St. John's wort in Latin. St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.)
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) is a perennial from the St. John's wort family, 30-60 cm high. The stem is round, glabrous, slightly branched in the upper part. Leaves are oppositely sessile, ovate-elliptic or broadly oval, obtuse, with sparse translucent dots. Golden-yellow flowers are collected in a multi-flowered, loose, paniculate inflorescence. Black dotted glands are visible on the surface of the petals. Flowers, when rubbed with your fingers, leave a dark mark on your hands. Blooms in June-July. Distributed in forests, meadows, along the banks of rivers and lakes.
St. John's wort herb contains anthroglycosides - hypericin, etc. up to 0.5%, 10-12% tannins, flavonoids - hyperoside, rutin, etc., essential oil(0.2-0.3%), resinous substances (17%). saponins, carotene.
St. John's wort has a weak pleasant smell, especially noticeable at a break in the stem. St. John's wort preparations in the form of tinctures have an astringent, antiseptic properties, they promote wound healing. Taken internally for intestinal catarrh, colitis, externally for burns, to lubricate the gums for stomatitis. St. John's wort oil used for treatment peptic ulcer stomach. Relatively recently, a new antibiotic, imanin, was isolated from the herb St. John's wort, which is used in the treatment of burns, infected wounds, and in obstetric and gynecological practice.
For a long time medicinal properties St. John's wort are known in folk medicine. It was used in the treatment of many diseases. It was said that St. John's wort is “an herb for ninety-nine diseases.” For the royal court in medieval Rus', St. John's wort flour was prepared for medicinal needs “a pound for every year.” IN folk medicine An infusion of St. John's wort is used for abdominal pain, choking, chest pain and cough. An alcoholic infusion of herbs is used to rub joints for aches and pains. Wine decoction was used for pulmonary tuberculosis. From fresh leaves of St. John's wort and sage, crushed with fresh lard, prepare an ointment for wound healing. St. John's wort is often used in mixture with other plants for diseases of the liver, heart, bladder and all kinds of skin diseases. Due to the breadth of its use, St. John's wort was considered a magical plant in folk medicine.
St. John's wort lives up to its name. When eaten in large quantities, it has a detrimental effect on animals with white skin, sharply increasing their sensitivity to sunlight. Abscesses, ulcers, and inflammations appear on white-colored parts of the body. Animals get fever... In a dark room the disease goes away.
St. John's wort is used in the liquor and vodka industry for the preparation of vodkas and balms. The dye obtained from it is used to dye wool, linen, and silk yellow and red.
St. John's wort herb is collected only during flowering, cutting off the flower tops along with the leaves. Dry in a well-ventilated area without access sun rays.
Recipes for herbal tea, tinctures, oils.
Latin name: Hypericum perforatum.
Family: St. John's worts - Hypericaceae (Guttiferae).
Common names: blood grass, hard hay, Jesus wound grass, wound grass.
St. John's wort parts used: aerial part of the plant.
Pharmacy name: St. John's wort herb - Hyperici herba (formerly: Herba Hyperici), St. John's wort oil - Hyperici oleum (formerly: Oleum Hyperici).
Botanical description. St. John's wort is a perennial plant, 25 - 40 cm in height. In the upper part the stem branches abundantly. The leaves are opposite, elliptical or ovate, up to 1.5-3 cm in length, entire, pubescent, with translucent points of oil glands. Five-membered golden- yellow flowers collected in paniculate inflorescence. Medicinal plant St. John's wort has three unusual features that make it easier to identify. Firstly, it has a dihedral stem, which is very rare among plants; grasses usually have a round or tetrahedral stem. Secondly, if you look at young leaves against the light, you can see small light dots on them, as if the plant has holes. These are places of glands with a light secretion - a mixture of essential oil and resin. Thirdly, yellow flowers, if rubbed between your fingers, change color to blood red. St. John's wort blooms from July to September. The medicinal plant St. John's wort is very common in Ukraine. It grows along roadsides, embankments, in wastelands and forest clearings, in thickets of bushes.
Collection and preparation. St. John's wort is harvested when it is in full bloom (on Midsummer - June 24). They cut it near the ground, tie it into bunches and dry it in the air in a shaded place.
Active ingredients of St. John's wort: essential oil, flavonoids (rutin, quercitrin, hyperoside), resins, tannins and rhodane. However, the most important active ingredient is hypericin, which is also called hypericumrot. Phlobafens also deserve mention.
St. John's wort - beneficial properties and applications
The components of St. John's wort in their totality stimulate the activity of the digestive (as well as biliary) organs and tone blood circulation. Hypericin has a slightly sedative effect, affects depressive states, especially related to menopause. When treated with St. John's wort, after 4-6 weeks you can see a clear improvement in your mental state. Therefore, St. John's wort can be considered as herbal antidepressant. True, it does not act so strongly that it can be used to treat real, severe endogenous depression, especially menopause. However, with so-called symptomatic and reactive depression, St. John's wort to a large extent can replace chemicals. For vegetative dystonia, it can be used as an addition to other measures. Interestingly, St. John's wort also treats bedwetting. This is quite understandable, since urinary incontinence is often based on a depressed state of mind.
- Recipe for making herbal tea from St. John's wort: Pour 2 teaspoons of St. John's wort herb into 1/4 liter of water and heat to a boil. After a few minutes, strain. Dosage: 2-3 cups of tea per day.
Treatment with this herbal tea should be carried out systematically over several weeks. Since St. John's wort increases photosensitivity, direct sunlight should be avoided during treatment if possible.
For external use, it is better to use St. John's wort oil. It is successfully used as a rub for rheumatism and lumbago, for healing wounds, relieving pain from tendon sprains, dislocations, hemorrhages and herpes zoster.
The German National Health Service (there are no data for Ukraine and Russia) lists only nervous anxiety and sleep disturbances, as well as dyspepsia, as indications for the use of St. John's wort in the form of herbal tea; for oil - as an external remedy - muscle pain (myalgia), wounds and burns.
St. John's wort oil recipe: for 1/2 liter of oil you need to take 25 g of raw materials. Fresh, just blossomed flowers are crushed or pounded in a mortar and carefully ground. Then add 500 g olive oil, mix and pour into a wide-mouth bottle from white glass, which is initially left uncovered. In a warm place, the mixture ferments (stir it from time to time). When the fermentation is over after 3 - 5 days, the bottle is closed and kept in the sun until the contents turn bright red - after about 6 weeks. The oil is then separated from the aqueous layer and stored in well-sealed bottles. St. John's wort oil can also be used internally (1 teaspoon 2 times a day) as a light choleretic agent or to calm a nervously irritated stomach.
Use in folk medicine. In folk medicine, as in official medicine, St. John's wort is used primarily for treating wounds and treating pain, then in treating diseases of the lungs, stomach, intestines and gall bladder, for diarrhea and nervous disorders. Used in equally and tea, and oil, and alcohol extract (tincture), which is used to disinfect wounds.
Recipe for tincture of St. John's wort: 10g dried herb pour 50 g of 70% alcohol and leave for 10 days. After spinning, the tincture is ready for use.
Side effects. In addition to the fact that St. John's wort increases sensitivity to light - and, therefore, when treating with herbal tea or oil, direct sunlight should be avoided - when correct dosage no side effects are known. Even with long-term use, St. John's wort is well tolerated.
Other names for St. John's wort: St. John's wort, St. John's wort.
It is a perennial herbaceous plant native throughout Europe.
St. John's wort bushes reach a height of up to 60 cm, the stem has oppositely located sessile leaves, which, when viewed in the light, appear perforated due to the abundance of transparent glands, hence the name medicinal plant.
The fruit is presented in the form of a capsule, flowering from early June to late September. The flowers of St. John's wort are yellow, five-petaled, and the stamens have dark red anthers.
IN folk medicine St. John's wort has long been used for various diseases, in particular for burns, various forms of depression. In France and Germany, this medicinal plant is widely used for depression as a powerful antidepressant.
More detailed information about St. John's wort can be found on Wikipedia.
Is parts used and active substances
The flowering tops of St. John's wort are collected at the height of flowering, made into bunches and dried in ventilated areas. It is important to determine the correct match to the original plant, since some hybrids differ greatly in chemical composition.
The flowering tops contain a small amount of essential oil and flavonoids, as well as derivatives of phloroglucinol (hyperforin) and diandrone (hypericin), which color the anthers red.
Medicinal properties and indications for use of St. John's wort
Tests were conducted on animals to determine the effect of St. John's wort extracts on the animal body. Due to the presence of hypericin and its derivatives in the medicinal herb, antiseptic and antiviral effects on warm-blooded animals have been proven.
And recent scientific advances have shown the anti-depressive properties of St. John's wort due to the fact that hypericin inhibits the enzyme monoamine oxidase. And another active substance, hyperforin, also affects other areas of the brain.
Until 2002, in folk medicine, the medicinal plant was used only externally for skin diseases and burns as a powerful antiseptic and as an anesthetic for.
And in lately indications for use have been significantly expanded: St. John's wort orally is prescribed for nervous fatigue, loss of interest in life due to severe depression.
PRECAUTIONS.
The active substance of St. John's wort, hypericin, and other components have a powerful photosensitizing effect, so the medicinal plant cannot be used together with such medicines such as theophylline, digoxin, contraceptives, migraine medications.
Use in folk medicine
1. Nervous fatigue, :
- drink 2 cups a day while eating the infusion medicinal herb(Pour 1 teaspoon of dried flowering tops with a cup of boiling water and leave for five minutes, strain).
- medicinal mixture: mix equal parts of St. John's wort and angelica root; one tbsp. l. pour a glass of boiling water over the mixture, leave for 15 minutes and strain. Take half an hour before bedtime.
2. Kidney stone disease,
- take 1 tbsp. l. infusion three times a day after meals (pour 10 grams of dry herb with a glass of boiling water and steep for 15 minutes, strain);
- take 1/3 cup of the decoction three times a day half an hour before meals (pour one and a half tablespoons of chopped St. John's wort herb with a glass of boiling water, put in a water bath, cover with a lid, and cook for half an hour, cool and strain).
- take 30 drops per day of St. John's wort tincture after meals (20 grams of dry herb, pour half a liter of vodka and leave for a week). This tincture can also be used to lubricate sore gums.
3. Gingivitis, tonsillitis,:
- take 40-50 drops of tincture of a medicinal plant in half a glass of water three times a day (the tincture consists of one part of the medicinal herb and 5 parts of 40-degree alcohol, leave for a week).
4. Boils, purulent wounds:
- apply gauze with ointment prepared as follows to the sore spot: fresh leaves St. John's wort and sage herb (equal parts) are mixed thoroughly with fresh lard - the ointment is ready!
5. Worms (helminthiasis):
- to expel from the body various kinds you need to take 150 ml of St. John's wort infusion three times a day for three days in a row (pour 15 grams of St. John's wort herb into 100 ml of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes, filter, the infusion is ready for use).
Be healthy, my dear readers. God bless you!
Pharmacotherapeutic group.
Astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant.
Description of the plant
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Rice. 8.25. St. John's wort - Hypericum perforatum L.
St. John's wort herb- herba hyperici
(h. Ordinary) - hypericum perforatum l.
St. John's wort spotted(h. tetrahedral) - hypericum maculatum crantz (= h. Quadrangulum l.)
Sem. St. John's wort- hypericaceae
Other names: hare's blood, krovets, sickly, common fool.
St. John's wort perforated
perennial herbaceous plant with a thin branched rhizome and a highly branched taproot (Fig. 8.25).
Stems in the upper part they are branched, cylindrical with two longitudinal ribs, 30-60 (100) cm high. Leaves and branches are located opposite.
Leaves oblong-ovate or elliptical in shape, sessile, entire, with numerous translucent light and black dotted containers scattered throughout the leaf blade. They appear to be holes pierced by a needle—hence the name “perforated.”
Inflorescence- corymboid thyrsus.
Flowers regular, with a five-leaf, non-declining calyx and a free five-petalled corolla; sepals are linear-lanceolate, pointed, petals are bright yellow, oblong-elliptic.
Calyx and corolla also have light and dark containers.
Stamens numerous, fused at the base into three bundles.
Pestle with an upper three-lobed ovary and three styles.
Fetus- a three-lobed multi-seeded capsule that opens with three valves (Fig. 8.26, A).
Blooms June - August, fruits ripen in September.
St. John's wort spotted
It is distinguished by a tetrahedral stem with four longitudinal sharp ribs.
Sepals oblong-elliptical with a blunt apex (Fig. 8.26, B).
Composition of St. John's wort
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Chemical composition of St. John's wort
St. John's wort herb contains various biologically active compounds. The main active ingredients are
- photoactive condensed anthracene derivatives (up to 0.4%) –
- hypericin,
- pseudohypericin,
- protopseudohypericin, etc.
Also found
- flavonoids -
- hyperoside (in grass - 0.7%, in flowers - 1.1%),
- routine,
- quercitrin,
- isoquercitrin and
- quercetin.
The grass contains
- essential oil containing esters isovaleric acid.
Also discovered
- tannins (10-12%),
- resins (up to 10%),
- catechins,
- leukoanthocyanidins,
- carotenoids (up to 55 mg%),
- nicotinic acids and
- ascorbic acid
Pharmacological properties of St. John's wort
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St. John's wort herb has multifaceted pharmacological properties.
Basic pharmacological effect St. John's wort —
- antispasmodic effect associated with the presence of flavonoids in the plant.
This effect manifests itself on the smooth muscle elements of the stomach, intestines, biliary tract, blood vessels.
St. John's wort preparations have
- astringents,
- anti-inflammatory and
- antiseptic properties,
- have a stimulating effect on regenerative processes.
In recent years careful study of St. John's wort has revealed his
- pronounced antidepressant effect.
This effect is due to the presence in its composition of hypericin and other components that act on the structures and functions of the brain.
St. John's wort
- increases adaptation psycho-emotional sphere under stress.
Due to the photosensitizing effect hypericin, St. John's wort increases the sensitivity of the skin to light and ultraviolet rays, which is especially pronounced in albino animals.
When eating hay with large impurities of St. John's wort, animals show signs of poisoning.
Biologically active substances St. John's wort herbs (mixture of higher alcohols, carotenoids, tocopherols)
- have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Application of St. John's wort
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The variety of biologically active substances in St. John's wort determines the versatile use of its preparations.
Infusion and tincture of St. John's wort herb used as
- antispasmodic,
- astringent,
- disinfectant and
- anti-inflammatory agent.
Aqueous infusions of St. John's wort are prescribed
- for gastritis,
- for acute and chronic enteritis and colitis,
- for biliary dyskinesias,
- cholecystitis,
- cholelithiasis,
- hepatitis,
- flatulence.
St. John's wort tincture is used for rinsing at
- chronic tonsillitis,
- sore throat,
- gingivitis,
- stomatitis.
St. John's wort preparations are prescribed
- for mild depression and medium degree severity, including in a state of anxiety, fear, insomnia;
- with asthenic syndrome.
With long-term use St. John's wort may cause
- dyspepsia,
- photosensitivity (ultraviolet radiation should be avoided during treatment).
Spreading
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Spreading
- Eurasian species. Widely distributed in the European part of the country (except for the northern regions), in Western and Eastern Siberia, in the Caucasus, mountains Central Asia. Beyond the Yenisei it is replaced by other species.
St. John's wort spotted has the same range, but is more common in the northern regions and in the Non-Black Earth Region.
Habitat
In dry meadows, forest clearings, in sparse forests, among bushes, in forest belts, among crops. They are usually found in separate stripes and patches; they rarely form large thickets. Young planted forests, overgrown clearings and fallows are convenient for harvesting.
Procurement and storage of raw materials
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Preparation. The grass is harvested in the flowering phase (July - August) before the appearance of unripe fruits, cutting off the leafy tops up to 25-30 cm long with knives or sickles, without the rough bases of the stems.
Security measures. To renew populations, some plants are left for seeding. It is unacceptable to pull out plants by their roots. You cannot use the same thickets every year; the frequency of harvesting is 2 years.
Drying. St. John's wort herb is dried in attics, under canopies with good ventilation, spreading the raw material in a layer of 5-7 cm and stirring occasionally. In dryers with artificial heating at a temperature of 40-60 °C. The end of drying is determined by the degree of fragility of the stems. When dried, they do not bend, but break.
Standardization. GF XI, issue. 2, Art. 52.
Storage. In a dry room, protected from light, packed in bags, bales, bales, boxes. Shelf life: 3 years.
External signs of raw materials
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External signs
Whole raw materials
Upper parts stems with leaves, flowers, buds and unripe fruits.
Stems hollow, cylindrical, up to 30 cm long, with two (in St. John's wort) or four (in St. John's wort) longitudinal ribs.
Leaves opposite, sessile, elliptical or oblong-ovate, entire, glabrous, up to 3.5 cm long, up to 1.4 cm wide. St. John's wort has leaves with numerous translucent receptacles in the form of light dots.
Flowers numerous, about 1-1.5 cm in diameter, collected in a corymbose-paniculate inflorescence.
Cup fused-leaved, deeply five-parted, sepals lanceolate, finely pointed (in St. John's wort) or oblong-elliptic with a blunt apex (in St. John's wort).
whisk Separately petaled, 2-3 times longer than the calyx, five petals.
Stamens numerous, fused at the base with threads into three bundles.
Fetus- three-cell multi-seeded capsule.
Rice. 8.26. Types of St. John's wort: A – St. John's wort; B – St. John's wort;
B – graceful St. John's wort; G – St. John's wort:
1 – tip of flowering shoot; 2 – sepal; 3 – stem fragment.
Color stems - from greenish-yellow to grayish-green, sometimes pinkish-violet; leaves - from grayish-green to dark green; petals - bright yellow or yellow, with black dots, clearly visible under a magnifying glass; fruits are greenish-brown.
Smell weak, peculiar. Taste bitter, slightly astringent.
Crushed raw materials
Pieces stems, leaves (grayish-green), flowers (yellow) various shapes and unripe fruits passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm.
Smell weak, peculiar. Taste bitter, slightly astringent.
Impurities
Possible impurities are presented in the table and in Figure 8.26.
Distinctive features of different types of St. John's wort |
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| Plant name | Diagnostic signs | |||
| stems | leaves | inflorescence | flowers | |
| St. John's wort - Hypericum perforatum L. | Naked, 30-80 cm high, cylindrical with two ribs | Oblong-ovate or elliptical, 1-3 cm long, glabrous, with numerous translucent dark and light receptacles | Heavily branched, almost corymbose | Sepals are entire, finely pointed, with sparse black dots; petals are golden yellow, with black and light glands |
| St. John's wort -Hypericum maculatum Crantz(H. quadrangulum L.) | Naked, 30-70 cm high, tetrahedral | Ovoid or elliptical, 0.5-3.5 cm long, glabrous, with scattered transparent dots | Paniculate | Sepals entire, obtuse; petals are golden yellow, with black glands along the edge |
| St. John's wort - Hypericum elegans Steph. | Naked, 20-80 cm high, cylindrical with two ribs | Ovate-lanceolate, heart-shaped at the base, 1.5-2.5 cm long, glabrous, with black dots along the edge | Wide, almost pyramidal panicle | The sepals are finely toothed along the edge, with black glands at the top of the teeth; petals are light yellow, with black glands along the edge |
| Mountain St. John's wort - Hypericummontanum L. | Slightly pubescent, 30-60 cm high, cylindrical | Oblong-ovate, glabrous, 1.5-5 cm long | Sparse, short, oval panicle | The sepals are black-glandular-toothed along the edge; petals pale yellow |
| St. John's wort -Hypericum hirsutum L. | Densely pubescent, 50-100 cm high, cylindrical | Ovoid or elliptical, short-petiolate, 1.5-5 cm long, densely pubescent, without receptacles | Long loose panicle | The sepals are black-glandular-toothed along the edge; petals are golden yellow |
Qualitative reactions
When a 2% alcohol solution of aluminum chloride is added to a 50% alcoholic extract from St. John's wort, a greenish-yellow color develops (flavonoids). (in St. John's wort) are found throughout the leaf blade, along the veins they are longitudinally elongated; in St. John's wort they are rare or absent (Fig. 8.27).
Rice. 8.27. Microscopy of St. John's wort leaf:
A - epidermis bottom side leaf;
B - epidermis of the upper side of the leaf;
B - part of the sheet under a magnifying glass;
1 - receptacle along the vein; 2 - container with pigmented contents; 3 - container with colorless contents; 4 - clear thickenings of cell walls.
Numerical indicators of raw materials
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Whole raw materials
The amount of flavonoids in terms of rutin (spectrophotometric method) is not less than 1.5%; humidity no more than 13%; total ash no more than 8%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 1%; stems (including those separated during analysis) no more than 50%; organic impurity no more than 1%; mineral impurity no more than 1%.
Crushed raw materials
The amount of flavonoids in terms of rutin is not less than 1.5%; humidity no more than 13%; total ash no more than 8%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 1%; stems no more than 50%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm, no more than 10%; particles passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 0.31 mm, no more than 10%; organic impurity no more than 1%; mineral impurity no more than 1%.
Medicines based on
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- St. John's wort grass, crushed raw materials. Astringent, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic.
- As part of the collections (antidiabetic preparations “Arfazetin”, “Mirfazin”; diuretic preparations “Brusniver”, “Brusniver-T”; choleretic, hepatoprotective collection “Gepafit”).
- St. John's wort tincture (tincture (1:5) in 40% ethanol). Astringent, anti-inflammatory agent.
- Novoimanin, alcohol solution 1% for external use (total preparation from the herb St. John's wort). Antibacterial agent.
- Deprim, tablets (extract standardized to hypericin). General tonic, adaptogenic agent.
- Doppelhertz Nervotonic, oral solution ( liquid extract). Antidepressant.
- Gelarium Hypericum, dragee (extract standardized to hypericin). Antidepressant.
- Negrustin, capsules; oral solution (extract). Antidepressant, anxiolytic agent.
- Yarsin 300, dragee (extract). Antidepressant.
- St. John's wort extract is part of the range complex drugs(“Sibektan”, “Novo-Passit”, “Faringal”, “Prostanorm”, etc.), restorative balms and elixirs.
Flower formula
Formula of St. John's wort flower: ♀♂ * H(5)L5T(∞)+(∞)+(∞)P(3).In medicine
St. John's wort infusion is used in the treatment and prevention of gingivitis and stomatitis, to eliminate bad smell from the mouth and strengthen the gums. St. John's wort preparations are used for biliary dyskinesias, hepatitis, stagnation of bile in gallbladder, cholecystitis, chronic colitis, at initial symptoms cholelithiasis, gastritis with secretory insufficiency, flatulence, as well as decreased filtration capacity of the kidneys, functional failure renal glomeruli with fluid and electrolyte retention in the body. As aid– with urolithiasis.
Infusions in the form of compresses are used for bleeding and infected wounds, and a condensed extract is used to treat vitiligo.
The herb St. John's wort is a component of many borons and dietary supplements.
Contraindications and side effects
The drug is non-toxic, however, due to the content of traces of various alkaloids, which can cause a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, insomnia, photosensitivity, it is contraindicated in pregnant women, during lactation, and children under 12 years of age. The drug also has the following contraindications: hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.
Currently, the following information is available on interactions with other drugs: joint use St. John's wort preparations with cyclosporine, warfarin, steroid drugs, antiviral drugs - reverse transcriptase inhibitors (amprenavir, indinavir, efavirenz, nevirapine, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir); inhibitors of the activity of proteolytic enzymes may reduce their effectiveness.
For children
As a medicine, an infusion of crushed St. John's wort can be used from the age of 12.
Classification
St. John's wort (common) - lat. Hypericum perforatum L. - belongs to the St. John's wort family (lat. Hypericaceae). There are about 350 species of St. John's wort, 50 species grow in Russia.
Botanical description
St. John's wort is a perennial herbaceous plant up to 30 - 100 cm high. The stem is dihedral, bare, and oppositely branched in the upper part. Rhizomes and roots are underdeveloped and poorly branched. The leaves are opposite, sessile, oval or ovate, entire, with translucent glands in the form of black dots. The flowers are collected in a wide paniculate, almost corymbose inflorescence. The calyx consists of 5 lanceolate sepals, the corolla of five yellow-orange petals. The petals are strewn with black-brown or purple dots, especially along the edges. Stamens (about 50-60) fused at the base into 3 bunches. The plant blooms in June-August. Formula of St. John's wort flower - ♀♂ * H(5)L5T(∞)+(∞)+(∞)P( 3 ).
The fruit is a three-locular oblong-ovoid capsule 6 mm long and 5 mm wide. The seeds are small, up to 1 mm, cylindrical, brown. The fruits ripen in September-October.
Spreading
St. John's wort grows in deciduous and mixed forests, meadows, clearings, bushes, forest edges, fallow lands, clearings, and along roads. Distributed in forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones of the European part of Russia, in Western and Eastern Siberia, Transbaikalia, the Caucasus, Crimea, Central Asia, Belarus, Ukraine.
Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.
Procurement of raw materials
St. John's wort (Hyperici herba) is used as a medicinal raw material. Medicinal raw materials are harvested during the flowering phase, before the appearance of unripe fruits. When harvesting, the tops of the plant, 25-30 cm long, are cut off. The grass is dried in attics, under sheds or in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 40ºC. Sometimes the grass is tied in bunches, which are dried hanging in the shade. Another type of St. John's wort is used as a medicinal raw material - St. John's wort (St. John's wort) - Hypericum maculatum Crantz.
Chemical composition
St. John's wort herb contains tannins (up to 13%); flavonoids (up to 8%): hyperoside (in grass - 0.7%, in flowers -1.1%), rutin, quercetin, quercitrin and isoquercitrin; carotene, antibiotic hyperforin; leukoanthocyanidins and anthocyanins (5-6%); essential oil (0.1-1.25%), which includes cineole; resins, nicotinic and ascorbic acids, vitamins P and PP, choline, anthocyanins, saponins, alcohols, traces of alkaloids and other compounds.
St. John's wort herb contains coloring substances: hypericin (up to 0.4%), pseudohypericin, protopseudohypericin, franguloemodinanthrol, hypericodihydrodianthrone, pseudohypericodihydrodianthrone.
Pharmacological properties
St. John's wort preparations have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, antispasmodic, diuretic effect, stimulate tissue regeneration. The plant has restorative and hemostatic properties.
St. John's wort flavonoids have an antispasmodic effect on intestinal smooth muscles, blood vessels, bile ducts and ureter, prevent stagnation of bile in the gallbladder, increase the outflow of bile, prevent the possibility of stone formation, facilitate bile secretion in duodenum as a result of reducing spasm of the sphincter of the hepatic-pancreatic ampulla, they relieve spasms of the large and small intestines, restore normal peristalsis, improving the digestive ability of the gastrointestinal tract.
St. John's wort relieves spasm of blood vessels and has a capillary-strengthening effect, typical of compounds containing vitamin P. St. John's wort preparations improve venous circulation and blood supply of some internal organs, and also increase diuresis as a result of a decrease in the tension of the walls of the ureters and a direct increase in filtration in the renal glomeruli.
St. John's wort has photosensitizing properties, i.e. it increases the sensitivity of humans and animals to the action sunlight(this is associated with the presence of hypericin pigment in St. John's wort).
The tannins of the plant have a slight astringent and anti-inflammatory effect, and have antimicrobial activity against a number of microorganisms that are resistant to antibiotics.
Set high antibacterial activity St. John's wort. Plant hyperforin inhibits growth Staphylococcus aureus, acts on gram-positive microflora in low concentrations, but has almost no effect on gram-negative microorganisms, fungi and actinomycetes. The bactericidal activity of this antibiotic is significantly lower than the bacteriostatic one. However, hyperforin has no independent practical significance due to chemical instability and instability of antimicrobial activity.
Bitter substance in aqueous extracts from the herb St. John's wort stimulates gastric secretion.
Hypericin contained in the plant, when taken orally, plays the role of a catalyst for some intracellular reactions and a factor regulating important life processes body. It also increases the absorption of ultraviolet rays by the skin, however, it does not dissolve in water, therefore it is not detected in infusions and decoctions, but is present in alcoholic extracts and in plant juice.
Use in folk medicine
People use St. John's wort infused with vegetable oil to treat bruises, wounds, ulcers, abscesses, and burns. St. John's wort is also used in the treatment of diseases of the lungs, stomach, intestines and gall bladder, for diarrhea and nervous disorders. In Czech medicine they believe that St. John's wort has a beneficial effect on nervous system and has anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. Ancient Slovak medicine recommends St. John's wort for illnesses respiratory tract, digestive tract, gallbladder.
Historical background
St. John's wort has been used as a medicinal plant for a long time. The first mention of the plant dates back to the time of Hippocrates (460-377 BC). Dioscorides prescribed taking St. John's wort seeds with honey; Pliny wrote about the plant. Paracelsus used St. John's wort to treat wounds, contusions, bleeding, and abscesses. During excavations at the site of Biskupin (Poland), which existed about 2,500 years ago, remains of St. John's wort were found among medicinal fees. In Rus', St. John's wort was considered a herb for 99 diseases. By order of Tsar Michael, St. John's wort was collected in Siberia, dried, ground into flour and sent to Moscow “by the pound for every year.”
Literature
1. State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR. Eleventh edition. Issue 1 (1987), issue 2 (1990).
2. State Register medicines. Moscow 2004.
3. Medicinal plants state pharmacopoeia. Pharmacognosy. (Ed. I.A. Samylina, V.A. Severtsev). – M., “AMNI”, 1999.
4. “Herbal medicine with the basics of clinical pharmacology”, ed. V.G. Kukesa. – M.: Medicine, 1999.
5. P.S. Chikov. “Medicinal plants” M.: Medicine, 2002.
6. Sokolov S.Ya., Zamotaev I.P. Handbook of medicinal plants (herbal medicine). – M.: VITA, 1993.
7. Mannfried Palov. "Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants". Ed. Ph.D. biol. Sciences I.A. Gubanova. Moscow, "Mir", 1998.
8. Turova A.D. "Medicinal plants of the USSR and their use." Moscow. "Medicine". 1974.
9. Lesiovskaya E.E., Pastushenkov L.V. "Pharmacotherapy with the basics of herbal medicine." Tutorial. – M.: GEOTAR-MED, 2003.
10. Medicinal plants: Reference Guide. / N.I. Grinkevich, I.A. Balandina, V.A. Ermakova and others; Ed. N.I. Grinkevich – M.: graduate School, 1991. – 398 p.
11. Plants for us. Reference manual / Ed. G.P. Yakovleva, K.F. Blinova. – Publishing house “Educational Book”, 1996. – 654 p.
12. Medicinal plant raw materials. Pharmacognosy: Textbook. allowance / Ed. G.P. Yakovlev and K.F. Blinova. – St. Petersburg: SpetsLit, 2004. – 765 p.
13. Forest cosmetics: Reference manual / L. M. Molodozhnikova, O. S. Rozhdestvenskaya, V. F. Sotnik. – M.: Ecology, 1991. – 336 p.
14. Healthy skin and herbal remedies / Author: I. Pustyrsky, V. Prokhorov. – M. Machaon; Mn.: Book House, 2001. – 192 p.
15. Nosov A. M. Medicinal plants. – M.: EKSMO-Press, 2000. – 350 p.
16. Herbal medicine allergic diseases skin / V.F. Korsun, A.A. Kubanova, S. Ya. Sokolov and others - Mn.: "Polymya", 1998. - 426 p.
St. John's wort (common) is a perennial plant, 25 - 40 cm in height. The stem is erect, dense, cylindrical, with two longitudinal edges, branched at the top. The leaves are opposite, elliptical or ovate, up to 1.5-3 cm in length, entire, pubescent, with translucent points of oil glands. Five-membered golden-yellow flowers are collected in a paniculate inflorescence. If you look at young leaves against the light, you can see small light dots on them, as if the plant has holes. These are places of glands with a light secretion - a mixture of essential oil and resin. It blooms from July to September and is a good honey plant. The flowers are collected in a wide paniculate, almost thyroid inflorescence. The petals are bright yellow; if rubbed between your fingers, they change color to blood red. The fruit is a multi-seeded capsule. The smell of fresh plant pleasant, bitter taste. The rhizome of St. John's wort is thin and highly branched. The above-ground part of the plant is used for medicinal purposes.
St. John's wort (common) grows in the forest belt and steppe zone of the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia, as well as in the mountains of the Caucasus, Central Asia and Kazakhstan. St. John's wort's favorite places are meadows, bush clearings, forest edges and even light forests, river slopes, roadsides, and boundaries. Common names: Ivanovo grass, bloodworm, valiant blood, red grass, hare's blood, holey St. John's wort, yellow St. John's wort, St. John's wort, bloodwort, krovtsa, twigwort.
Along with St. John's wort (common) there are other species of the same genus, the use of which in medicine is not yet permitted. Row external signs makes it possible to distinguish these types. St. John's wort is distinguished by a tetrahedral stem and the absence of glandular cilia along the edge of the sepals. St. John's wort has densely pubescent leaves and cylindrical, non-grooved, densely pubescent stems. St. John's wort has spotted stems due to pinpoint glands, and the inflorescence is a pyramidal panicle. St. John's wort has rough stems covered with small glandular warts.
PROPERTIES OF St. John's wort
St. John's wort (common) has many-sided pharmacological properties:
1. Relieves spasm of blood vessels, especially capillaries, and has a strengthening effect on them.
2. Improves venous circulation and blood supply to some internal organs.
3. Increases diuresis as a result of reducing the tension of the walls of the ureters and directly increasing filtration in the renal glomeruli.
4. Positively affects blood composition in cancer.
5. Stimulates tissue restoration.
6. The biologically active substances of St. John's wort have pronounced astringent, antimicrobial, hemostatic and anti-inflammatory properties.
7. Has an antispasmodic effect on smooth muscles bile ducts intestines, blood vessels and ureters.
8. Increases the outflow of bile, prevents stagnation of bile in the gallbladder and thereby prevents the possibility of stone formation, facilitates bile secretion into the duodenum.
9. Restores normal peristalsis, thereby improving the digestive ability of the gastrointestinal tract.
10. Increases the sensitivity of the skin to the effects of sunlight.
11. Short-term increases blood pressure.
12. Has a sobering effect in cases of acute alcohol intoxication.
13. Reduces depression (mild and moderate severity), nervousness.
14. Reduces the excitability of the central nervous system.
15. Improves appetite, enhances the secretion of digestive juices.
Chemical composition of St. John's wort
St. John's wort herb contains about 10-12% tannins, hyperin, hypericin, essential oil 0.2-0.3%, 17% resinous substances, anthocyanins (5-6%), saponins, coumarins, flavonoids (rutin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin, hyperizide), antibiotic hyperforin. There are organic acids, in particular isovaleric acid. In addition, St. John's wort herb is rich in vitamins: ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid, vitamins P and PP, vitamin E, as well as carotene. The herb contains ceryl alcohol, choline and traces of alkaloids.
The above-ground part contains: ash - 4.21%; macroelements (mg/g): K - 16.80, Ca - 7.30, Mn - 2.20, Fe - 0.11; trace elements (CBN): Mg - 0.25, Cu - 0.34, Zn - 0.71, Co - 0.21, Mo - 5.60, Cr - 0.01, Al - 0.02, Se - 5 .00, Ni - 0.18, Sr -0.18, Cd - 7.20, Pb - 0.08. B - 40.40 µg/g.
The most active compounds contained in St. John's wort are flavonoids. The active substances are condensed anthracene derivatives - hypericin and pseudohypericin. Their amount in them is 0.5%. Juice from fresh St. John's wort contains 1.6 times more active ingredients than tincture.
Collection, drying and storage
The herb St. John's wort, that is, the tops of stems with flowers, leaves, buds and partially unripe fruits, is harvested as a medicinal raw material. St. John's wort is harvested during the flowering phase of the plant, before the appearance of unripe fruits. When harvesting, the leafy tops up to 25-30 cm long are cut off with knives or sickles, without the rough bases of the stems. When harvesting, it is necessary to leave some of the plants untouched for seeding. The raw material is immediately sent for drying, because it warms up easily, and then darkens when dried.
Dry St. John's wort herb in attics, under sheds or in rooms with good ventilation, spreading it out thin layer(5-7 cm) and turning occasionally. It is best to dry in artificially heated dryers at a heating temperature of the dehydrated material no higher than 40 °C. In good weather, the raw material dries in 4-5 days, and in dryers in 1-2 days. The end of drying is determined by the degree of fragility of the stems (in the dried state they do not bend, but break). Properly dried raw materials have a balsamic smell and a bitter-astringent taste.
Store in a cool, dry, dark place, do not freeze. Cannot be stored in a bathroom medicine cabinet. Fever and humidity can change the effect of the drug. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 years.
PREPARATIONS FROM St. John's wort
Tinctures of St. John's wort:
Recipe No. 1. 10 grams of dried herb are poured with 50 ml of 70% alcohol and left for 10 days. After pressing, the tincture is ready for use.
Recipe No. 2. Pour 2 - 3 tablespoons of chopped herbs into 0.5 liters of vodka, add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, leave for 1 month, strain.
If the tincture is prepared from fresh herbs, then they do not need to be crushed so that mucous membranes and ballast substances, clouding it. Tinctures are drunk at low blood pressure, depression, colds, to relieve stress, improve well-being after hard physical and mental work and as individual alcoholic drinks. Take 50 ml before meals.
St. John's wort oil:
Recipe No. 1. Grind one glass of fresh, just blossomed St. John's wort flowers thoroughly in a mortar, add 500 grams of olive oil, mix and pour this mass into a white glass bottle with a wide neck. Leave the bottle open and place in a warm place for fermentation. The contents must be stirred or shaken periodically. After 3 - 5 days, fermentation will end. Then the bottle is closed and kept in the sun until the contents become bright red. This will take about 6 weeks. After that clear liquid drained. What remains is pure St. John's wort oil, which is stored in closed bottles.
Recipe No. 2. 20 - 25 grams of fresh crushed leaves and flowers of St. John's wort are poured with 200 - 250 grams of olive oil (you can also use sunflower or linseed oil), leave for 2-3 weeks in a warm place, stirring constantly, and then filter through 2-3 layers of gauze. Store the oil in a dark bottle.
Recipe No. 3. 500 grams of fresh flowers and leaves of St. John's wort are poured into 1 liter of sunflower oil and 0.5 liters of dry white wine, mix everything well and infuse for 3 days. The wine is then evaporated.
Recipe No. 4. Green grass (100 grams) is poured with 600 ml of fresh olive or sunflower oil, boiled for 30 minutes, cooled, filtered.
St. John's wort oil is used both externally and internally. It should be rubbed in for rheumatism and lumbago, to relieve pain from tendon sprains, dislocations, hemorrhages and herpes zoster. St. John's wort oil is good for burns, non-healing wounds and ulcers, abscesses, purulent inflammation of the oral mucosa, animal bites, rashes on the body after a cold. This oil has also been used successfully to treat stomach ulcers. To do this, the oil was taken 1 tablespoon on an empty stomach or 3 - 4 hours after meals for 1 - 2 months. As a choleretic agent, drink 1 teaspoon 2 times a day.
Infusions of St. John's wort:
Recipe No. 1. Pour one tablespoon of crushed raw material into 1 cup of boiling water, heat in a water bath for 15 minutes, leave until cool, strain.
Recipe No. 2. Pour 1 tablespoon of chopped herbs into 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain.
Take the infusion 1/3 cup 3 times a day half an hour before meals.
Decoction of St. John's wort:
Recipe No. 1. 10 grams of raw materials are placed in an enamel bowl, poured with a glass of boiling water, covered with a lid and heated in a water bath for 30 minutes, cooled for 10 minutes at room temperature, filtered, and the remaining raw materials are squeezed out. The volume of the resulting decoction is adjusted to 200 ml with boiled water.
Recipe No. 2. One tablespoon of the herb is poured into a glass of boiling water, boiled for 15 minutes over low heat, and filtered.
Take the decoction orally, 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day, 30 minutes before meals. They successfully treat diseases of the liver, gall bladder, kidneys, bladder, stomach (especially gastric and duodenal ulcers).
St. John's wort juice is prepared in June - July from fresh grass of a flowering plant (without stems). Diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1, effective remedy for the treatment of sore throat, gums, periodontal disease. To do this, you need to gargle and gargle. St. John's wort juice increases appetite and treats constipation well.
From the juice of St. John's wort, evaporated by half, an ointment is prepared in butter in a ratio of 1:4, stored in a cold place.
St. John's wort tea: pour 2 teaspoons with the top of the herb into 1/4 liter of water and heat to a boil. After 10 minutes, strain. Dosage: 2-3 cups of tea per day. Treatment with this tea should be carried out systematically over several weeks. Since St. John's wort increases photosensitivity, direct sunlight should be avoided during treatment if possible.
TREATMENT WITH St. John's Wort
In folk medicine, St. John's wort is used very widely. This is not surprising, because it is considered a reliable remedy for 99 diseases.
For sore throat:
Recipe No. 1. Pour 2 tablespoons of dry crushed St. John's wort herb perforated with 1 cup boiling water, keep in a sealed container in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, cool at room temperature, strain. Gargle.
Recipe No. 2. Pour 1 tablespoon of dry crushed St. John's wort herb into 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath, then leave to slowly cool for 30-40 minutes. Strain, add 10% alcohol extract of propolis (20-30 drops of propolis extract per 1/2 cup of infusion) and use warm for rinsing.
For pain in the anus and tailbone, use sitz baths with a decoction of St. John's wort seeds (Avicenna's advice). Boil at the rate of 1 tablespoon of seeds per half liter of water, boil for 5 minutes.
To prevent adenoids and polyps, make an ointment from the herb St. John's wort (mix 1 part of the herb powder with 4 parts of unsalted butter) and add 5 drops of celandine juice to 1 teaspoon. Pour into a bottle and shake until an emulsion is obtained. Instill 3-4 times a day, 2 drops into each nostril.
To treat alcoholism, pour 2 tablespoons of dry herb St. John's wort into 250 ml of boiling water, place the dishes in a water bath, and steam for 20 - 30 minutes. After cooling, strain. Take 2 tablespoons 2 times a day before breakfast and lunch. The course of treatment is 2 weeks. Regular use of the decoction causes an aversion to alcohol.
For bronchitis, take 10 grams of dry herb St. John's wort, brew in 1 glass of boiling water, leave. Take 1 tablespoon 2-4 times a day after meals.
For gastritis, pour 3 tablespoons of St. John's wort herb into 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain. Take the infusion 1/3 cup 3 times a day before meals for 1-2 months.
For hepatitis, pour the crushed herb with St. John's wort flowers with wine (Cahors or Madeira) in a ratio of 1:10. Place the bottle for 10 - 12 days in a dark place at room temperature or for 2 - 3 hours in a pan with warm (but not hot) water. Drink 1 tablespoon of infusion before meals for 2 weeks.
For the flu, pour 100 grams of dry crushed St. John's wort herb into 0.5 liters of vodka, leave in a dark place for 36 hours (shaking occasionally), strain. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of tincture in 1 glass of warm boiled water. Take 1 tablespoon orally 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
For diarrhea, 10 grams (1 tablespoon) of a mixture of St. John's wort and yarrow (equal parts) is poured into 1 glass of boiling water and infused. The infusion is drunk on an empty stomach.
For mastitis, take 1 tablespoon of St. John's wort infusion and 2 tablespoons of butter, mix and lubricate the sore nipples. The decoction is prepared as follows: pour 2 tablespoons of St. John's wort herb with 1 glass of boiling water, close the lid, heat in a water bath for 30 minutes, leave for 15 minutes, strain.
For jade, take equal parts of the herb St. John's wort, elderberry flowers, chamomile and linden. Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture with 1 cup of boiling water, heat in a water bath for 30 minutes, cool for 10 minutes at room temperature, strain, squeeze and bring the volume to the original volume with boiled water. Drink 1-2 glasses warm at night.
For periodontal disease, take 25 grams of propolis, grind it, put it in a dark glass bottle and pour 150 ml of alcohol or a glass of vodka, mix well until the propolis is completely dissolved. Add 50 grams of dry crushed leaves of St. John's wort and leave for 15 days, shaking occasionally, then filter. To prepare rinses, dissolve 20 - 30 drops in half a glass of water. Rinse your mouth up to 4 - 5 times a day.
For liver diseases and gallstones mix: St. John's wort - 40.0 grams, knotweed - 30.0 grams, cumin - 40.0 grams, chamomile - 10.0 grams and buckthorn bark - 20.0 grams. 4 tablespoons of the mixture are poured into 1 liter overnight. raw water, and in the morning boil for 7 - 10 minutes. Drink a day in 5 doses: a whole glass on an empty stomach, and the rest in 4 doses, each time an hour after meals. At the same time, follow the diet of liver patients and place a heating pad on the liver area.
For diseases of the kidneys and bladder, pour a quarter liter of boiling water into a tablespoon of St. John's wort herb and boil over low heat for about 15 minutes, then cool, drain through cheesecloth. Drink 1/2 glass 3 times a day.
For heart neuroses and palpitations, prepare a mixture - St. John's wort 3 parts, valerian root 3 parts, yarrow 3 parts and lemon balm 2 parts. Grind everything, mix, take 2 tablespoons of the mixture per 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Drink 1 tablespoon evenly throughout the day every 2 to 3 hours.
For pulmonary tuberculosis, take 1.5 tablespoons of St. John's wort, add 1 glass of vodka and leave in a warm place in a well-sealed container for 10 days. Take 30 drops with water 3-4 times a day after meals.
For stomach ulcers, take St. John's wort herb, flax seeds, dill fruits, and chamomile flowers in equal proportions. Pour 1 tablespoon of the collection with 1 glass of boiling water, cook in a water bath for 15 minutes, leave for 1 hour. Take the infusion 1/2 cup 3 - 4 times a day.
Application in cosmetology
The property of the plant to have an anti-inflammatory, hemostatic effect, increase vascular tone, and soften the skin is used in cosmetics.
Place two tablespoons of St. John's wort herb in a basin or bowl, pour 2 - 3 liters of boiling water. Cover your head with a towel and take a steam bath for 10 - 15 minutes. After the bath, rinse your face cold water. This steam bath is recommended once every 2 weeks for cleaning. oily skin, gives it freshness and elasticity.
An infusion of the herb St. John's wort and chamomile flowers (2 teaspoons of St. John's wort and chamomile per glass of boiling water) has a refreshing, softening and soothing effect on any type of facial skin.
For oily skin, a mask made from the dry herb St. John's wort is useful. Grind the herb, pour boiling water to make a paste, heat it to a temperature of 60 - 70 ° C, then cool. Place a mask on clean skin face, wash off after 15 - 20 minutes warm water. Course 15 - 20 masks, 2 - 3 per week.
When abrasions and cracks form on the feet, make warm baths from the infusion of St. John's wort (2 tablespoons) mixed with calendula inflorescences (1 tablespoon) per 1 liter of water. After this, let your feet dry without wiping. Then massage with cream.
Contraindications
St. John's wort should not be consumed during pregnancy, fever, or used for a long time in case of hypertension.
Long-term use reduces sexual potency and causes urticaria.
Preparations of St. John's wort neutralize the effect hormonal medications or contraceptives.
St. John's wort should not be taken with beer, wine, smoked meats and marinades, chocolate, yogurt, or coffee.
St. John's wort increases the skin's sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation, and therefore, when treating with herbal tea or oil, direct sunlight should be avoided.
St. John's wort preparations can be used orally only as prescribed by a doctor, strictly following the rules of administration and treatment periods. There are no known side effects with the correct dosage.
