St John’s Wort, ahhhh, just the thought of you makes me feel better already!
Hypericum Perforatum is in full bloom around the summer solstice, just before Christmas. It tends to grow in hot, dry, sunny open fields. In New South Wales it is considered a noxious weed and local councils regularly take to spraying in the summer, alongside roadsides and other common lands. So, when harvesting from the wild you need to be absolutely certain that you are collecting the flowers and leaves from non-sprayed farmlands. If ever I am unsure, I will locate and ask the property owner before picking; they are usually pretty happy for me to rid them of their ‘weeds’, and I am always relieved to learn that there haven’t been any pesticides or herbicides used in the making of my medicines. This plant is such a joy to harvest in the wild. One of the places I go to gather Hypericum is especially abundant around the time of my birthday, at the end of November, so I feel like I have this very deep and sacred relationship with this very special sun-kissed beauty.
This sunny flower and herb ally has a panacea of uses. It was one of the native European herbs that emigrated with the people when they started to travel throughout the world, to be used as medicine. It has lots of uses. It is one of the top ten herbs used in modern herbal medicine today. It has mood-altering substances and is one of the best remedies for depression that I know of. Even the little bees look a whole lot happier for the taking of its pollen!
It's pretty easy to identify this plant. It has bright yellow flowers with five points, and if you look down the stem (from above the plant) the structure looks cross-like. This is one of its doctrine of signatures, for how it works as a protective plant. The latin name can be broken down into: Hypericum (to protect, by placing above one’s sacred alter) and perforatum (the leaves have tiny little perforations, which can be seen when held up to the light). These descriptions when put together indicate how it might have been understood in traditional medicine; working to protect the people from ‘bad energy’, witchcraft, voodoo and any general psychic malintent.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by people, this might be the right herb for you. Commonly used to treat depression, it is said that St John’s Wort captures the sun’s energy and can help us in those darker winter months when we get a cloudy (depressed) situation. So, in some ways, it is like bringing the sunlight through the clouds. For those who suffer SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), St John’s Wort can be an absolute saving grace. There have been a lot of studies done on this herb. The discovery of the alkaloid constituent Hypericin (in St John’s Wort) has been thought of as the main reasoning behind its reputation as an anti-depressant. It is quite probable that some of its other constituents, especially its broad range of flavonoids, really help to bring this action through as well.
It's really only been since the 1980’s that this herb has been recognised for its antidepressant qualities. Prior to this time it had mainly been administered as an antiviral and anti-bacterial herb, also working with nervous system conditions and pain, such as neuralgia and sciatica. As an antiviral medicine, Hypericum has received recognition as an effective remedy for major viral infections, especially retroviruses like HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).
Aside from the many research studies and clinical trials into Hypericum perforatum, there have also been some (early stages) investigations into its benefits and uses as an anti-cancer remedy. I look forward to seeing where this research goes and what discoveries might be found. St John’s Wort has been shown to be very beneficial for a lot of people and for a variety of ailments, although you need to take fairly large doses and there are some situations where its use is not recommended (cautions and contraindications). Also, in 3% of the population, taking this herb can create photosensitivity, so taking extra care when out in the sun may be warranted.
I like to make oral (tinctures) and topical (infused oils) medicine from St John’s Wort. These are both relatively easy processes, but there are some 101’s of course, to ensure safety.
If you’re interested in learning how to make useful at-home remedies from everyday common weeds, please be sure to follow me on Facebook @blessedbotanicalsaustralia or Instagram @blessed_botanicals
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Blessed Be!