St. John's Wort

St John's wort used alone refers to the species Hypericum perforatum, also known as Hypericum perforatum, klamath weed, John's wort, amber touch-and-heal, goatweed, rosin rose, and milleperituis.

St. John's wort was named after St John's Day which falls on June 24, the approximate flowering season in the northern hemisphere. The genus name "hypericum" is derived from the Greek words hyper (above) and eikon (picture) in reference to the traditional use of the plant to ward off evil, by hanging plants over a picture in the house during St John's day.

The species name "perforatum" refers to the small windows in the leaves, which can be seen when they are held against the light. St John's wort is a yellow-flowering, rhizomatous, perennial herb indigenous to Europe, which has been introduced to the Americas and grows wild in many meadows. St John's wort is a perennial from underground runners, growing 0.3 to 1 metre in height. Stems are square in cross section with 4 raised lines and leaves about 3/4 inch long, without translucent glandular dots or with few large ones in the upper leaves. The woody, branched root spreads from the base with runners that produce numerous stalks. Flowers are bright yellow with five petals and are about 3/4 inch across. The whole plant above the ground is harvested when the plant is just flowering. The black dots often visible along the petal margins are glands containing hyericin. Both the flowers and leaves are used for medicinal purposes.

St. John's wort has been used as an herbal medicine for centuries, both orally and topically, as an anti-inflammatory, sedative, 
analgesic, diuretic, antimalarial, and wound-healing agent. St. John's wort has been used in the treatment of mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stomach upset, insomnia, fluid retention, and hemorrhoids. St. John's wort has also been used topically in the treatment of nerve and muscle pain, skin inflammation, skin wounds, and burns.

St. John's wort has been effective in reducing depressive symptoms in those with mild to moderate but not severe (called major) depression. St. John's wort herb works better than a placebo in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. St. John's wort appears to boost levels of the brain chemical serotonin, which affects the emotions. As an antidepressant, St. John's wort inhibits an enzyme which degrades certain neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. The herb may also aid in treating depressive elements of chronic fatigue syndrome and seasonal affective disorder.

St. John's wort has been used externally as an anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antiseptic. St. John's wort has been reputed to inhibit replication of several viruses, including the Herpes simplex, HIV, and the virus that causes mononucleosis. St John's Wort has an anti-inflammatory action and helps to stimulate the growth and repair of skin tissue. Applied to the skin, oily preparations of the herb have an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action. It's particularly effective when applied topically (in the form of an ointment) for the treatment of burns, cuts, scrapes, and minor skin irritations. St. John's wort cream or ointment can soothe the pain of hemorrhoids.