Properties and Benefits of St John’s Wort

Properties and Benefits of St John’s Wort: Perforate St John’s wort or simply St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a potent medicinal herb with excellent anti-inflammatory and antidepressant properties. Not only does it exhibit great effectivenes in the management of depression, but it also calms both anxiety episodes and panic attacks.

Even more, St John’s wort can be used to reduce discomfort and pain associated with muscle inflammation and help treat colds, flu, sinusitis and other similar respiratory problems. If taken under the careful supervision of a doctor, especially if you are already being prescribed other medication, St John’s wort should improve your nerve health significantly without the long list of side effects of regular medicines.
What does St John’s wort look like? The plant is basically a 1 meter tall green hedgerow with small, spear-like green leaves and tiny, bright yellow, five petaled flowers. Since words cannot depict an accurate image of the plant without causing boredom, the picture below should provide you with the best answer possible regarding what St John’s wort looks like.

Why is it called St John’s wort? The plant flowers in late spring to early summer and was traditionally harvested on St John’s Day, which is June 24, hence its name. Other common names include Common Saint John’s wort and Perforate St John’s wort. Despite having quite potent medicinal properties, St John’s wort is an invasive species outside of Europe and is thus often labeled as a weed. It is also quite toxic for livestock.


 Here are 5 amazing health benefits of St John’s wort:


1) Helps in the management of depression. According to researchers, extracts of the plant administered under the careful supervision of a doctor can efficiently mimic the beneficial effects of regular antidepressant medication without the side effects of the latter. Apparently, St John’s wort contains hypericin, a compound that inhibits a class of enzymes known as monoamine oxidases which were linked to depression and anxiety. By inhibiting these enzymes, the hypericin in St John’s wort generates a sense of well-being which helps fight depression, mood swings, chronic fatigue and low energy levels.

2) Calms anxiety naturally and helps overcome panic attacks. Moderate consumption of St John’s wort herbal infusions can do wonders for one’s nervous system health. The herb can even help calm anxiety and overcome panic attacks due to its direct effect on specific neurotransmitters. One cup of St John’s wort tea before going to bed should greatly improve symptoms and your overall state of health. However, if you are already prescribed anticoagulants or other medication for more serious health problems, please consult your doctor first.

3) Natural nerve tonic. Hypericin, adhyperforin, hyperforin, pseudohypericin as well as potent flavonoids in St John’s wort act directly on the nervous system, regulating its activity. For instance, hypericin and hyperforin promote the release of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that modulate signals between brain cells in view of an optimal brain activity. St John’s wort thus acts in the same way as traditional antidepressant medication by regulating nerve cell activity and neurotransmitter production, without the side effects of the latter.

4) Boasts antibiotic properties. According to research, St John’s wort boast quite impressive antibiotic properties. For instance, extracts of the plant or herbal infusions can help relieve nasal congestion, the fancy name for stuffy nose, catarrh (phlegm deposits resulting from airways inflammation) and other symptoms associated with common colds, flu, sinusitis, bronchitis and other viral and bacterial infections. One or two cups of St John’s wort a day can help immensely with the symptoms and promote recovery. Even more, hyperforin, an active compound in St John’s wort, was shown to be efficient against several strains of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that populates the human respiratory tract.

5) Excellent anti-inflammatory. St John’s wort was shown to possess great anti-inflammatory properties and thus help with a variety of mild medical conditions having inflammation as primary source. For instance, merely drinking St John’s wort tea can help treat or at least relieve muscle soreness, aches and pain.

However, moderate consumption of the herb is advised. When taken in great amounts or without medical supervision (for those under serious medical treatment), St John’s wort can result in serious side effects. Here is what happens when one takes too much St John’s wort:

1) Mild side effects: dry mouth, headaches, restleness (due to active compounds in the herb causing cognitive alertness), confussion, dizziness and photosensitivity.

2) Severe side effects: allergy, uterine contractions leading to possiblemiscarriages, drug interactions. It is recommended to avoid St John’s wort if you are taking anticoagulants such as warfarin, if you are already prescribed antidepressants (consult you doctor on the matter), cholesterol-lowering medicines (lovastatin), beta-blockers or hypertension medication, HIV medication or birthcontrol pills. It has been shown that St John’s wort will interact with the above-mentioned medication and reduce absorption rates. For instance, taking St John’s wort while on contraceptives can alter their efficiency and result in anunplanned pregnancy.

Bottom line is: St John’s herb is a potent medicinal herb with no side effects, provided it is consumed with moderation or under the careful supervision of a physician (for those under serious medical treatment). While it is not recommended during pregnancy (as is the case with most herbs), it remains a natural alternative to regular antidepressants, not to mention just as potent.

St John’s wort owes its extraordinary health benefits to active components such as hypericin, hyperforin, pseudohypericin, tannins, phenolic acids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, etc.), flavonoids (quercitin, kaempferol, rutin, etc.) as well as volatile oils such as alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, humulene etc.