The yellow flowering medicinal plant St. John’s wort grows throughout Europe, as well as in parts of America, Asia and North Africa. Its Latin name is Hypericum perforatum.
Occurrence and cultivation of St. John’s wort
St. John’s wort owes its name to the fact that it begins to bloom around June 24, the feast of St. John. St. John’s wort is now also systematically cultivated for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. St. John’s wort usually calms the nerves, but not those of farmers. For in arable farming, it can become a real nuisance, as it can make it difficult to grow other crops. Farmers therefore systematically combat St. John’s wort with weedkillers. St. John’s wort owes its name to the fact that it begins to bloom around June 24, the feast of St. John. The flowers can be harvested throughout the summer.
Effect and application
St. John’s wort has a long tradition as a medicinal plant and was already used in ancient times both internally and externally for the treatment of skin diseases, burns and fever. It owes its diverse effects to its main ingredient, hypericin. For the treatment of minor injuries, inflammations and first-degree burns, St. John’s wort oil is used. But it is also said to help with strains and muscle cramps, and to improve circulation during long periods of bed rest. This red oil is offered by many pharmaceutical companies on the market. It is produced by a batch of oil and the flowers and buds of the plant. There are various dosage forms for internal use. However, there are some things that should be taken into consideration when using it internally. St. John’s wort is a so-called light-sensitizing plant and can cause side effects such as increased risk of sunburn when used for long periods of time under strong sunlight; and not only in humans, but also in animals. Before internal, but also external use, one should always ask a doctor for advice. St. John’s wort can also reduce, change or increase the effect of other medicines. The weakening of the contraceptive effect of birth control pills while taking St. John’s wort has not been proven. St. John’s wort tea can be purchased loose or in ready-made tea bags. It is also added to many sedative teas. Drugstores and pharmacies offer ready-made preparations such as dragées, tablets or capsules.
Importance for health
St. John’s wort is used for mild depression and moods, although again a doctor should definitely be consulted. Since 2009, physicians may prescribe St. John’s wort preparations in principle only for very specific degrees of severity of depressive disorders on prescription. Gynecologists often prescribe preparations that contain the active ingredients of black cohosh in addition to those of St. John’s wort for the treatment of a wide range of menopausal symptoms. These medications offer a hormone-free alternative to hormone replacement therapy during menopause. St. John’s wort also shows its beneficial effects in premenstrual syndrome and pubertal complaints. “Man’s blood” is what the ancient Greeks and Romans called the plant. Whether St. John’s wort actually helps with potency problems has probably not yet been researched. St. John’s wort has also been used for centuries to treat stomach and intestinal disorders. However, its effectiveness in this area is not without controversy and some people react to the herb with stomach upset and nausea. Traditionally, St. John’s wort was also used in folklore for bedwetting, bladder weakness and irritable bladder. In the medicine cabinets of past times it was also used as a remedy for asthma, gout and to relieve rheumatic complaints. The effectiveness of St. John’s wort has not been conclusively researched to this day and there are always new studies, some of which even contradict each other.
