St. John's wort, also known as St. John's wort, is a perennial that grows on meadows, clearings, bright thickets, slopes, edges of forests. St. John's wort is one of the most popular and widely used herbs with versatile effects.
St. John's wort(Latin Hypericum perforatum)is a plant that owes its healing properties to several substances - hypericin (red dye), which is a flavonoid, a diuretic hyperoside, rutin and quercetin that seal capillaries, anti-diarrheal and bacteriostatic tannins, and antibiotic hyperforin.
In addition, St. John's wort contains essential oils, resins, organic acids, pectins, choline, minerals, sugars, vitamin A and vitamin C.
St. John's Wort - properties and application
St. John's wort in diseases of the bile ducts and stomach
Modern phytotherapy recommends the use of St. John's wort in inflammation and spasms of the bile ducts, bile stasis in the gallbladder, initial symptoms of gallstone disease and decreased liver function.
It is also recommended in inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, reduced secretion of gastric juice, lack of appetite, heartburn, flatulence, wind, diarrhea and abdominal pain, because it relaxes the smooth muscles of the digestive tract.
To get rid of stomach discomfort, prepareSt. John's wort infusion . It is enough to pour a tablespoon of the herb into a glass, pour boiling water and leave it to infuse for 15 minutes, covered. Drink 1/2 or 2/3 cup 2-3 times a day after eating (as a reliever) or before a meal (as a digestive stimulant, choleretic).
ImportantHypericin dyes St. John's wort red and increases sensitivity to sunlight, therefore, when taking preparations containing St. John's wort, avoid sun exposure (especially in summer) to avoid burns and sunburn.
St. John's wort for depression
St. John's wort has a calming effect, therefore it is used in states of nervous exhaustion, anxiety, and nervous balance disorders. St. John's wort is also used in psycho-vegetative disorders and depressive states. It can also be used for uchildren who wet at night have night terrors.
St. John's wort owes its calming and antidepressant effects to hypericin. Research shows that this substance inhibits the breakdown of neurotransmitters (serotonin), the insufficient amount of which in the body causes symptoms of bad mood, anxiety and depression. However, St. John's wort teas will not help in treating depression as hypericin is not soluble in water.
In antidepressant treatment, standard preparations based on St. John's wort, which can be purchased in pharmacies, are used. It is worth knowing that St. John's wort extracts have a similar effectiveness as standard antidepressants used in the treatment of mild and moderate depression.
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St. John's wort in urolithiasis
Preparations of St. John's wort in natural medicine are also used in reduced urine excretion and in urolithiasis, regardless of the location of the deposits and the type of urolithiasis, as well as in gout.
St. John's wort owes its diuretic properties to flavonoids, especially to a substance called hyperoside. Thanks to them, St. John's wort increases by 15 to 30 percent. daily urine output.
Don't do thatNote! Preparations containing St. John's wort may reduce the effectiveness of some medications.
St. John's wort preparations must not be used in combination therapy with interferon and some anticancer chemotherapeutic agents, as well as with indinavir used in the treatment of HIV infection, anticoagulants such as warfarin, cyclosporine, and with some oral contraceptives.
You should also be careful about the use of St. John's wort preparations with other medications. Therefore, people taking any pharmaceuticals should consult a doctor before consuming St. John's wort.
St. John's wort for vitiligo
St. John's wort extracts are also used in the treatment of vitiligo, i.e. the disappearance of skin pigment. The preparations are administered orally, and at the same time lubricate the affected areas with St. John's wort juice or oil and irradiate it with ultraviolet rays.
What to use St. John's wort for? Check! [GALLERY]
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St. John's wort for frostbite and more
When applied externally, St. John's wort helps heal wounds, burns, frostbite, has an astringent and antiseptic effect on mucous membranes and damaged areas of the skin. A light decoction of St. John's wort (1/2 tablespoon of herb to 1 glass of water) can be used to wash the skin withacne, abscesses and ulcers. It is worth knowing that St. John's wort essential oil is sometimes included in creams and emulsions that regenerate the skin. In addition, it is used to rinse the throat in case of inflammation of the gums, mouth and throat.
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This will be useful to youSt. John's wort is a perennial plant, growing up to 30-70 cm tall, with a stiff stem branching at the top. There are small holes on the tiny leaves when we look up to the light. These are reservoirs containing volatile oil (hence the name of the plant). St. John's wort blooms from June to September - the flowers are yellow, five-petalled, gathered on the tops of the shoots in a quasi-baldachy. The herbal raw material is St. John's wort harvested during the flowering period and dried in a shaded and airy place (spread out with a thin layer or tied into small bunches and suspended). When harvesting St. John's wort, the tops of the flowering shoots are cut, leaving about 1/3 of the plant part above the ground. Blooming plants should not be collected.