St. John's wort is a valuable medicinal plant, widely distributed in the northern hemisphere. It is absolutely not noticeable in appearance, but has truly life-giving power. The beneficial properties of St. John's wort grass have been known since antiquity. From it, infusions and decoctions were prepared, which were used to treat wounds and treat internal diseases. Dried inflorescences served as a talisman. It was believed that they can protect from evil spirits and wild animals.
Nowadays, St. John's wort finds practical application. The range of indications of a medicinal plant is very wide. Decoction and infusion can affect almost any problem from systemic diseases to mild depression. Therefore, even in the modern world, the familiar grass has not lost its former significance.
Material Content:
Hypericum Composition and Plant Description
St. John's wort is a perennial herb, growing on average up to 60-70 cm in length. He likes the temperate climate of the regions of the middle zone, where he most often grows. On the territory of our country, two species are most widespread - ordinary St. John's wort (otherwise called perforated) and tetrahedral. Both of them have valuable properties, although they have some morphological differences.
St. John's wort is a perennial herb, shrub or shrub.A striking characteristic feature is the presence of a faceted stem. Due to this rare natural phenomenon, plants are easy to distinguish from other species. Hypericum perforatum, whose medicinal properties are similar to those of St. John's wort has a two-sided stem. The central branch of another plant variety, according to the name, is divided into four planes.
The stalk of St. John's wort strongly branches towards the apex, forming loose inflorescences. Depending on the type of plant, it can be hollow or dense.
The leaves are oval, opposite, densely planted, dark green in color. They also have a feature - if the plate is directed against the light, you can see many small bright points, as if the sheet was punctured with a needle. In reality, these are not holes, but pores filled with essential oil. This feature gave rise to the second name of St. John's wort ordinary - “perforated”.
Shrub blooms in small bright yellow or golden flowers with numerous stamens. Inflorescences are concentrated in the upper part of the shoot. Petals contain a special pigment that changes color when rubbed. If the flower is stretched between the fingers, it will leave a reddish-lilac mark on the skin.
The medicinal plant has not only outstanding external characteristics, but also a rich chemical composition.
It is known that the herb cures St. John's wort thanks to the constituent components, among which are highlighted:
- antraglycosides, including hypericin, a natural antidepressant that strengthens the nervous system and neutralizes the effects of stress;
- flavonoids: rutin (vitamin P) and quercetin increase the strength of the capillary wall, reduce its permeability, prevent the formation of blood clots;
- carotene - transformed in the body into vitamin A, which is involved in the formation and restoration of tissues, activates the body's defenses, improves eyesight, takes care of the beauty of the skin and hair;
- nicotinic acid, normalizes metabolism, improves heart function;
- Vitamin C - an antioxidant, an activator of immunity, a participant in metabolic processes, its presence ensures the normal functioning of bone and connective tissue;
- esters, tannins and resins, act as natural antibiotics.
Active components determine the scope of St. John's wort.
Useful and medicinal properties of St. John's wort
The medicinal plant is widely used in the treatment of the initial stage of depression. Its effectiveness is comparable to chemical antidepressants. St. John's wort is part of the soothing pharmacy herbal preparations.
It is interesting:medicinal properties of the herb St. John's wort
Due to the ability to repair damaged tissues and inhibit the activity of pathogenic microflora, this plant is used in the fight against diseases of the digestive system. It relieves inflammation, relieves pain, heals small ulcers of the mucous membrane.
What is useful St. John's wort, know firsthand the people suffering from diseases of the liver, kidneys and gall bladder. The grass promotes the outflow of excess fluid, normalizes the circulation of bile, frees the ducts and is even able to dissolve stones.
Decoctions from dried raw materials are useful for the work of the heart. St. John's wort cleanses the blood of harmful cholesterol, prevents the accumulation of plaques on the walls of blood vessels.
The grass supports the immune system and is successfully used in the treatment of colds. Infusions and decoctions are used to treat the throat. Vitamins contained in dry raw materials increase overall tone.
The medicinal plant strengthens the capillaries, has an antibacterial effect and is therefore used to treat long non-healing wounds. Hypericum ointments are indicated for the treatment of skin diseases.
Infusions and preparations using plant materials can relieve muscle and joint pain. They are used, inter alia, for the treatment of radiculitis, alleviating the condition with lumbago.
What treats grass St. John's wort
Traditional medicine offers many solutions to treat common diseases.
Cold
St. John's wort effectively strengthens the immune system, helps fight colds, accelerates recovery. They begin to take it with the appearance of the first signs of the disease and until complete recovery.
Hypericum tea is used as a tonic. It can be drunk 2-3 cups a day, regardless of food intake. Treatment should not be delayed longer than 3 weeks.
Cough
Thanks to the essential oils included in the composition, the medicinal plant copes well with coughing. St. John's wort treatment is carried out using inhalation.
To prepare the solution, 2 tablespoons of St. John's wort oil are taken per half liter of water. The mixture boils for five minutes, is removed from the heat, slightly cooled. Hiding behind the composition, breathe in healing pairs for 10-15 minutes.
The procedure is performed once a day until complete recovery. This treatment method cannot be used at elevated body temperature.
Sore throat
For diseases of the upper respiratory tract, an aqueous infusion (half a glass) or an alcohol tincture (30 drops per glass of boiled water) of St. John's wort is used. The prepared solution is irrigated in the oral cavity up to 5 times a day.
Radiculitis
St. John's wort is a natural antispasmodic. It acts in a complex way - not only relieves pain, but also reduces the severity of inflammation. Therefore, the extract of St. John's wort is an excellent remedy for radiculitis. It is consumed in a long course for 1.5-2 months, two tablespoons 3-4 times a day before meals.
Oil or ointment from St. John's wort helps to relieve pain during lumbago. To reduce inflammation, it is necessary to rub the affected area with a remedy.
Psoriasis
For the treatment of psoriasis, it is necessary to prepare a mixture of dried herbs: celandine, elderberry, chamomile, string, St. John's wort and violet. The powder is poured with boiling water in an amount of 400 ml, insist until completely cooled.
Measure out half a glass of medicinal drink. Add there 50 drops of ginseng tincture and a teaspoon of valerian on alcohol. Accepted during the day 4 times after eating.
In parallel, every two days, you must take a bath with St. John's wort. A concentrated broth is prepared for the procedure: two liters of water are taken for 200 grams of dry grass. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes, then poured into the bath. The process takes 20-30 minutes. The whole complex of procedures must be carried out for 1.5 months twice a year.
Varicose veins
Lotions with St. John's wort help relieve swelling and reduce pain. After regular use, spider veins become less pronounced. A bandage soaked in St. John's wort infusion is applied to problem areas, withstanding the application until it is completely dry. Treatment must be carried out every day. A full course can take up to 3 months.
Gastritis and ulcer
St. John's wort tidies the digestive system. With its help, a stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer, gastritis, enteritis, colitis, cholecystitis are treated. To get rid of the problem 4 times a day, you need to take a small spoonful of dry herbal powder. The mixture is recommended to drink the same volume of St. John's wort oil. The duration of the procedure takes up to 3 weeks, only then you can achieve the result.
Bad breath
Bad breath is caused by pathogenic bacteria. The cause may be a digestive problem or an unsatisfactory oral condition.
Rinse with alcohol tincture (40-50 drops per glass of water) to help eliminate odor. The tool can be used after brushing your teeth as a conditioner.
Another option for the use of tincture is ingestion. 30-40 drops per glass of water three times a day before meals for several days will make breathing more fresh.
Anemia
For the treatment of anemia, a herbal collection is used, which includes St. John's wort, strawberry leaves, yarrow, cloves, blueberries, licorice, oat straw. All mixed in equal proportions.Two collection spoons insist in a glass of water. Drink three times a day. The course should last at least six months.
This drug at the same time saturates the body with useful trace elements and normalizes the digestive system. In the normal functioning of the stomach and intestines, the absorption of vitamins increases.
Liver Prevention
St. John's wort infusion is an excellent choleretic agent that helps prevent stagnation. For preventive purposes, they take a short seven-day course. In the morning on an empty stomach take half a glass of freshly prepared funds. During the day, at each meal, another 2 tablespoons, but not more than 5 times a day.
Urolithiasis disease
St. John's wort cleans the ducts, prevents the aggregation of deposits and is even able to partially remove sand. For the treatment of urolithiasis, a long (up to 2 months) intake of herbal collection, which includes St. John's wort, is required.
In addition to it, for infusion it is necessary to take in equal proportions half a half, calendula, birch leaves, knotweed, horsetail, plantain. Mix everything, measure one and a half tablespoons, pour the mixture into a ladle, pour two glasses of water. Boil for 5 minutes, leaving to infuse for about an hour. Pour 50 drops of tincture of calendula, motherwort and Citrosept into the ready-made broth.
An effective remedy is taken 4 times a day: before each meal and once before bedtime.
Immunity strengthening
To increase the body's resistance, St. John's wort is drunk in the form of tea, just like with colds.
Thanks to its versatile use, St. John's wort is really capable, as they say, to cure 99 diseases. This tool is easy to purchase at a pharmacy or prepare it yourself. It must be in every home.
When and where to collect
St. John's wort blooms from July to the end of August. For collection, you should choose places away from roads and industrial areas. In the best case, this should be the most distant area from the city.
St. John's wort grows in small stripes. Its habitat is open dry areas: meadows, edges of a plowed field, forest glades, overgrown felling, mountain slopes. The plant can be found along busy roads and near urban areas, but these places are not suitable for collection.
It is impossible to produce blanks in the same place every year. The frequency of collection should be at least two years. St. John's wort is not pulled out with the root, but only the flowering part of the plant 20-30 cm long is cut.
Harvesting, packaging and storage
Medicinal raw materials are harvested during the period of mass flowering. Part of the shoot is cut with a sharp knife or sickle. The inclusion of other plant species is not allowed. In particular, the blue grass St. John's wort is, in fact, not. So the people call another medicinal plant - hyssop. Although it is used in folk medicine, it has other properties, and therefore should not be present in harvested raw materials.
Read also:hyssop: medicinal properties and contraindications
Cut shoots are dried in a well-ventilated area. The raw materials are laid out in a thin layer and periodically mixed. Under natural conditions, St. John's wort comes to condition in 4-5 days.
In electric dryers, the temperature is set at 35-40 ° C. Under artificially created conditions, raw materials reach their readiness in 1-2 days. After breaking the stem, the degree of drying can be determined. In raw materials, it will bend; in finished ones, it will break.
Workpieces are stored in a dark, cool place, wrapped in paper or cloth bags, laid out in cardboard boxes. With proper storage, the raw material does not lose its healing properties for 2 years.
Folk recipes for the treatment of St. John's wort diseases
Since St. John's wort has such a versatile use, various forms of drugs are prepared on its basis.
Teas, infusions, decoctions and alcohol tinctures are consumed mainly inside.To treat the skin and relieve pain, ointments and healing St. John's wort oil are used.
Decoctions
To prepare a decoction, there are several recipes:
- boiling: pour a spoonful of raw materials 300 ml of water, boil for 2-3 minutes. Insist for an hour.
- heating in a water bath, a more gentle way. It allows not only to preserve useful substances, but also to extract them as much as possible from dry raw materials. To prepare it, one and a half tablespoons of dried hypericum are poured into a glass jar, 200 ml of hot water is added. Heated in a water bath for 20-30 minutes. After cooling, filter.
A decoction is used to treat gastrointestinal diseases (take half a cup three times a day before meals, for 2 weeks). They can treat wounds locally. Apply to rinse the nose and gargle (3 times a day). Drink 100 ml three times a day to prevent hair loss. The duration of admission will be 14 days. With a decoction, ice cubes are prepared for facial skin care.
Infusions
Preparation of infusion is the fastest way to prepare raw materials for use. To obtain it, it is enough to steam a tablespoon of the plant with a glass of boiling water. The solution is left for 15-20 minutes, previously covered with a lid.
Place 1.5 tablespoons of freshly chopped grass in a jar, pour hot water. Insist in a dark place under the lid for 4 hours. Strain before use.
The resulting remedy treats the stomach (taken in the same way as a decoction). Infusions are used for applications. Dampened gauze is applied to the affected skin. For sore throats, rinses are effective. They infuse the nose and treat the skin of the face. Dampened gauze is applied to the sore spot with radiculitis. The use of infusion inside helps to systematically deal with this problem.
St. John's wort tinctures
Tinctures are prepared with vodka or 40% alcohol. The ratio may be different. According to the prescription, 5 to 10 tablespoons of dry raw materials are taken, insisted in half a liter of alcohol for 2 weeks. A more concentrated tincture is prepared for addition to infusions and decoctions.
There is another way to get a potent remedy. It is prepared on the basis of the juice of a fresh plant. The collected shoots are finely chopped, poured with water. Liquids are taken 10 times less than shredded plants.
A mixture of water and St. John's wort is left for an hour to extract the juice. The mass is squeezed through cheesecloth and squeezed through a press. The resulting juice is mixed with vodka. To 1 part alcohol add 3 parts of St. John's wort juice.
Tincture is used as a prophylactic to increase overall tone. The course of administration lasts 20-25 days. During this period, take 1 teaspoon of the product three times a day before meals.
Diluted tincture treat a sore throat. 50 drops three times a day half an hour before a meal helps to cope with low blood pressure. The duration of treatment is 2 weeks.
Gauze impregnated with tincture is used as a warming compress for muscle and joint pain.
Making Hypericum oil at home
The oil is prepared from fresh and dry herbs. The cut shoots are ground in a mortar to a mushy state. A tablespoon of raw materials is poured into a glass of vegetable oil (olive, sunflower, linseed, etc.), infused for 5 days. Shake the finished mixture and put in a sunny place for five weeks. At the end of the process, the oil is separated from the precipitate.
To prepare the product from dry shoots, you need to insist one tablespoon of herbal powder in 200 ml of vegetable oil. The cooking process will take 10 days.
Hypericum oil lubricates wound surfaces, difficult healing ulcers. They treat stomatitis, gingivitis. Rub the inflamed places with lumbago.
Tea with Hypericum
Tea with St. John's wort is a tasty way to improve your health. This drink is able to raise the immune status and prepare the body for a period of rampant infectious diseases.
For tea, one small spoonful of dry raw materials is needed. It is brewed like ordinary tea in a glass of boiling water. For taste, add linden blossom, honey, dried berries.
The second method of preparation allows you to get a more aromatic drink. Dry raw materials and water in the same proportions are put on fire and brought to a boil. Favorite berries or dried fruits are also added to the tea for taste.
Despite the fact that the drink is very good for health, they should not get carried away. Tea from St. John's wort is not recommended for drinking longer than three weeks, and it is advisable to reduce the number of cups per day to one.
Hypericum Ointment
Hypericum ointment is used for external use. It, like oil, is applied to cuts and abrasions. It serves as an excellent anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and analgesic.
Prepared according to a single recipe. As components, equal parts are melted pork fat and crushed St. John's wort flowers. For greater efficiency, the same amount of crushed plantain leaves can be added to the mixture. Grind the composition thoroughly, heat in a water bath to a liquid state, strain through gauze. The ointment is stored in the refrigerator in a closed form.
Many recipes allow you to find the most suitable option for using medicinal herbs. St. John's wort equally effectively solves both internal and external problems.
Contraindications
The medicinal properties and contraindications of St. John's wort are finely intertwined. The plant has a powerful effect on the body and is able to enhance or significantly weaken the effect of certain drugs. Therefore, it can not be taken together with drugs that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants), which are prescribed for some operations. Cases have been reported where administration of St. John's wort preparations led to rejection of the recently implanted organ.
The combined use of chemical antidepressants and St. John's wort is unacceptable, since it can provoke serious mental disorders.
People taking cardiac drugs or antibiotics should consult a doctor before prescribing hypericum. Medicinal herbs can offset the effect of medications taken.
Hypericum remedies reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, so their simultaneous use should be avoided.
A potent medicine is not recommended during pregnancy and lactation for oral administration. Exceptions are ointment and St. John's wort oil properties and applications, which imply only external use.
Constant intake of a medicinal plant negatively affects men's health.
For children under 12 years old, grass from 99 diseases is also contraindicated.
St. John's wort has a rich chemical composition and, with proper use, can relieve many diseases. Do not forget that the dosages and duration of administration have been verified for centuries. Therefore, in order to get the right effect, you need to carefully consider the recommendations for use and exclude the presence of contraindications.
