St. John's wort happens. St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.). In official medicine

Family: St. John's wort (Hypericaceae).

Motherland

St. John's wort is widespread in temperate and subtropical latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Greatest species diversity it is represented in the Mediterranean.

Form: perennial, less often - annual herbaceous plants, subshrubs, shrubs, trees.

Description

St. John's wort, according to data from various sources has from 110 to 400 species. In any case, the genus is distinguished by its representativeness and diversity: various types of St. John's wort have the form of herbs, subshrubs, shrubs and even trees; they are annual and perennial, deciduous and evergreen.

Typical representatives of the genus have opposite, entire leaves located on tetrahedral stems. Five-petalled St. John's wort flowers have a large number of stamens and are bright yellow or golden in color. They can be solitary or collected in corymbose or paniculate inflorescences. The fruit of St. John's wort is a 3-5-locular leathery capsule with numerous small oblong seeds.

In Russia, two types of St. John's wort are most often found:

St. John's wort, or(H. perforatum) is a herbaceous perennial with erect branched stems that die off in the winter, oblong-elliptical leaves and golden-yellow flowers collected in racemose inflorescences. It blooms for quite a long time in July-August. Has healing properties.

St. John's wort (H. quadrangulum) – perennial herbaceous plant with a hollow tetrahedral stem, rounded leaves and yellow flowers forming paniculate inflorescences. Flowering period is July-August. Has no medicinal properties.

The most decorative and important types of St. John's wort for landscape design:

St. John's wort calyx, or St. John's wort (H. calycinum) is an evergreen subshrub growing up to 50 cm in height. The flowers are large (6-8 cm), solitary. Blooms in June-July.

St. John's wort (H. erectum) is a herbaceous perennial native to Japan. It is distinguished by narrow lanceolate leaves with dotted black veins. Golden flowers usually form paniculate inflorescences, but can also be solitary. It blooms profusely and for quite a long time, the flowering period is July-August.

(H. hircinum) – rare view St. John's wort, a shrub listed in the Red Books of several states and cultivated mainly in botanical gardens. The species got its name due to the characteristic odor (the smell of a goat) that its leaves emit during the period of dying. During flowering, the plant emits a pleasant lemongrass aroma. Used in pharmaceuticals. Decorative. It blooms for a long time, from June to August.

St. John's wort prostrate (H. humifusum) is a herbaceous perennial with numerous spreading stems. Enough small flowers collected in small inflorescences. Flowering is long lasting, lasting from June to September. Suitable as a ground cover plant.

(H. olympicum) is a perennial herbaceous plant with numerous stems with dense foliage, reaching 35 cm in height. The apical semi-umbrella inflorescences contain up to 5 flowers. Photophilous, drought-resistant, decorative. Blooms in July-August.

(H. androsaemum) is an evergreen subshrub reaching a height of 1.5 meters. Decorative not only thanks to its large thick leaves and bright large flowers, but also thanks to the red fruits that decorate the plant after flowering.

Growing conditions

St. John's wort is not picky about soil quality - it grows well on sandy soils and on loams. It is important that the soil under the plants is sufficiently moist, but also well drained. St. John's wort can be planted nearby. Places for planting should be chosen that are sunny and protected from cold winds.

Application

The most decorative are subshrub and bush forms of St. John's wort. IN landscape design ground cover shrubs are used in compositions. Bush forms are planted along garden paths. Large shrubs look good in solitary plantings. In addition, St. John's wort is used to create. Thanks to long flowering and attractive appearance, shrub forms and St. John's wort grass can be successfully used to create (yellow and orange) gardens.

Herbaceous forms of the plant - St. John's wort and St. John's wort - have medicinal properties and are used in folk medicine. Therefore, these species could not be more appropriate in medicinal plant gardens.

Care

Caring for St. John's wort will not be a problem even for novice gardeners. In summer, plants need regular, but not excessive watering - in the intervals between waterings, the ground under them should dry out a little. In hot weather, it is optimal to water St. John's wort twice a week. Plants will benefit from pine bark.

Most types of St. John's wort are not frost-resistant, so for the winter the roots of the plants must be covered with spruce branches or dry leaves. In spring, dead parts of plants are cut off. This procedure does not come at the expense of the decorative quality of St. John's wort - flowers are formed on young shoots that grow this year.

St. John's wort is a plant that is not very durable, so shrubs and subshrubs need to be renewed every 8-10 years.

Reproduction

There are two methods of propagating St. John's wort: seed and vegetative.

Propagation by seeds is considered the most in a simple way breeding of the absolute majority of St. John's wort species - in preliminary preparation seeds and special conditions are not necessary. Enough to provide containers with seedlings good lighting and regular moderate watering. Seeds should be sown in early May, and already in June, seedlings can be planted directly into the garden bed. In too hot weather, young plants need to be slightly shaded. Next spring, the seedlings will be ready to be planted in permanent locations.

Growing St. John's wort from cuttings is less common, but it is not difficult. In temperate latitudes, the plant is cut from mid-May. The shoot is broken off at the base and rooted in a shaded greenhouse.

Diseases and pests

St. John's wort can be affected by fungal diseases and damaged by thrips. To combat diseases and pests when it comes to decorative forms, standard means and methods are used; in cases where St. John's wort is grown as a medicinal plant, the use of chemicals must be avoided.

St. John's wort is a perennial herbaceous plant with a two- or tetrahedral stem, small entire leaves and single flowers. yellow color. About fifty species of the plant are known. On the territory of the Russian Federation, two of them are mainly found - ordinary (perforated) and tetrahedral. You can find grass in forest clearings, forest edges, and along roads. Flowering occurs from June to August. Collection medicinal plant carried out after June 24. Medicinal properties Herbs "St. John's wort" have been used since ancient times in the treatment of many diseases. Components obtained from raw materials are part of the official and traditional medicines. The article provides detailed information about which plant St. John's wort is, its medicinal properties and contraindications for women and men, and describes methods of use.

Interesting to know! St. John's wort got its name from the word "jarobe" from Kazakh language, which translates as “healer of wounds.” Some of the toxic effects on animals that the herb has are not related to its name.

The herb contains many substances that can positively affect human health.

The medicinal qualities of “St. John’s wort” are due to the presence in it of:

hyperecin;
pseudohypericin;
hyperforin;
adhyperforin;
essential oils;
flavonoids;
isovaleric acid;
other organic acids;
choline;
vitamins;
ceryl alcohol.

Most often, St. John's wort is brewed as a sedative. A sedative effect on the body develops due to hyperecin and pseudohyperecin. These substances affect dopamine structures, which ensures their psychoactive effect.

It is worth noting that the antidepressant effect of St. John's wort preparations is similar to that of mid-level chemical sedatives. The herb is not suitable for combating severe depression. However, it copes well with pathologies of minor and moderate severity.

In addition to its sedative effect, St. John's wort is used as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, analgesic and general tonic. In combination with cassia holly it is used as a laxative.

The herb has long been known as “well done blood.” In the Middle Ages, St. John's wort was used for local treatment of purulent-inflammatory processes and bruised wounds, which often occurred after fist fights.

What does St. John's wort treat?

Angina

For the treatment of sore throat and other inflammatory diseases of the throat, St. John's wort is recommended to be used in combination with propolis. To prepare the dosage form, pour 200 ml of boiling water over a large spoon of the dried and powdered plant and leave it in a water bath for 15 minutes. After this, the broth is cooled, filtered and 20 drops of 10% alcoholic propolis extract are added to it.

The resulting composition is used topically for gargling. You should take a little broth into your mouth, throw back your head and exhale air so that the liquid gurgles in your mouth. The procedure is performed several times for 20-30 seconds. At the same time, the astringent and anti-inflammatory components of St. John's wort actively destroy the bacteria present at the site of inflammation. Rinsing is repeated 2-3 times a day until the symptoms of the disease completely disappear.

Anemia

Some folk reference books contain information that St. John's wort can be used to treat anemia. Here it should be understood that the medicinal properties of the plant appear only if anemia was caused by chronic bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. At the same time, treatment with St. John's wort allows you to accelerate the healing of ulcers and cracks, which will eliminate the possibility of blood loss and lead to recovery.

Hypochromic anemia associated with insufficient intake of iron ions into the body cannot be treated with St. John's wort. The fact is that the plant contains tannins - astringent components. When the decoction is taken orally, they bind microelements (including iron), preventing it from being absorbed into the blood.

To treat anemia caused by chronic blood loss, St. John's wort is used in the form of the above-described decoction, from which propolis is excluded. It is recommended to take the product ½ cup 3 times a day, half an hour before meals. A doctor should monitor the healing process of ulcerative defects.

Sore throat

Another effective recipe based on St. John's wort, which allows you to treat sore throats, is inhalation. To prepare the solution, pour 2 tablespoons of chopped herbs into 0.5 liters of water and boil for 7-10 minutes. After this, breathe over the container with the broth, covering your head with a towel.

Note: the method is identical to “breathing over potatoes,” which is known to almost every person who suffered from rhinitis or bronchitis in childhood.

When using inhalations, the bactericidal components of the plant penetrate deeper into the respiratory tract. Thus, St. John's wort allows not only to destroy pathogenic bacteria in the inflammatory focus, but also to prevent the inclusion of deeper structures of the respiratory system in the pathological process.

Varicose veins

For varicose veins, St. John's wort is used in the form of tea. It is not possible to completely cure the disease with herbs alone. However, the plant has proven itself with positive side as a helper method. Regular use drink with the addition of “valid grass” leads to an increase in vascular tone, improved blood flow and a reduced risk of thrombosis.

A better effect can be achieved if you add herbs with similar effects to your tea: horse chestnut, sweet clover, raspberry. The components are mixed in equal proportions, poured with boiling water (2 tablespoons of raw materials per 0.5 liter of water) and left for 15-20 minutes. After this, the product is considered ready for consumption. You should not drink medicinal tea more than 3-4 times a day.

Gastritis and ulcer

For scarring of gastric ulcers and gastritis, take St. John's wort oil. Fresh flowers are used to prepare it. 20 grams of St. John's wort inflorescences ground into a paste are mixed with 200 milliliters of vegetable oil. The resulting composition is infused in a glass vessel for 21 days. After this, the mixture is filtered through several layers of gauze.

You should consume one tablespoon of oil after each meal. This allows you to protect the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract from negative impact solid products. In addition, St. John's wort oil accelerates the healing of ulcerative defects and reduces the intensity of inflammation. The duration of treatment is not limited. The medicine can be taken until complete recovery.

Hypotension, impotence

To increase blood pressure, you can use an alcohol tincture of St. John's wort. Required:

chopped St. John's wort herb;
food grade ethyl alcohol (70 or 96%).

The drug component is mixed and infused for 2 weeks.

To prepare the solution, add 30 drops of the drug to 100 ml of water, stirring thoroughly. The frequency of administration is three to four times a day. It is better if the treatment is carried out before meals. Alcohol formulations are contraindicated for children. For pediatric patients, aqueous decoctions or infusions are used.

St. John's wort is used as an aphrodisiac if the problem is caused by fatigue, overwork, or prolonged mental stress. A classic decoction of St. John's wort, taken 1-1.5 hours before sexual intercourse, significantly increases libido and improves potency. For improvement taste qualities and the pharmacological action of the decoction, it is possible to add components such as honey, mint, a tablespoon of cognac.

Dizziness

You can get rid of dizziness by mixing immortelle, St. John's wort, chamomile, and birch buds in equal proportions. The resulting mixture in the amount of one tablespoon is poured with half a liter of boiling water, leaving for 20 minutes. After cooling, filter the infusion and drink 2 times a day, morning and evening. To improve the taste of the drug, you can add a spoonful of honey.

It should be remembered that this method is only suitable for people whose dizziness is caused by fatigue or psycho-emotional stress. For serious diseases of the brain and its blood vessels, St. John's wort as independent method treatment is useless.

Stroke, depression, sleepwalking

Treatment of the consequences of a stroke is often carried out using herbal infusions.

The following mixture of herbs is considered the most popular:

20 grams of rosea rhodiola (root);
20 grams of rose hips (fruit);
15 grams of chopped nettle;
10 grams of St. John's wort.

The components are mixed together. 10 grams of the composition are poured into 250 ml of boiling water. Infuse the product for an hour. Take 2-3 times a day. The serving size is 100 ml. Course duration is 2-3 months.

For depression and sleepwalking, St. John's wort helps to quickly improve your mental state. The herb can be consumed in the form of a decoction or infusion, the recipes are given above. For better action mint and valerian are added to St. John's wort in equal proportions. It is necessary to consume 200-250 ml of solution before bedtime.

In classical medicine, St. John's wort is also widely used, the medicinal properties and contraindications for men, women and children have been carefully studied for a long time. The herb extract is included in such products as “Doppelgerts neurotic”, “Novoimanin”, “Negrustin”, etc. These medications allow you to improve sleep, cope with nervous disorders, and improve your psycho-emotional state.

Cough

To treat cough, St. John's wort is used as an infusion. water based. To prepare it, pour one or two tablespoons of dried, crushed herbs into a glass of boiling water and let it brew. After a while (when the infusion has cooled), it is filtered and taken. The frequency of use of the product is three to four doses per day. Treatment duration is 1 week.

How is St. John's wort useful for coughs? The plant contains many bactericidal substances. After entering the stomach, they are absorbed into the blood and begin to circulate in the body, including reaching the source of inflammation. The plant stimulates immune processes, which also leads to faster recovery.

Oil for migraines and colds

For migraines, as well as for the treatment of rhinitis and bronchitis, essential oil containing St. John's wort can be used. To prepare it, you should take basil, cloves, valerian, anise, St. John's wort, ginger, cardamom, lavender, mint, lovage and tansy. All components are mixed in equal quantities. The resulting mixture is poured vegetable oil and leave for 25-30 days. For infusion, it is better to use a dry, dark room. For 1 liter of oil there should be 4 full tablespoons of vegetable raw materials.

The prepared essential oil is consumed by inhalation. As a rule, it is stored in small, tightly closed containers that are convenient to carry. When a migraine attack occurs, open the container, bring it to your nose and deeply inhale the aroma of the oil several times.

Mastopathy

As an aid to the treatment of mastopathy, herbalists offer the following recipe:

motherwort;
St. John's wort;
caraway;
fennel;
valerian.

The components are mixed in equal quantities and prepared according to the infusion recipe (pour 2 tablespoons of the raw material with a glass of boiling water, cover with a lid and let cool). It is necessary to take the medicine half a glass per day during the main course of therapy. The infusion reduces the intensity of inflammation, fights infection, and soothes.

Urolithiasis disease

St. John's wort promotes the destruction and self-removal of kidney stones and Bladder. The plant is used in the form of an infusion. The concentration of the drug here is slightly lower than in previous cases. Only one tablespoon of raw material is added to a glass of boiling water.

The medication should be taken one third of a glass 3 times a day, regardless of meals. Such therapy allows you to speed up the removal of stones, prevent the development of infectious complications, and stimulate the healing of the membranes of the ureters and renal tubules damaged by the sharp edges of the stones.

Neuralgia

Relief of attacks of neuralgia is carried out using a decoction of a mixture of herbs:

elder;
thyme;
Linden;
rue;
astragalus;
St. John's wort.

The components are crushed and mixed together in equal proportions. After this, add 0.5 liters of water and boil for 10 minutes. The finished decoction can be drunk immediately after cooling and filtering. Drink 70-100 ml 3 times a day before meals.

Bad breath

It's no secret that bad smell from the mouth often occurs due to the active proliferation of bacteria in oral cavity. St. John's wort, having a bactericidal effect, is able to destroy a colony of pathogenic microorganisms and cure the disease. To eliminate the unpleasant odor, use a decoction or infusion of herbs. Apply it by rinsing. You should not swallow the broth after the procedure. Repeat 3 to 10 times a day.

Cold

For colds, St. John's wort decoction is taken orally, 1 glass 3 times a day. The course of treatment corresponds to the time of illness. The active components contained in the herb stimulate immune system, have a general strengthening effect, affect pathogens of the disease. Taking a herbal decoction can reduce the time required for recovery by 2-3 days, with an average duration of illness of 7 days.

Prevention of liver function

To prevent liver function, St. John's wort infusion is taken after meals, 3 times a day, half a glass. The first dose of the day is recommended to be taken on an empty stomach. When used in this way, St. John's wort produces a hepatoprotective effect, accelerates the regeneration of hepatocytes (liver cells), and improves blood flow in the liver vessels.

Psoriasis

To treat psoriasis, a decoction of St. John's wort is taken orally and also applied to areas of pathology. You should take 100 ml of the drink orally three times a day, after meals. The medicine is applied locally using a gauze pad or clean rag. The components contained in the plant reduce vascular proliferation, relieve inflammation, and prevent the development of bacterial complications.

Radiculitis

You can get rid of pain from radiculitis if you use an old folk recipe. The crushed St. John's wort herb should be mixed with vegetable oil in a 1:1 ratio. Add a couple of drops of turpentine to the resulting mixture and rub the painful areas. It is recommended to rub every day before going to bed.

Period failure

During menstruation, St. John's wort is used to reduce bleeding and correct the psycho-emotional state of a woman. Extraction of useful substances is carried out by infusing or boiling the plant. You can take the medicine according to the standard regimen for most diseases (orally, 3 times a day, 150-200 ml per dose). The course of treatment is 1 week.

Stomatitis, bleeding gums

For stomatitis and bleeding gums, you should rinse your mouth with a decoction of St. John's wort. The manipulation is carried out several times a day until the situation improves. The main action here is produced by tannins and bactericidal substances contained in the plant. The first form on the mucous membrane protective film, the second - destroy pathogenic microflora.

Stress

Long-term preventative use of St. John's wort is recommended for people who regularly experience stress. You can prevent the consequences of constant mental stress if you drink 200-250 ml of aqueous infusion of the herb daily. It is recommended to do this before bed. St. John's wort promotes calm, improves sleep, allows you to relax and have a good rest before starting a new day.

Pulmonary tuberculosis

For tuberculosis, alcohol tincture of St. John's wort is used. To prepare it, 100 grams of crushed herbs are immersed in 0.5 liters of 70% alcohol and infused for a week. All this time the composition should be in a dry, cool room. You need to take the product 3 times a day, 1-2 teaspoons. The tincture can be diluted in water. The plant has no effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its pharmacological action in this case is to stimulate the immune system.

Strengthening the immune system

To strengthen the immune system, St. John's wort can be taken according to any of the recipes described above (infusion, decoction, tincture). It is better if the product is without additional inclusions. The dosage regimen remains the same (three times a day, one glass). The duration of the strengthening course is one month.

Cholecystitis

For cholecystitis, St. John's wort acts as an antispasmodic and choleretic agent. Its use allows you to quickly improve the patient’s condition during a chronic course of the disease. To stimulate the outflow of bile, a decoction of St. John's wort is mixed with other choleretic plants in equal quantities. Dosage regimen: 3 times a day, on an empty stomach, 1 glass.

Cervical erosion

When treating cervical erosion, St. John's wort is used topically, in the form of douching with a decoction of herbs. In addition, St. John's wort oil can be used, applied to a tampon and inserted deep into the vagina. Local exposure to a medicinal plant accelerates regenerative processes and prevents bacterial infection.

Contraindications

Despite completely natural origin, St. John's wort has certain contraindications for use.

The herb should not be used for:

breastfeeding;
hypertension;
taking some medicines(antibiotics, oral contraceptives, sedatives).

As it became clear from the above, St. John's wort is a remedy for the treatment of many diseases. However, the plant is not a panacea. Using the herb as an independent method of therapy is permissible only for indolent forms of pathology. Any deterioration in condition that occurs after taking folk remedy, require consultation with a doctor.

Herbaceous plants have been used in medicine and cosmetology for a long time. They contain essential oils, anticoagulants and other substances beneficial to the human body. One of these herbs is St. John's wort. The plant is found in all regions of Russia.

What is St. John's wort

The perennial grows near the edges of coniferous forests, in sunny meadows, along the edges of fields and along roads. Botanists have identified 560 species and 9 genera of St. John's wort. The plant belongs to the subclass Dilleniidae, tea order, St. John's wort family. On the territory of Russia, St. John's wort (common), tetrahedral, and calyx are often found. Peculiarities:

The leaves are simple, arranged oppositely, with dark or transparent dots.
The flowers are actinomorphic, solitary or collected in pyramidal, corymbose inflorescences.
Raw materials are collected from June to August. The plant is cut to 30–35 cm, tied into bunches and dried indoors or under a canopy. Raw materials should not be exposed to sunlight. After the leaves and flowers have dried, they are crushed and stored in glass jar. You can store raw materials in bags made of linen, cotton or other natural dense fabric. Shelf life – 2 years.

The benefits and harms of St. John's wort

The plant belongs to the class of low toxicity, so it is used to treat adults and children. Benefits of St. John's wort:

helps get rid of hypertension;
is a natural aphrodisiac;
restores nerve fibers;
normalizes melatonin production;
reduces inflammation.

Any medicine is beneficial to health only in certain proportions. If they are exceeded, serious problems will arise. side effects. Harm of St. John's wort:

greatly increases blood pressure;
V high concentration causes emotional lability or increased excitability;
accelerates the removal of useful substances from the body;
if the cyclic intake is not observed, it disrupts the functioning of the hormonal system.

Medicinal properties

The substances that make up the plant have a beneficial effect on human health. Medicinal properties of St. John's wort:

Chemical composition

The plant contains vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, flavone compounds. Chemical composition herbs:

tannins;
flavonoids;
myrcene;
retinol;
tocopherol;
nicotinic and ascorbic acids;
cineole;
alkaloids;
geraniol;
pinenes;
carotene;
phytoncides;
routine;
saponins;
hyperoside;
coumarin;
quercetin, isoquercetin;
azulene;
hypericin.

What does St. John's wort help with?

The plant is suitable for the treatment of many diseases. St. John's wort helps with the following conditions:

severe pain syndrome;
inflammation of external tissues and internal organs(pustular diseases, sinusitis, infections of the genitourinary system, abscess, hemorrhoids);
insomnia, migraines, anxiety;
excessive oily skin;
inflammation of the gallbladder, gastrointestinal problems caused by viruses and chronic diseases.

Medicinal use

The plant is used in traditional and folk medicine, allopathy. St. John's wort is used to treat:

inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity (tonsillitis, stomatitis, pharyngitis);
depression, insomnia, psychosis;
acute and chronic diseases of the digestive tract and intestines (bloating, gastritis, hepatitis, diarrhea, heartburn);
diseases of the spine and joints (rheumatism, arthritis).

The dosage depends on the disease. Women consume up to 400 mg of dry product daily. For men, the dosage increases to 600–800 mg. St. John's wort is given to children from 12 years of age after consultation with a doctor. If the child is younger, then this herb is not prescribed. Children are given no more than 150 mg of dry product daily.

In traditional medicine

The beneficial properties of St. John's wort are used in pharmacology. Antidepressants and sedatives are produced from this plant. In allopathy, the herb is used to strengthen the immune system and normalize heart function. Examples of medicines:

Life 900.
Gelarium Hypericum.
Neuroplant.
Devaccinated.
Negrustin.
Novoimanin.

The use of St. John's wort in folk medicine

The herb is used in the form of decoctions, lotions, external mixtures, tinctures, and ointments. A mixture of several medicinal herbs (mint, chamomile, elderberry, etc.) will give a greater effect. Healers treat with St. John's wort:

gastritis;
inflammation of the gallbladder;
cholelithiasis;
different types of arrhythmias;
alcoholism.

In cosmetology

The plant tones the skin cells. St. John's wort for skin is used for the following problems:

Acne. For acne, it is useful to treat your face with St. John's wort lotion or herbal decoction daily. After 7-10 days, pimples and acne will disappear.
Dandruff and baldness. One third of a glass of infusion is consumed 10 minutes before meals, 2 times a day. The same product is used to rinse hair.
Peeling of the skin. An infusion is used to soften the skin. It is applied every 2 days to flaky areas.
Withering skin, wrinkles. Red or pink clay is diluted with the infusion of the plant to the consistency of sour cream. The resulting mask is applied to the face for 15–20 minutes. The product copes with shallow expression wrinkles and tones the skin.

Folk recipes

Healers prepare various preparations based on St. John's wort. Traditional recipes:

St. John's wort tea. Place 1 teaspoon of herb in a teapot and pour 250 ml of boiling water. If desired, add honey, linden flowers, a handful of strawberries or raspberries. The resulting tea is used to restore immunity and treat incipient colds.
Decoction of the plant. IN enamel pan place 1.5 tablespoons of dry herb, and then pour a glass hot water. The container with the brewed plant is heated for 20–30 minutes in a water bath. The broth cannot be brought to a boil, otherwise some of the beneficial substances will be destroyed. The product is used immediately.
Infusion. 2 tablespoons of dried or fresh herbs are poured with a glass of boiling water. The liquid is infused for 3–4 hours in a dark place, and then consumed 15–20 ml 3 times a day.
St. John's wort tincture (extract). The herb is infused with vodka or alcohol in a ratio of 1 to 10 or 1 to 7. The product is infused for 3 days in a dark place. The alcohol tincture is diluted with 50 ml of water before use.
St. John's wort oil. The flowers of the plant are infused with olive, peach, almond or jojoba oil in a ratio of 1 to 2 for 3 weeks. The finished product is used for compresses.

Treatment of diseases with St. John's wort

IN correct proportions St. John's wort will cope with microbes, strengthen the immune system, and relieve inflammation. The herb is used to treat:

colds;
gynecological diseases;
impotence;
vitiligo;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT);
genitourinary system.

For gargling

The plant has a pronounced antimicrobial effect, effective against streptococci, staphylococci and other microorganisms. For elimination pain syndrome or bad breath, use a decoction or infusion of herbs. In case of illness, rinsing is repeated 3 to 10 times a day. The product should not be swallowed. At unpleasant smell Use the infusion from the mouth after brushing your teeth.

For a cold

For cough and fever, doctors recommend using an infusion of water. To prepare it, pour 2 tablespoons of dried crushed herbs with a glass of boiling water and let it brew. When the liquid has cooled, it is filtered and taken 3-4 times a day. Duration of treatment – 1 week. The infusion is suitable for rinsing the sinuses for sinusitis.

St. John's wort for impotence

A decoction of the plant is taken 1–1.5 hours before sexual intercourse. To improve the effect, mint or honey is added to it. Traditional healers believe that St. John's wort and potency in men are strongly connected. If you constantly use products with this plant, the natural production of testosterone will decrease.

For vitiligo

With this disease, some areas of the skin lose pigmentation. In some patients, parts of the body become completely white. Vitiligo is treated with ointment and infusion based on St. John's wort:

For the ointment, fresh flowers of the plant are collected, compacted tightly into a glass jar, and then filled with cold-pressed oil. The mixture is left in the sun for 2 weeks, and then the procedure is repeated again 5 times. White spots are treated with the finished thick ointment.
The infusion is taken 3 times a day for 8 weeks.

St. John's wort in gynecology

After cauterization of cervical erosion, the damaged mucous membrane needs additional care. Douching with St. John's wort is carried out 2-3 times a day for 7-10 days. An infusion is used for procedures room temperature. Another remedy is cotton-gauze swabs with St. John's wort oil. They are administered for 2–3 hours during the day or overnight.

St. John's wort will help with oncology. For the treatment of cancer of the uterus and appendages, the following mixture is prepared:

200 g of garlic are steamed and crushed until mushy.
Add 200 g of chopped hazel kernels and 300 g of ground hazel kernels to the garlic walnut. The mixture is thoroughly mixed.
Add 25 g of licorice root, 25 g of St. John's wort flowers, 25 g of powdered ginger, 50 g of ground dill to the mixture. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
The resulting homogeneous mass add to 1 kg of honey. Mix thoroughly.
Use the finished product 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day after meals.

During menopause

Many women experience hot flashes during menopause. To get rid of them, it is recommended to make herbal tea. To do this you will need:

St. John's wort – 25g;
lemon balm leaves – 15g;
cuff leaves – 15g;
yarrow flowers – 15g;
hawthorn leaves and flowers – 5g;
elderberry flowers – 5g;
cornflower flowers -3g;
calendula flowers – 2g.

1 tablespoon of the mixture is poured with 1 liter of boiling water. Herb tea drink 2 – 3 times a day before meals. For depression, traditional healers recommend using alcohol tincture. The product is taken before meals, 20 drops 3-4 times a day.

St. John's wort as a sedative

Hypericin is a red substance widely used in the treatment of depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses. This compound, along with hyperforin, is found in St. John's wort. Sedatives with this herb were first released in 1998 in Germany. At home, prepare the tincture according to the recipe above. The course of treatment is 1 month. The tincture is taken 10–12 drops 3 times a day before meals.

For stomach diseases

St. John's wort helps well against gastritis, diarrhea, cholecystitis, provided it is taken regularly. Features of the treatment of stomach diseases:

In case of exacerbation of gastritis, the infusion will help. Drink 15 ml before each meal.
Diarrhea is treated with a mixture of St. John's wort, mint, thyme, linden, and rose hips. The listed herbs are mixed together in equal proportions. Brew 2 tablespoons of the resulting mixture with 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, and then filter. Drink at least 200 ml of decoction daily.
For cholecystitis, the benefits of St. John's wort tea are immediately noticeable. The product is an antispasmodic and choleretic agent. Drink it on an empty stomach 3 times a day.
For chronic liver diseases, use the infusion 3 times a day, 125 ml. The course of therapy is 1.5 months. It is repeated 2 times a year. The plant accelerates the regeneration of liver cells, improves vascular blood flow, and relieves spasms.

St. John's wort for liver and kidneys

For cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, use St. John's wort infusion. The concentration of medicinal substances here is lower, but in this form St. John's wort is more useful against stones. The infusion is consumed 100 ml 3 times a day for a month. The product stimulates the healing of damaged diuretic and choleretic channels.

Treatment of cystitis

A tablespoon of St. John's wort is poured into a glass of boiling water, covered with a towel, and left for 20 minutes. The resulting broth is filtered and taken 1/4 cup 3 times a day. Use the product until the symptoms of the disease disappear completely.

Contraindications and side effects

The healing properties of St. John's wort are not always apparent. People suffering from hay fever should use the herb with caution. Such patients are first given a sensitivity test. If there is no reaction after contact with a small amount of the plant, treatment can be continued. Contraindications:

Photosensitivity (sensitivity to ultraviolet light). The plant increases the skin's sensitivity to sunlight.
St. John's wort should not be consumed while breastfeeding or during pregnancy. The grass makes milk bitter and contains substances that can negatively affect the development of the baby. External agents are allowed to be used during gestation and lactation.
Hypertension. Weed greatly increases blood pressure.
Recovery period after transplantation. Substances from the herb provoke rejection of transplanted tissues and organs.
Taking contraceptives. The effectiveness of contraceptives decreases.
Taking antidepressants. It is especially dangerous to combine St. John's wort tablets in patients with manic syndrome. The plant causes an exacerbation of this disease.
Taking Indinavir, anticoagulants, heart medications. The herb reduces the blood levels of the listed drugs by almost 2 times. This is due to the fact that when using St. John's wort, the liver and kidneys are stimulated, i.e., almost all medications are eliminated from the body faster.

Side effects:

loss of coordination;
dizziness;
nausea, vomiting;
sudden mood swings;
decreased iron levels in the blood;
confusion;
increased sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation;
constipation, diarrhea, flatulence.

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)

It is popularly called goat weed or amber.The above-ground part of the plant is used.St. John's wort protects against evil forces.To do this, you need to hold it over the fire on Midsummer's Day, and then hang it in the house. St. John's wort is afraid of all evil spirits, just as it is afraid of sunlight. It was customary to carry this plant with youto strengthen your will to be invulnerable in war.St. John's wort is able to immediately affect the entire human body, cleansing it. It is good for depression, fatigue, and the first signs of colds. St. John's wort heals by uniting the soul, mind and body into a single whole.
St. John's wort gains its greatest strength by mid-July. Before him (like everyone else) magic herbs) were collected on Ivan Kupala (July 7, new style). It was believed that ifcollect St. John's wort on the night of Ivan Kupala, and the next morning weave a wreath from it and jump over the fire in it, then this wreath will acquire magical power. It must be protected as a means of protection from damage and the evil eye. And here the smell of St. John's wort protects the child during sleep, so the herb was added to mattresses. If you hang a sprig of St. John's wort in the door or hide it under the threshold, then a person with bad intentions will not be able to enter the house. This herb promotes divination. St. John's wort makes strong love potions.Collect the top part of the shoots 10-15cm. When collecting, be sure to leave a few plants and it will delight you with its appearance next year. Z Veroba is used in infusions or in aromatic oils, that is, for direct effects on the body. Previously, in Rus', St. John's wort often replaced tea.Both fresh and dried, it is always effective, which is why it is called the “herb for 99 diseases.”

St. John's wort is used primarily for treating wounds and treating pain, in the treatment of diseases of the lungs, stomach, intestines and gall bladder, for diarrhea and nervous disorders. Tea, oil, and alcohol extract (tincture) are used equally. St. John's wort stimulates the activity of the digestive (as well as biliary) organs and tones blood circulation, has a slightly calming effect. It's interesting that this healing plant bedwetting is also treated. This is quite understandable, since urinary incontinence is often based on a depressed state of mind.
St. John's wort tea: Pour 2 teaspoons with the top of the herb into 1/4 liter of water and heat to a boil. After a few minutes, strain. Dosage: 2-3 cups of tea per day. Treatment with this tea should be carried out systematically over several weeks. Since St. John's wort increases photosensitivity, direct exposure should be avoided during treatment if possible. sun rays.
St. John's wort tincture: 10 g of dried herb is poured with 50 g of 70 96 alcohol and left for 10 days. After pressing, the tincture is ready for use.
It must be remembered that St. John's wort increases sensitivity to light - and therefore, when treating with tea or oil, direct sunlight should be avoided.

When using herbs, be sure to consult your doctor.

The herb St. John's wort has long been considered by people to be very useful, which treats many different diseases.

For most people, it is not dangerous, or rather, its toxicity has a very weak negative effect, while in birds it causes serious poisoning, which can even lead to death, and it is because of this that the plant got its name - St. John's wort.

But there is also a version that St. John’s wort got its name because it gives a person so much strength that he can overcome any animal. It is St. John's wort that will be discussed in our article, then we will get acquainted with the description various types this flower and their photo.

Its homeland is considered to be the European countries of the Mediterranean and Türkiye. The height of the Olympic St. John's wort reaches 35 cm, and the diameter of the bush is about 25 cm. Its rhizome is quite strong, but not deep.

The leaves are elliptical in shape and greenish-gray. Blooms large yellow flowers up to 6 cm in diameter, which are collected in apical semi-umbrellas. Flowering occurs at the end of July or beginning of August; in greenhouses and flower beds it begins to bloom three years after planting.

Tall varieties are often planted with other perennials to create hedges. St. John's wort is common in northern Africa, almost throughout Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus.

Did you know? Extract from St. John's wort is used in the preparation of the popular drink "Baikal".

Tetrahedral (four-winged)

St. John's wort is very similar to the common one. It can be distinguished from the ordinary one by four longitudinal sharp ribs on the stem, while the ordinary one has a cylindrical stem with two grooves.

The sepals do not have yellowish cilia along the edges. Black dots can be found on flower petals.

Distributed in Eastern Europe and Asia. It is not recommended to use it for medical purposes due to the high content of toxic substances.

Drawn

This plant has straight, cylindrical stems that have two or sometimes more ribs. The height of the bush does not exceed half a meter. The glands are presented in the form of rare dark lines and dots.

The leaves fit tightly to the stem and are opposite each other. Their shape is oval or elliptical, the tips are blunt. The length is from 2 cm to 4 cm, and the width is from 0.5 cm to 1 cm.

The flowers are pale yellow, about 3 cm in diameter, often not numerous, but large inflorescences in the form of panicles up to 17 cm long can be found, and single flowers are less common. Flowering begins in July and ends in September.
IN wildlife this plant can be found in the steppes, on the slopes of ravines, small mountains, and on the banks of rivers. Distributed in Mongolia and Korea.

St. John's wort is a perennial erect plant, reaching a height of 30 cm to 70 cm. It differs from other subspecies in the presence of wide sepals and a stem with four protruding ribs.

The color of St. John's wort is most often brown, sometimes reddish. The flowers are small, no more than 2 cm, golden in color, located in the upper part of the plant and collected in a sparse inflorescence. During the ripening process, a box with small seeds is formed.

This species is distributed throughout Europe, as well as in southern regions Siberia. It can most often be found in dry tall grass meadows, along the banks of rivers and lakes, and along roadsides. He has high healing properties and is used for medical purposes.

Important!Long-term use of St. John's wort preparations in men can cause temporary impotence.

Prostrate

St. John's wort prostrate is a groundcover annual, the stems of which branch and reach a length of over 10 cm. But sometimes there are erect, rather branched bare plants that form turf up to 15 cm in height.

The leaves are small, elongated, with a small spine at the end. The flowers are also small, up to 1 cm in diameter, solitary or collected in small loose inflorescences. The petals are yellow, with black dotted glands.