentistry, a tincture or infusion of the herbal part of St. John's wort is used to rinse the mouth, to treat sore gums, and stomatitis. St. John's wort in gynecology is used in the form of herbal infusion for douching for inflammation of the vagina, and St. John's wort oil has a positive effect in the treatment of cervical erosion.

Traditional medicine also uses St. John's wort in the treatment of polyarthritis, sciatica, gout, pulmonary tuberculosis, mastopathy, boils.

In official medicine

• St. John's wort herb;
• tincture of St. John's wort;
• imanin, antibacterial preparation in powder form. A 1% solution of imanin is used to treat infected wounds, cracks in the skin, burns, mastitis, boils, phlegmon, acute rhinitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, purulent otitis media. Imanin does not affect fungal infections;
• Novoimanin, one percent alcohol solution-antibiotic. Apply a 0.1% solution in distilled water, isotonic sodium chloride solution, 0.25% anestezin solution or 10% glucose solution for dental diseases, for inhalation - for abscess pneumonia, pneumothorax; with purulent otitis media, sinusitis, use a 0.01-0.1% solution in distilled water. Prepare a solution immediately before the procedure;
• peflavite, is prescribed for capillary toxicosis, acute glomerulonephritis, atherosclerosis.

In folk medicine

• With hypoacid gastritis (with low acidity), as well as to increase the flow of bile and urine output, St. Drink 100 ml in small sips 1-2 times a day after meals.
• St. John's wort tea is useful for intestinal disorders: a tablespoon of flowers and leaves of St. John's wort is insisted in a glass of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drink 2 glasses after meals throughout the day. The course of treatment is long. An increase in the dose to 3-4 glasses per day is prescribed for chronic diarrhea.
• In case of liver diseases (with concomitant constipation), a tablespoon of a mixture of St. John's wort, caraway seeds and buckthorn bark in the ratio of 2: 3: 2 is poured with 200 ml of water, boiled for about 10 minutes and drunk at least 5 glasses per day.
• For back pain and general weakness caused by hard physical labor, a recipe is recommended: 2 tablespoons of St. John's wort flowers are ground with 4 tablespoons of softened fresh cow oil, salted to taste and one tablespoon of such a mixture is stirred in 2 glasses of beer. Drink the drug throughout the day.
• With mental strain, nervous exhaustion, sleep disorders, a remedy is useful: from 200 ml of boiling water and one tablespoon of a mixture of St. St. John's wort in this mixture strengthens and regenerates nerves, treats insomnia and neuroses. It is an excellent remedy for mental fatigue and functional exhaustion of the nervous system.
• St. John's wort helps with worms: prepare an infusion at the rate of 15 g of St. John's wort per 100 ml of boiling water. Take 90-150 ml three times daily for 3 days (children from one to seven years old), on the last day of admission they give laxative salt, and such treatment is carried out in a cycle, in three stages, at intervals of 10 days.

Outwardly:

• St. John's wort oil is used to heal wounds from frostbite of the 2nd and 3rd degrees, with burns, to lubricate cracks in the nipples.
• On the basis of St. John's wort oil, a balm is made that heals abrasions, cuts and is useful for pain in muscles and joints. To prepare the product you need: half a cup of St. John's wort oil extract, half a cup of ginger oil extract, 30 g of beeswax, a tablespoon of rosehip seed oil and an oil solution of vitamin E, 20 drops of lavender and ginger essential oils. Oil extracts of St. John's wort, ginger mix, add beeswax. Heat a mixture of herbal oils and wax in a water bath until it is completely dissolved. Add vitamin E, rosehip seed oil, lavender and ginger essential oils to a homogeneous, heated mass. Stir quickly and thoroughly and pour the finished balm into jars until the wax begins to harden. Store the balm tightly closed in a dry, dark and cool place. The shelf life of such a drug is 2 to 3 years.
• For the treatment of purulent wounds and rinsing the mouth in order to strengthen the gums, steam is used: a handful of St. John's wort flowers are steamed in 0.5 liters of boiling water. A clean, disinfected tissue is soaked in a cooled vapor and applied to the wounds.
• St. John's wort with vitiligo: the affected areas are smeared with the juice of fresh St. John's wort and after a quarter of an hour they are exposed to the sun's rays. The duration of the first insolation is no more than 30 minutes. During the period of such treatment, 30-50 drops of freshly squeezed juice of St. John's wort (from leaves and flowers) are also taken internally 2-3 times a day, washed down with water. It is necessary to stay in the sun, arranging short sessions with breaks. The course of such a treatment for vitiligo is about 60 days, with a break of 3 days after every 3 weeks.

In oriental medicine

Avicenna recommended St. John's wort as an excellent remedy for healing wounds of various origins; practiced it as an analgesic for inflammation of the sciatic nerve, a diuretic and used in the treatment of malignant ulcers.

In the recipes of traditional healers of Uzbekistan, St. John's wort is used as a specific agent in the treatment of oncological diseases of the liver and stomach.

The herb St. John's wort has long been used in Chinese traditional medicine.

In scientific research

One of the pioneers in herbalism, Briton Nicholas Culpeper, a botanist and pharmacist, characterized St. John's wort as a "sunny", "fire" plant.

In his famous herbalist (“The Complete Herbal”, 1653), Culpeper wrote: St. John's wort is “an effective herb used in the treatment of wounds. A drunken wine broth heals internal bruises and pains. St. John's wort ointment treats blisters on the skin, promotes resorption of tumors, tightens the edges of wounds and heals them. A decoction of herbs, flowers and seeds of St. John's wort on wine helps with vomiting, hemoptysis, heals those who have been bitten or stung by any poisonous creature, has a diuretic property. Powder from seeds of St. John's wort, dissolved in a small amount of broth, disperses bile ... A decoction of leaves and seeds in a warm form, taken on the eve of an attack of malaria, facilitates the course of the disease. St. John's wort seeds are recommended ... for patients with epilepsy, paralysis and those who suffer from pain in the sacrum. "

Modern studies of the medicinal properties of St. John's wort are thorough and continuously add to the system of knowledge about medicinal herbs.

The value of St. John's wort in medicine and its medicinal potential were investigated by K. M. Klemov, E. Bartlow, J. Crawford and others.

The interaction of St. John's wort with certain medications and the possible negative consequences of their simultaneous administration is the topic of scientific research by S. Suleimani, R. Bahramsoltani, R. Raimi.

A. Oliveira, C. Pinho, B. Sarmento and A. Diaz presented the results of the analysis of the neuroprotective effects of St. John's wort, and its individual components.

The large-scale scientific work of P. Bongiorno and P. Lo Guidiche is aimed at studying the effect of drugs based on St. John's wort in the treatment of depressive conditions.

The study of the neurotropic activity of modern dosage forms made from herbal raw materials St. John's wort is the topic of the scientific work of V. Kurkin, A. Dubishchev, O. Pravdivtseva and L. Zimina.

The specificity of removing the perforated active substance hypericin from the herb of St. John's wort is highlighted in the study of N. Rudometova, T. Nikiforova, I. Kim.

In cooking

The herb and flowers of St. John's wort in dried and fresh form are used as a seasoning for dishes (especially from fish), for preparing various drinks, as a spice that gives food a slightly bitter, tart and balsamic note.

Beetroot and St. John's wort salad

To prepare the salad you will need: 4 small well-washed raw beets, 2 apples, juice of one lemon, freshly ground black pepper and coriander seeds, half a cup of finely chopped parsley, half a cup of St. John's wort flowers. Grate peeled beets and apples. Put in a bowl, season with lemon juice. Grind and add black pepper and coriander. Sprinkle the salad with parsley and St. John's wort flowers.

Potatoes baked with St. John's wort

Ingredients Required: 8 medium-sized potatoes, 4 tablespoons softened butter, sea salt and pepper to taste, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2-4 teaspoons grated nutmeg, 200 ml cream, 200 ml milk, a cup of St. John's wort flowers disassembled into petals and separated from the sepals.

Peel the potatoes, cut into thin slices. Grease a baking dish with oil, sprinkle with crushed garlic, put potatoes, salt and pepper, sprinkle with grated nutmeg and St. John's wort petals, sprinkle the potato circles with the remaining oil. Whisk milk and cream and pour over potatoes. Bake at 180 degrees until the potatoes are tender and golden brown, about an hour and a half.

Avocado stuffed with St. John's wort

You will need the following foods: 2 large ripe avocados, lemon juice, canned sardines (one jar), one small onion, carefully chopped, a cup of chopped St. John's wort flowers, peeled from sepals, salt and black pepper.

Cut the avocado in half, separate from the pit, carefully remove the pulp from each half and mash with a fork or puree in a blender. Sprinkle the puréed mass generously with lemon juice, mix with sardines, finely chopped onion, sea salt, pepper, and St. John's wort flowers, pounded until smooth. Fill the empty avocado halves with the resulting "minced meat", sprinkle with lemon juice again and decorate the stuffed avocados with St. John's wort flowers. Serve on lettuce leaves.

In cosmetology

The healing properties of St. John's wort are actively used both for the creation of professional cosmetics for the care of the skin of the face, body, hair, and in recipes for home cosmetics. St. John's wort is found in creams, lotions, masks, shampoos and hair rinses. It helps St. John's wort with problematic and oily skin, is used to strengthen hair, in a comprehensive fight against dandruff. Most St. John's wort skin care products are based on oils that can be made at home.

How to make St. John's wort oil? Insist 20 g of fresh St. John's wort inflorescences in sunflower oil (200 ml) for two weeks, then strain. St. John's wort oil works great in nourishing hair masks, helps with dry scalp and hair loss.

Other uses

A drug " Novoimanin", Created on the basis of St. John's wort, is used in agriculture to combat bacteriosis affecting vegetable crops. Also, "Novoimanin" is used in the defeat of tobacco plantations with the so-called tobacco mosaic virus.

In industry, from the leaves and flowers of St. John's wort (sometimes from the whole plant), dyes of yellow, brown, golden and red shades are obtained.

In the Catholic tradition, St. John's wort is called "the herb of John the Baptist", and according to one of the legends the plant grew from drops of blood of the executed saint that fell to the ground.

There is a belief: if on the night before the day of John the Baptist (June 24) a person hides under his pillow a branch of St.

Dangerous properties of St. John's wort and contraindications

It is important to remember that the combination of St. John's wort with certain medications can cause significant harm to health, since the simultaneous intake of St. John's wort and a specific medicine entails disruptions in the assimilation of certain medications.

St. John's wort reduces the body's susceptibility to the action of anticoagulants and thereby reduces the effectiveness of their intake. St. John's wort also reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptives (there have been cases of unplanned pregnancies). It is unacceptable to take St. John's wort at the same time with synthetic antidepressants and a number of other medicines.

With individual intolerance to plant components, a person may develop an acute allergic reaction and conditions may occur accompanied by redness, allergic rashes, shortness of breath and edema.

Long-term intake of St. John's wort in high doses can cause bitterness in the mouth, constipation, not improvement, but a decrease in appetite and a feeling of heaviness in the liver. According to doctors, patients suffering from hypertension should take St. John's wort exclusively as part of herbal preparations, that is, in combination with other herbs that balance its effect on the body, since St. John's wort increases blood pressure.

We have collected the most important points about the benefits and possible dangers of St. John's wort in this illustration and we will be very grateful if you share the picture on social networks with a link to our page:

Botanical description

It is a perennial herb from the St. John's wort family.

origin of name

Folk tradition knows the plant as: St. John's hunter, blood man, Svetoyanskoe potion, hare blood... The Latin generic name for St. John's wort is Hypericum- has several interpretations. One of the versions of the origin of the word is that a magical property was attributed to St. John's wort to resist unclean forces, evil spirits, and explains the name as a fusion of two meanings: hyper("Over") and eikon("Image", "ghost"). " St. John's wort", In turn, is or distorted" jerembay", What means " wound healer"(The so-called medicinal grass of nomadic peoples) or is associated with the fact that certain substances in the composition of St. John's wort, when eaten by livestock during grazing, increased the sensitivity of animals to sunlight and provoked their self-harm when trying to comb the affected areas.

Kinds

Botanists know 458 species representing the genus St. John's wort, the most studied and common of which are the following:

1. 1 St. John's wort or perforated- grows throughout Eurasia, in northern Africa, on the islands (Azores, Canary), the plant has taken root in New Zealand, on the Japanese islands, in North America, Australia. One of the oldest and most popular medicinal plants, a productive honey plant. It is used in the food, alcoholic beverage industry and as a natural dye;
2. 2 St. John's wort- found in Asia, Africa, European countries. Used to create hedges, in combination with other plants. Widespread in landscaping;
3. 3 St. John's wort- grows in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria. Successfully adapted for cultivation on the Australian mainland and New Zealand lands. In European countries, it is cultivated as an ornamental plant in the system of park and garden culture;
4. 4 St. John's wort Kamchatka- distributed in Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. Also found on the Japanese islands of Honshu and Hokkaido. Has a decorative value. The species has found application in the cooking of local peoples: the herb of the plant is used to make tea, young shoots are eaten;
5. 5 St. John's wort trihedral- found in the southern European region, in Tunisia, Cyprus and Malta, in Turkey, in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, in Israel and Jordan. The plant is popular in oriental medicine;
6. 6 St. John's wort drawn- the area of ​​growth of the species covers China, Mongolia, Korea, the Asian region of Russia. The species has medicinal properties, in the composition of the herb of the plant anthrachion hypericin and tannins. Folk healers use the plant in the practice of treating headaches, dizziness, bleeding, neuralgic lesions, eclampsia, mastitis, with attacks of rheumatism;
7. 7 St. John's wort- the species represents the flora of Europe, belongs to medicinal plants;
8. 8 St. John's wort mountain- found in Europe, in the Caucasus. It is under protection in Lithuania, in Belarus it is listed in the Red Book. The flowers of the plant are used for the preparation of medicinal raw materials;
9. 9 St. John's wort- grows in Greece, Turkey, Syria, the Balkans. Grown as an ornamental culture;
10. 10 St. John's wort- a plant with a powerful medicinal potential, widely used in folk medical practice. A source of colorant in industry. Grows in the north of Africa, in Central Asia, in the Crimea, on the Greek islands and in Spain;
11. 11 St. John's wort- endemic to the Arabian region and the Mediterranean. In Israel, the species is listed in the Red Book. It has long been used by folk healers of the Middle East;
12. 12 St. John's wort rough- grows in Central Asia, the Middle East, Altai. Medicinal plant and natural dye.

St. John's wort (ordinary) is a perennial plant, grass from 0.3 to 1 m high. Rhizome is poorly developed and slightly branched. Stems, which grow annually, are dihedral, diverging into numerous branches upward. The leaf arrangement is opposite, the leaves are sessile, smooth, oval or elongated, covered with many translucent spots - "holes". The flowers are bright, rich yellow, collected in corymbose panicles. The flowering period is summer. The fruit is a capsule, with small brown seeds, begins to ripen with the beginning of autumn.

St. John's wort grows near field roads, in thickets and thickets, in glades, in a forest belt, on slopes, meadows.

Growing conditions

Well-lit areas are suitable for planting. Before sowing, the soil is cleared of weeds and plowed, enriched with mineral and organic fertilizers (which makes it possible to increase the yield by an additional 20-30%). Peat compost and nitrogen, potash and phosphorus fertilizers are recommended as top dressing.

Sowing on the eve of the winter period is carried out without preliminary stratification, keeping the distance between the rows of 0.45 m and at the rate of 30-40 g of seed material per 100 m2 of area. If St. John's wort is sown in spring, the seeds are stratified by mixing with sand and keeping at low temperatures for at least 60 days. After emergence of shoots, it is necessary to weed and loosen the aisles. These procedures are repeated 3 or 4 more times during the summer, in the first year of plant cultivation. In subsequent years, the site is cleared of dead stems and the soil is plowed with a rake.

St. John's wort is harvested at the flowering stage, before unripe fruits appear. The grass is mowed or cut with sickles, separating the apical parts of the plant at a height of 0.3 m. The bare leafless parts cannot be collected. 30-45 days after the first cut, the growing season is completely repeated and flowering begins again. The plant is mown again. The yield of crops in the third year significantly exceeds that of the plantations in the second year. The grass is dried in a well-ventilated area (or in the open air, provided there is no precipitation and in a shaded place), sprinkled in a thin layer and stirring regularly. You can also dry St. John's wort in bunches suspended in the shade. The readiness of raw materials is determined by the degree of fragility of the stems. Correctly dried material has a faint but pronounced balsamic aroma. The allowed storage period is up to 3 years.

Insufficiently experienced herbalists confuse St. John's wort with gorse dye, a member of the legume family. This is a low shrub plant, the leaves are linear or lanceolate, the stems are glabrous or sparsely pubescent, the yellow irregular flowers of the moth type are collected in long racemose inflorescences. The fruits are elongated beans with a slightly curved shape.

Power circuit

Bumblebees and bees collect pollen from St. John's wort flowers. Hypericum flies and beetles feed on the pollen of St. John's wort. The bright flowers of the plant also attract wasps and butterflies, whose target is nectar, but it is precisely its flowers that St. John's wort is practically not produced. Caterpillars of a butterfly species Strymon melinus feed on seeds of St. John's wort, and caterpillars of butterflies of the species Nedra ramosula- foliage.

Video

St. John's wort treatment, as well as interesting facts and methods of application.