What is St. John's wort used for
St. Johns wort has been used in herbal healing for more than 2,000 years, most
notably for its ability to speed wound healing. And only recently scientists
have gathered some evidence on the herb's possible effectiveness as an immune
system stimulant.
But its most exciting potential medical use was discovered in 1998, when
researchers at New York University and the Weizmann Institute found it has
"dramatic" activity against a family of viruses that includes HIV.
The leaves and flowers of St. Johns wort contain special glands that
release a red oil when pinched. Early Christians named the plant in honor
of John the Baptist, because they believed it released its blood-red oil on
August 29, the anniversary of the saint's beheading. (Wort is Old English
for plant.)
In the first century, the Roman naturalist Pliny prescribed St. Johns wort
in wine as a cure for the bites of poisonous snakes. And the Greek
physician Dioscorides recommended it externally for burns and internally as
a diuretic, menstruation promoter, and treatment for sciatica and recurring
fevers (malaria). The Greeks and Romans also believed the herb was a
protector against witches' spells.
Under the Doctrine of Signatures—the medieval belief that herb's physical
appearance revealed their healing value&mdashred plants were believed to be
good for wounds, and "the juicy red flower" of St. Johns wort was no
exception. In the 16th century John Gerard recommended it as a "most
precious remedy for deep wounds," and wrote the herb "provoketh urine and is
right good against stone in the bladder."
The first London Pharmacopoeia in 1618 advised chopping St. Johns wort
flowers, immersing them in oil, and placing the mixture in the sun for three
weeks. The resulting tincture was a standard treatment for wounds and
bruises for several hundred years.
Early colonists introduced St. Johns wort into North America but found the
Indians using the native American herb in much the same way Europeans used
the Old World plant—as a tonic and treatment for diarrhea, fever,
snakebite, wounds, and skin problems.
Throughout the 19th century, homeopathy was a popular as orthodox medicine,
and homeopaths prescribed the herb for a variety of ailments: wounds,
asthma, bites, sciatica, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, and certain forms of
paralysis. Contemporary homeopaths continue this tradition.
America's 19th-century Eclectic physicians also considered St. Johns wort a
useful wound treatment and tetanus preventive and advocated the whole herb a
treatment for "hysteria" (menstrual discomforts) because of its "undoubted
power over the nervous system and spinal cord."
Several studies have supported St. Johns wort's traditional use in the
wound healing. The hypericin and other antibiotic chemicals in the herb's
red oil may help prevent wound infection. In addition, the plant's
potential immune-stimulating flavonoids help reduce wound inflammation. One
German study showed that compared with conventional treatment, a
St. Johns wort ointment substantially cut the healing time of burns and
caused less scarring. (This product is not available in the United States.)
Formulas & recipes
How to make St. john's wort tincture and St. john's extract
Herbal extracts and tinctures are pretty easy to make. They are essentially a liquid solution of herbs and alcohol. The herbs are combined with alcohol, then the herbs are removed leaving the herbal oils with alcohol.
- Fill a glass jar halfway with your herb
- Pour enough alcohol to cover herb and fill the jar
- Let it soak for 4 weeks and shake the mixture daily
- Strain the herb into a clean jar
- Store the tincture in a cool dark area
