How to drink St. John's wort to treat the intestines. “St. John’s wort: medicinal properties, preparation and administration, contraindications”

This plant is considered one of the most effective in treating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system. The beneficial properties of St. John's wort have been known for many centuries; it is used to make tinctures, compresses and teas. The mentioned compositions are also used as prophylactic agents.

How is St. John's wort useful?

The plant contains flavone compounds, acids - ascorbic and nicotinic, carotene, essential oils, tannins and resins. All of the listed components help normalize the functioning of the nervous system, have a calming effect on the lining of the stomach, promote the digestion of food and restore metabolic processes. It is recommended to drink teas with this herb as a preventive measure during periods of influenza epidemics. St. John's wort, the benefits of which are known to the body, are:

presence of vitamin E, necessary for protection against free radicals;
in the content of carotene, which is beneficial for vision;
in the presence of phytoncides, natural antimicrobial compounds.

St. John's wort - beneficial properties for women

Representatives of the fair sex use the plant not only as a medicinal product, but also as a cosmetic composition. Ice from the herbal infusion is used to wipe the skin of the face and neck, this helps get rid of wrinkles and signs of aging. The benefit of St. John's wort for women also lies in its high content of hypericin, which has a mild antidepressant effect. Girls suffering from symptoms of PMS or menopause can quickly get rid of them if they drink tea with this plant.

St. John's wort - beneficial properties for men

Representatives of the stronger sex should also not refuse products based on this herb. The hyperoside contained in them strengthens the walls of veins, arteries and capillaries, thereby reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. But this is not the only benefit of St. John’s wort for men; doctors also highlight the following advantages:

Tea with this herb helps reduce the risk of aortic aneurysm. This disease often causes poor health and, in some cases, death in men. Cardiologists advise that after 40 years, including tea with St. John's wort in the diet, this will reduce the likelihood of developing this disease.
Rutin and phytoncides help get rid of inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system, which often occur in men after 35 years.

The healing properties of St. John's wort and its use

The herb, in addition to the listed substances, also contains other components necessary for the human body, the properties of which become most pronounced when mixed with other plants. St. John's wort exhibits beneficial properties not only if it is the basis of a medicinal product, but also when it is used as an additional component. For example, it is most reasonable to drink tea with the mentioned plant and lingonberry leaves, and if you combine the tincture and honey, you can quickly get rid of the flu or sore throat. St. John's wort, when used with other herbs, increases the benefits, especially:

in combination with mint it will help relieve stomach pain due to gastritis;
when mixed with chamomile, it is more effective in treating inflammatory processes;
in combination with oak bark relieves bleeding gums.

Treatment of depression with St. John's wort

Insomnia, anxiety, and other symptoms of this disease will go away much faster if you drink tincture of this plant for 1 month, 1 tbsp. l mixed with 50 ml of water. Treatment with St. John's wort for depression is auxiliary; it does not cancel the medications prescribed by the doctor. The specialist must be informed that it is planned to combine traditional methods and pharmaceutical remedies, otherwise the matter may end up worsening the condition. Doctors say that the tincture helps eliminate the accompanying symptoms of the disease. St. John's wort, the beneficial properties of which are used in treatment

depression, promotes:
normalization of sleep;
reduction of anxiety and apathy;
improvement of appetite and general strengthening effect.

How to drink St. John's wort to treat the intestines?

To eliminate constipation, it is recommended to use the herbal decoction immediately after meals or half an hour before meals. It will calm the stomach and help digest food; tannins will contribute to this. The product is drunk warm; it should be prepared immediately before use, otherwise it will do more harm than good. It is important to remember that this method cannot be used by pregnant women and nursing mothers. A decoction of St. John's wort, the use of which helps with constipation and increased gas formation, is used as follows:

treatment is carried out for 2 weeks;
Drink the decoction 3 times a day, half a glass;
It is allowed to combine treatment with medications.

What are the benefits of St. John's wort tea?

This drink can be drunk daily, but people with sensitive skin should avoid it in the summer. Tea with St. John's wort increases photosensitivity, that is, the reaction of the epidermis to exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Hypertensive patients are advised to limit the consumption of the drink to 200 ml per day, otherwise the pressure may increase. For everyone else, such a remedy will help improve sleep and overall well-being, as well as slow down the aging process of the body.

Tea with St. John's wort - benefits:

saturating the body with vitamins E, C, PP;
improved vision;
reducing the negative effects of stress and chronic fatigue.

St. John's wort tincture - recipe

To prepare products with this herb, you will need to buy it at the pharmacy or collect it yourself in an environmentally friendly place and dry it. After this, you can start mixing the ingredients yourself. Below are the most popular recipes for products with St. John's wort. When making any of them, do not break the rules, and then the composition will be useful and safe.

St. John's wort (vodka tincture) - recipe

Ingredients:

dry grass (1 part);
vodka or alcohol (7 parts).

Preparation:

Mix the ingredients after grinding the plant.
Remove the container with the composition for 3 days in a dark and cool place.

Tea with St. John's wort

Ingredients:

1 tsp. dry plant;
boiling water.

Preparation:

The teapot is heated by steam.
St. John's wort is poured into it and 200 ml of boiling water is poured.
The drink is infused for 15 minutes.

Herbal decoction

The soul will sing and the body will become healthier if you learn how to brew tea from St. John's wort. A healing decoction strengthens the immune system and nervous system, helps rejuvenate the body and normalize hormonal levels. “Good blood” will sparkle in your veins if you take St. John’s wort correctly, wisely using its medicinal properties for comprehensive health improvement.

Tea with St. John's wort is a herbal elixir of health. In Rus', it was believed that the plant was able to ward off evil spirits, since it grew from a torn feather and drops of the Firebird’s blood. Medieval healers prescribed a decoction of St. John's wort inflorescences to patients suffering from a severe form of melancholy - mental suffering caused by physiological reasons became less intense. And steppe healers used the fresh juice of the plant to treat purulent wounds and made disinfecting compresses from the leaves.

Fans of herbal teas know that St. John's wort forms the basis of many medicinal infusions, which allows them to take the plant without having to study its properties in detail. However, herbal teas not only bring benefits, but can also have contraindications. You should not drink a drink that you are not 100% sure is harmless.

The benefits of St. John's wort drinks

You can safely take St. John's wort in moderate doses in the absence of individual intolerance. Only a fresh decoction is used - the correct infusion should have a slightly noticeable bitterness, which will completely cover the taste of other herbs in the collection. In its “pure form,” the drink is taken in small portions, diluted with water to avoid excessive strength.

The medicinal benefits of the plant are determined by its impressive composition:

essential oils (hypericin), carotene and tannins;
flavonoids (natural antioxidant, antimicrobial agent);
acids (ascorbic, nicotinic, isovaleric);
vitamins (groups C, P and PP), tocopherols (vitamin E) and choline (vitamin B4);
ceryl alcohol and alkaloids.

St. John's wort tea relieves a lot of problems if taken in moderate doses for about two to three weeks. When treating chronic diseases, after a week's break and agreement with the doctor, the course is repeated. Sensitive people prone to allergies should reduce the daily dose to 1 cup of weak brew.

What does St. John's wort save from?

Natural antidepressant. The benefits of St. John's wort are especially noticeable in cases of neuroses, chronic fatigue or depressive disorders. You cannot find a more positive tea; it is usually taken in crisis situations. The dosage is increased to 5 cups per day, reducing the course to a week. The medicine prevents mental exhaustion and calms the nervous system.
Hormonal control. Young girls can take St. John's wort a week before the expected start of menstruation - the plant reduces pain, reduces the intensity of hormonal fluctuations, and helps normalize the cycle. St. John's wort is no less useful for women experiencing menopause. Slavic sorceresses called it “blood drink” or “red grass,” advising taking a balanced (in equal proportions) herbal decoction of lemon balm, St. John’s wort and hops.
Mental activity. School-age children and men engaged in intellectual work should take St. John's wort in the morning (diluted in half with lemon balm). The magical properties of tea will improve concentration, relieve mental stress, and help you think clearly. If you sweeten the drink with honey, it will be a pleasure to drink!
Normalization of pressure. For men and women holding responsible positions, St. John's wort helps cope with headaches caused by stress (by normalizing intracranial pressure). If dizziness or migraines occur due to overwork, it is worth drinking healthy decoctions of St. John's wort, chamomile, etc. during stressful periods.
First aid for digestion. Tangible benefits from taking St. John's wort are observed for gastritis, ulcers and high acidity. Being a mild antioxidant, the plant improves the functioning of the entire digestive system, removes toxins from the body and reduces pain symptoms. Its medicinal properties make it possible to use it in diets - the plant improves metabolic processes, which promotes weight loss.
Colds. The antibacterial properties of St. John's wort make it possible to successfully use it to treat otitis, rhinitis, cough and sore throat. There will be no trace left of a cold if you use herbal decoctions (externally and internally) at the first symptoms. The benefits of St. John's wort tea for children of high school age are invaluable - the decoctions perfectly strengthen the immune system and make it easier to survive flu epidemics.
Dental problems. In dentistry, St. John's wort tea is taken as a supportive agent in the treatment of stomatitis and periodontitis. A strong brew of the plant is used to rinse the mouth to relieve inflammation and reduce pain.

The benefits of such tea are obvious, but you need to take it correctly - keeping a moderate dosage, wisely combining it with other medicinal plants.

Harm of drinks based on St. John's wort

Harm from St. John's wort can be caused by individual intolerance, overdose, or improper brewing. All contraindications should be taken into account in order to get the desired benefit from St. John's wort and not harm.

Overdose. There is never too much regular tea, but medicinal tinctures require extremely moderate consumption. Harm from the herb can occur with long-term use, so limit the treatment course to: a week when getting rid of mild health problems, two to three weeks for chronic or acute forms of diseases.
For children. You need to be extremely careful if the decoction is prepared for children, whose bodies react more sharply to medicinal plants. The dosage of a herbal tea recipe for young children should be 2-3 times less than for adults. And it is best, given the contraindications, to refuse to take it completely or take it only after consultation with a pediatrician. As a rule, the packaging of herbal tea from St. John's wort indicates a restriction for children under the age of 12 years.
Stale drink. St. John's wort tea can be very harmful if you drink a stale, over-brewed drink. When infused, the plant “gives” excess amounts of tannins, acids and dyes to the water, which can cause allergic shock, serious intestinal upset, or damage the liver and kidneys.

St. John's wort can only be drunk fresh. After standing idle for more than a day, the drink is not suitable for internal use. However, you can use the “overstayed” liquid to wipe problem skin or create compresses for wounds.

Increased sensitivity. St. John's wort tea causes unusual harm to people with fair skin - the plant increases sensitivity to solar radiation. Are you going on a beach holiday or planning a long day of work at the dacha? Avoid teas with St. John's wort to avoid causing significant harm to your skin in the form of sunburn, the formation of age spots or allergic rashes.
Decreased potency. Long-term use of St. John's wort causes certain inconvenience to men - there is a temporary decrease in potency and a decrease in sexual desire. The harm is temporary and completely disappears within a week or a week and a half after stopping use.
Pregnancy and lactation. St. John's wort can cause harm to the developing fetus because it has a regulatory effect on metabolic and hormonal processes. When breastfeeding, a child receives substances contained in St. John's wort through mother's milk, which can cause an allergic reaction or poisoning.
Hypertension. St. John's wort impresses with its tonic properties, which are 5-6 times stronger than coffee. That is why doctors recommend that hypertensive patients stop using it - people with high blood pressure will only get harm from invigorating tea.
Incompatibility with medications. Medical contraindications cannot be ignored when taking St. John's wort. The plant can be harmful in combination with certain medications - when combining herbal medicine with traditional treatment, a doctor's approval is required.

Are you afraid of the contraindications? Find your own recipe for St. John's wort tea - create your own health elixir!

Recipes for herbal teas with St. John's wort

The beneficial properties of the plant impressed you, but the potential harm did not scare you away? Don’t rush to experiment - find out how to brew St. John’s wort correctly.

St. John's wort drinks have pronounced medicinal properties, so it is necessary to carefully select recipes, giving preference to the calmest options.

Basic St. John's wort tea recipe

The standard brewing method involves using dried flowers or leaves of the plant. A pharmacy collection is suitable, although if possible it is better to collect and dry it yourself.

Rinse a porcelain or ceramic teapot with boiling water.
Brew St. John's wort, following the ratio of 1:40 - a teaspoon of medicinal herb (about 5 g) per glass of boiling water (about 200 ml). One serving of aromatic medicinal tea is ready.
Let the drink stand for 5-10 minutes and then strain through a strainer (gauze) to prevent excessive concentration of the medicinal plant.

Healthy tea drinking can turn into harm if you ignore the body's reactions. Is the tea too bitter? Don’t force yourself – dilute with water and sweeten with honey/sugar.

Herbal teas for body and soul

Not all people like the pure taste of St. John's wort, so the plant is often included in various herbal preparations. Do not rush to conjure herbs - drink pure St. John's wort tea for about 4-5 days to make sure there are no allergic reactions. And then start experimenting and adding other herbs to the drink.

Anti-cold tea

The combination of sweet rosehip and bitter St. John's wort creates an excellent anti-cold tea. The drink is created based on a 2:1 ratio, i.e. For 200 ml of rose hips, you need to prepare 100 ml of St. John's wort. Pour a teaspoon of dried St. John's wort into the teapot, then add 2 tablespoons of dried rose hips and pour 300-350 ml of boiling water over the mixture. Wait about half an hour and pour the resulting tea into another container.

photo: depositphotos.com/rezkrr, rezkrr, Kassandra2, Kassandra2

St. John's wort (common) is a herbaceous plant of the St. John's wort family (lat. Hypericaceae).
Botanical name - Hypericum.
The generic name is St. John's wort.

Common names are hare's blood, St. John's wort, yellow St. John's wort, St. John's wort, red herb, krovaviets, krovtsa, thornwort, Svetojanskoe potion.

St. John's wort is a herb up to 80 cm high with a branched thin rhizome and numerous adventitious roots. Stems are erect, thin, dihedral, branched, glabrous.

The leaves are opposite, small, oval or oblong, entire, with translucent glands in the form of black dots, sessile. The flowers are golden-yellow with black dots, in dense corymbose inflorescences.

The fruit is a triangular capsule, opening with three doors, with small seeds.

St. John's wort blooms in June - August. It grows in meadows, forest edges, in sparse deciduous and pine forests on sandy slopes, clearings, fallow lands, near roads in the southern half of the forest and forest-steppe zones of the Northern Hemisphere.

Several species of St. John's wort are found in Russia, of which the most common in European Russia are St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) and St. John's wort (Hypericum quadrangulum L.).

Both of these plants are perennial herbs with persistent rhizomes. The second type is distinguished by a tetrahedral stem. Both species are popularly considered medicinal, and preparations from these plants are used for many diseases.

Collection of St. John's wort herb

St. John's wort is harvested when it is in full bloom (on Midsummer's Day - June 24). They cut it near the ground, tie it into bunches and dry it in the air in a shaded place. The entire above-ground part of the plant is used to make medicines.

Composition, medicinal properties and use of St. John's wort

People noticed the healing properties of St. John's wort back in ancient times. It is believed that the word “St. John’s wort,” which is more understandable to Russian people, originates from the Kazakh “dzheroboy” - “healer of wounds.”

All parts of St. John's wort contain coloring substances, as well as (up to 1%) flavonoids. essential oil (more than 1%) and up to 13% tannins. 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, as well as carotene. The herb contains ceryl alcohol, choline and traces of alkaloids.

The herb St. John's wort has a pronounced bactericidal effect.

In both folk and scientific medicine, preparations from the herb St. John's wort are used as astringents, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic agents that promote rapid regeneration of damaged tissues.

St. John's wort preparations (infusions, decoctions) are taken orally for inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Used for rinsing for stomatitis, inflammation in the mouth and throat, as well as for lubricating gums during inflammation.

St. John's wort preparations are widely used externally, especially for extensive and deep burns (I and II degrees), for the treatment of wounds and other various types of skin damage:, abscesses, ulcers, mastitis, inflammation of the nasal mucosa.

Not long ago medical scientists discovered another property of St. John's wort. As a result of clinical trials, the antidepressant effect of St. John's wort concentrate and its positive effect on the nervous system were established.

A huge advantage of this discovery was the absence of those contraindications and side effects that become constant companions of chemical antidepressants. The drug "Gelarium", which is based on St. John's wort concentrate, is indicated for the treatment of mild and moderate depression.

Recipes for using St. John's wort in folk medicine

The water infusion of St. John's wort has a reddish color; Previously it was believed that this was “well done” or “rabbit blood”. In one of the ancient herbal books we read:

St. John's wort - well done blood-grass, its infusion is used in the form of lotions for bruises, abrasions, external abscesses and lesions.

In Russia, St. John's wort was so popular that people called it (and not without reason) “The Cure for 99 Ailments.” St. John's wort tea was especially favorite - it was steamed and drunk for various ailments, and simply as a pleasant drink. People said:

Just as you can’t bake bread without flour, you can’t treat many diseases without St. John’s wort.

An infusion of St. John's wort was drunk for colds, heart pain, and as a general tonic.

Recipes for some decoctions and infusions from the herb St. John's wort.

For rheumatism, gastric and duodenal ulcers, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, bladder diseases, urinary incontinence in children, hemorrhoids, gout and tuberculosis, prepare a decoction: take 10 g of herb, pour 1 glass of hot water, boil for 30 minutes over low heat, cool for 10 minutes, strain and squeeze.

The resulting decoction is taken ⅓ glass 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

For diseases of the liver and gall bladder take a mixture consisting of 10 g of St. John's wort herb, 15 g of flowers, 10 g of wheatgrass roots and 20 g of buckthorn bark. This mixture is poured into ½ liter of hot water, boiled over low heat for 10 minutes, infused, filtered and taken 100 g 5 times a day.

For the preparation of decoctions and infusions it is recommended to use, which, unlike tap water, is devoid of many harmful impurities.

St. John's wort herb tincture prepared with 40% alcohol in a ratio of 1:5. Take it as an astringent and as an anti-inflammatory rinse for the gums and mouth (30-40 drops per ½ glass of water). Sometimes the tincture is prescribed for internal use (40-50 drops).

From St. John's wort juice, evaporated by half, an ointment is prepared in butter in a ratio of 1:4 and stored in a cold place. The ointment is used for various skin lesions.

Tea with St. John's wort is a tonic and healthy drink. It is good to drink in the winter; this tea has no side effects and mainly has a relaxing effect on the nervous system. St. John's wort tea is drunk for colds, as it helps restore weakened immunity; it is also useful for digestive disorders.

A tea drink made from St. John's wort is an effective remedy for depression, fears and nervous anxiety, and poor sleep.

Naturally, to achieve tangible results, it is necessary to use tea for several weeks in courses with mandatory breaks.

Tea made from the herb St. John's wort is also good after a bath, when blood circulation is improved and along with it there is an intensive process of assimilation of useful and medicinal substances by the body.

The recipe for St. John's wort tea is very simple.: It is recommended to brew it in a porcelain teapot; before use, it must be scalded with boiling water. To prepare tea, you need to take about 10 g of dried leaves and flowers of St. John's wort and pour 200 ml of boiling water over them, leave for a few minutes and the tea is ready. The drink is recommended to be consumed always fresh.

Also, St. John's wort in the form of tea is often combined with many herbs - for example mint,, rose hips, chamomile, currant leaves,. Good honey will not only add a piquant aroma to this drink, but will also enhance its benefits.

St. John's wort oil

To prepare the oil extract, take 20-25 g of fresh crushed leaves and flowers of St. John's wort, pour in 200-250 g of olive oil (you can also use sunflower or linseed oil for this), leave for 2-3 weeks in a warm place, stirring constantly, and then filter through 2-3 layers of gauze. Store the product in a dark bottle.

St. John's wort oil prepared with olive (sunflower, flaxseed) oil and wine is also used. Take 500 g of fresh flowers and leaves of St. John's wort, pour in 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.

The oil was used to treat long-term non-healing wounds, ulcers and bedsores by applying bandages. This remedy has also been successfully used to treat stomach ulcers. For this, the oil extract was taken 1 tbsp. spoon on an empty stomach or 3-4 hours after meals for 1-2 months.

St. John's wort oil is also used in dentistry to treat stomatitis. By the way, it does not have irritating properties.

St. John's wort grass - video

Contraindications for St. John's wort

The herb St. John's wort can be both useful and have a number of contraindications. These contraindications must be taken into account when treating with this plant. St. John's wort is considered slightly toxic, therefore, with prolonged use of the herb, an unpleasant sensation in the liver area and a feeling of bitterness in the mouth may develop.

Also, long-term use of decoctions, teas and infusions in your treatment can increase blood pressure and provoke a narrowing of blood vessels. Therefore, people suffering from hypertension and vascular diseases need to reduce the dosage and duration of taking the herb.

This medicinal plant is not recommended for pregnant women and breastfeeding women. In nursing mothers, milk may taste bitter.

If you are taking antibiotics, it is better to stop taking St. John's wort. St. John's wort can negatively affect the optic nerve. And also, women who use contraception need to know that some components included in St. John's wort can reduce the effects of the drugs.

With prolonged use of the herb, St. John's wort can lead to constipation and decreased appetite.

This is a perennial herb from the St. John's wort family. Folk tradition knows the plant as: St. John's wort, bloodworm, Svetojanskoe potion, hare's blood. The Latin generic name for St. John's wort is Hypericum- has several interpretations. One version of the origin of the word is that St. John's wort was credited with the magical property of resisting unclean forces, evil spirits, and explains the name as a fusion of two meanings: hyper(“above”) and eikon(“image”, “ghost”). " St. John's wort", in turn, is or distorted " jerembai", which means " wound healer"(as the medicinal herb was called by nomadic peoples) or is associated with the fact that certain substances in St. John's wort, when eaten by livestock during grazing, increased the sensitivity of animals to sunlight and provoked self-harm in them when trying to comb the affected areas.

Botanists know 458 species representing the genus St. John's wort, the most studied and widespread of which are the following:

1 St. John's wort or St. John's wort– grows throughout Eurasia, in northern Africa, on the islands (Azores, Canary Islands), the plant has taken root in New Zealand, on the Japanese islands, in North America, Australia. One of the oldest and most popular medicinal plants, a productive honey plant. Used in the food and liquor industries and as a natural dye;
2 St. John's wort– found in Asia, Africa, European countries. Used to create hedges, in combination with other plants. Common in landscaping;
3 St. John's wort calyx– grows in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria. Successfully adapted to cultivation on the Australian mainland and New Zealand. In European countries it is cultivated as an ornamental plant in the park and garden culture system;
4 St. John's wort Kamchatka– distributed in Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. Also found on the Japanese islands of Honshu and Hokkaido. Has decorative value. The species has found application in the cooking of local peoples: the herb of the plant is used to make tea, the young shoots are eaten;
5 St. John's wort– found in the southern European region, in Tunisia, Cyprus and Malta, Turkey, the north of the Sinai Peninsula, Israel and Jordan. The plant is popular in Eastern medicine;
6 St. John's wort drawn– the species’ habitat covers China, Mongolia, Korea, and the Asian region of Russia. The species has medicinal properties; the herb contains anthrachion, hypericin and tannins. Traditional healers use the plant in the treatment of headaches, dizziness, bleeding, neuralgic lesions, eclampsia, mastitis, and attacks of rheumatism;
7 St. John's wort spotted– the species represents the flora of Europe and belongs to medicinal plants;
8 St. John's wort– found in Europe and the Caucasus. It is protected in Lithuania and is listed in the Red Book in Belarus. The flowers of the plant are used to prepare medicinal raw materials;
9 St. John's wort– grows in Greece, Turkey, Syria, and the Balkans. Grown as an ornamental crop;
10 St. John's wort elongated– a plant with powerful medicinal potential, widely used in folk medicinal practice. Source of coloring matter in industry. Grows in northern Africa, Central Asia, Crimea, the Greek islands and Spain;
11 St. John's wort– endemic to the Arabian region and the Mediterranean. In Israel, the species is listed in the Red Book. Has long been used by folk healers of the Middle East;
12 St. John's wort– grows in Central Asia, the Middle East, and Altai. Medicinal plant and natural dye.

St. John's wort (common) is a perennial plant, a herb with a height of 0.3 to 1 m. The rhizome is poorly developed and slightly branched. The stems, which grow annually, are dihedral, spreading upward into numerous branches. The leaf arrangement is opposite, the leaves are sessile, smooth, oval or elongated, covered with many translucent spots - “holes”. The flowers are bright, rich yellow, collected in corymbose panicles. Flowering period is summer. The fruit is a capsule with small brown seeds that begins to ripen in early autumn.

St. John's wort grows along field roads, in thickets and thickets, in clearings, in forest belts, on slopes, and meadows.

Growing conditions

Well-lit areas are suitable for planting. Before sowing, the soil is cleared of weeds and plowed, enriched with mineral and organic fertilizers (which makes it possible to increase the yield by an additional 20-30%). Peat compost and nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are recommended as top dressing.

Sowing on the eve of the winter period is carried out without preliminary stratification, maintaining a distance between rows of 0.45 m and at the rate of 30-40 g of seed material per 100 m2 of area. If St. John's wort is sown in the spring, the seeds are stratified by mixing with sand and keeping at low temperatures for at least 60 days. After the emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to weed and loosen the rows. These procedures are repeated 3 or 4 more times during the summer, in the first year of plant cultivation. In subsequent years, the area is cleared of dead stems and the soil is plowed using a rake.

St. John's wort herb is harvested at the flowering stage, before the unripe fruits appear. The grass is mowed or cut with sickles, separating the apical parts of the plant at a height of 0.3 m. Bare leafless parts cannot be collected. 30-45 days after the first mowing, the growing season is completely repeated and flowering begins again. The plant is mowed again. The yield of crops in the third year is significantly higher than that of plantations in the second year. The herb is dried in well-ventilated areas (or outdoors, provided there is no precipitation and in a shaded place), scattered in a thin layer and mixed systematically. St. John's wort can also be dried in bunches suspended in the shade. The readiness of the raw material is determined by the degree of fragility of the stems. Properly dried material has a weak but distinct balsamic aroma. Allowed storage period is up to 3 years.

During collection, insufficiently experienced herbalists confuse St. John's wort with gorse, a member of the legume family. This is a low shrub plant, leaves are linear or lanceolate, stems are glabrous or sparsely pubescent, yellow irregular flowers of the moth type are collected in long racemose inflorescences. The fruits are elongated beans with a slightly curved shape.

Power circuit

Bumblebees and bees collect pollen from St. John's wort flowers. Hoverflies and beetles feed on St. John's wort pollen. The bright flowers of the plant also attract wasps and butterflies, whose goal is nectar, but St. John's wort flowers practically do not produce nectar. Caterpillars of butterfly species Strymon melinus feed on St. John's wort seeds, and caterpillars of butterflies of the species Nedra ramosula– foliage.

Useful properties of St. John's wort

Chemical composition and presence of nutrients

What exactly is used and in what form

The herb St. John's wort serves as the basis for the preparation of tinctures, decoctions, infusions, extracts prescribed both for internal use and externally. St. John's wort is included in a variety of herbal preparations. Tea with St. John's wort is useful. The herb of the plant is also a source of imanin and a component of many ointments. St. John's wort is popular in homeopathy. St. John's wort oil is successfully used in the treatment of burns and wounds in the form of oil compresses.

Medicinal properties of St. John's wort

The herb St. John's wort (common) contains flavonoids (hyperoside, rutin, quercetin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin), volatile oils, which contain terpenes, sesquiterpenes (azulene), naphthodianthrones (hypericin, pseudohypericin, hyperin or hypericin, close to hematoporphyrin, sensitive to sunlight light; it is a kind of catalyst for certain intracellular reactions, a regulator of vital processes, affects biochemical processes in organs affected by malignant tumors, increases the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet rays), isovaleric acid esters (have a calming effect), tannins, bacteriostatic resinous substances, ceryl alcohol, nicotinic acid, antibiotic, carotene and ascorbic acid.

St. John's wort is used in the treatment of diseases of the digestive system. Preparations from St. John's wort reduce intestinal spasms, dilate blood vessels, improve the functioning of the gastric glands, stimulate blood circulation, relieve inflammation in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, act as an astringent and bacteriostatic, and relieve spasms in the bile ducts.

St. John's wort is effective for biliary dyskinesia, bile stagnation, hepatitis, cholecystitis, and is prescribed in the initial stages of cholelithiasis, hypoacid gastritis (gastritis with low acidity), flatulence, acute and chronic colitis, intestinal disorders and hemorrhoids. At the initial stage of kidney stones, St. John's wort is used as a diuretic and is prescribed for reduced filtration capabilities of the kidneys. St. John's wort tincture is used for helminthic infestations (enterobiasis, hymenolepiasis). Plant-based preparations strengthen capillaries and improve venous circulation. It is advisable to prescribe St. John's wort for disorders of peripheral circulation, with a tendency to stagnation in the bloodstream. The photosensitizing properties of the plant and the presence of hypericin among its components are used in the treatment of diseases such as vitiligo. St. John's wort is prescribed for disorders of the nervous system, enuresis in children, migraines and neurodystonia. The external use of St. John's wort is explained by its astringent, bacteriostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. St. John's wort oil is effective for burns, gingivitis, facial pityriasis, leg ulcers and wound healing. In dentistry, tincture or infusion of the herbal part of St. John's wort is used for rinsing the mouth, for the treatment of inflamed gums, and for stomatitis. St. John's wort in gynecology is used as a herbal infusion for douching for inflammation of the vagina, and St. John's wort oil has a positive effect in the treatment of cervical erosion.

Traditional medicine also uses St. John's wort in the treatment of polyarthritis, sciatica, gout, pulmonary tuberculosis, mastopathy, and boils.

The use of St. John's wort in official medicine

St. John's wort herb;
St. John's wort tincture;
imanin, an antibacterial drug in powder form. A one percent solution of imanin is used to treat infected wounds, skin cracks, burns, mastitis, boils, phlegmon, acute rhinitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, purulent otitis. Imanin does not affect fungal infections;
novoimanin, one percent alcohol antibiotic solution. Use a 0.1% solution in distilled water, isotonic sodium chloride solution, 0.25% anesthesin solution or 10% glucose solution for dental diseases, for inhalation - for abscess pneumonia, pneumothorax; for purulent otitis and sinusitis, use a 0.01-0.1% solution in distilled water. Prepare the solution immediately before the procedure;
peflavite, prescribed for capillary toxicosis, acute glomerulonephritis, atherosclerosis.

Use of St. John's wort in folk medicine

For hypoacid gastritis (low acidity), as well as to increase the flow of bile and diuresis, St. John's wort is used as a steam: a tablespoon of chopped herb is poured into 200 ml of boiling water and allowed to brew for 10 minutes. Drink 100 ml in small sips 1-2 times a day after meals.
St. John's wort tea is useful for intestinal disorders: infuse a tablespoon of St. John's wort flowers and leaves in a glass of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drink 2 glasses after meals throughout the day. The course of treatment is long. Increasing the dose to 3-4 glasses per day is prescribed for chronic diarrhea.
For liver diseases (with accompanying constipation), a tablespoon of a mixture of St. John's wort, cumin and buckthorn bark in a ratio of 2:3:2 is poured into 200 ml of water, boiled for about 10 minutes and drunk at least 5 glasses per day.
For lower back pain and general weakness caused by heavy physical labor, a recipe is recommended: 2 tablespoons of St. John's wort flowers are ground with 4 tablespoons of softened fresh cow butter, salt to taste and one tablespoon of this mixture is stirred in 2 glasses of beer. Drink the medicine throughout the day.
For mental stress, nervous exhaustion, and sleep disorders, a remedy is useful: prepare a steam from 200 ml of boiling water and one tablespoon of a mixture of St. John's wort, common yarrow and angelica officinalis root, which is drunk 30 minutes before bedtime. St. John's wort in this mixture strengthens and regenerates nerves, treats insomnia and neuroses. This is an excellent medicine for mental fatigue and functional exhaustion of the nervous system.
St. John's wort helps with worms: prepare an infusion at the rate of 15 g of St. John's wort per 100 ml of boiling water. Take 90-150 ml three times daily for 3 days (children from one to seven years old), on the last day of administration they give a laxative salt, and this treatment is carried out in a cycle, in three stages, with intervals of 10 days.

Externally:

St. John's wort oil is used to heal wounds from frostbite of the 2nd and 3rd degrees, for burns, and to lubricate cracked nipples.
St. John's wort oil is used to make a balm that heals abrasions, cuts and is useful for pain in muscles and joints. To prepare the product you need: half a cup of St. John's wort oil extract, half a cup of ginger oil extract, 30 g of beeswax, a tablespoon of rosehip seed oil and an oil solution of vitamin E, 20 drops of lavender and ginger essential oils. Mix oil extracts of St. John's wort and ginger, add beeswax. Heat the mixture of herbal oils and wax in a water bath until it is completely dissolved. Add vitamin E, rosehip seed oil, lavender and ginger essential oils to a homogeneous, heated mass. Stir quickly and thoroughly and pour the finished balm into jars until the wax begins to harden. Store the balm tightly closed, in a dry, dark and cool place. The shelf life of such a drug is from 2 to 3 years.
To treat purulent wounds and rinse the mouth to strengthen the gums, steam is used: a handful of St. John's wort flowers are steamed in 0.5 liters of boiling water. A clean, disinfected cloth is soaked in cooled steam and applied to the wounds.
St. John's wort for vitiligo: the affected areas are smeared with the juice of fresh St. John's wort and after a quarter of an hour, exposed to the sun's rays. The duration of the first insolation is no more than 30 minutes. During the period of such treatment, 30-50 drops of freshly squeezed St. John's wort juice (from leaves and flowers) are also taken orally 2-3 times a day, washed down with water. It is necessary to stay in the sun for short sessions with breaks. The course of such treatment for vitiligo is about 60 days, with a break of 3 days after every 3 weeks.

Use of St. John's wort in Eastern medicine

Avicenna recommended St. John's wort as an excellent remedy for healing wounds of various origins; practiced it as an analgesic for inflammation of the sciatic nerve, a diuretic, and used it in the treatment of malignant ulcers.

In the recipes of traditional healers of Uzbekistan, St. John's wort is used as a specific remedy in the treatment of cancer of the liver and stomach.

The herb St. John's wort has long been used in Chinese traditional medicine.

St. John's wort in scientific research

One of the pioneers in herbal science, the British Nicholas Culpeper, a botanist and pharmacist, characterized St. John's wort as a “sunny”, “fiery” plant.

In his famous herbal book (The Complete Herbal, 1653), Culpeper wrote: St. John's wort is “an efficacious plant used in the treatment of wounds. Drinking a decoction of wine heals internal bruises and pain. St. John's wort ointment treats blisters on the skin, promotes the resorption of tumors, tightens the edges of wounds and heals them. A decoction of the herb, flowers and seeds of St. John's wort in wine helps with vomiting, hemoptysis, treats those who have been bitten or stung by any poisonous creature, and has a diuretic property. Powder from St. John's wort seeds, dissolved in a small amount of broth, disperses bile... A warm decoction of leaves and seeds, taken on the eve of an attack of malaria, alleviates the course of the disease. St. John's wort seeds are recommended... for patients with epilepsy, paralysis and those who suffer from pain in the sacrum."

Modern research into the medicinal properties of St. John's wort is thorough and continuously expands the system of knowledge about medicinal herbs.

The importance of St. John's wort in medicine and its medicinal potential were studied by K. M. Klemov, E. Bartlow, J. Crawford and others.

The interaction of St. John's wort with certain medications and the possible negative consequences of their simultaneous use is the topic of scientific research by S. Soleimani, R. Bahramsoltani, R. Raimi.

A. Oliveira, C. Pinho, B. Sarmento and A. Diaz provided the results of an analysis of the neuroprotective effects of St. John's wort and its individual components.

A large-scale scientific work by P. Bongiorno and P. Lo Guidice is aimed at studying the effect of drugs based on St. John's wort in the treatment of depressive conditions.

The study of the neurotropic activity of modern dosage forms made from herbal raw materials St. John's wort is the topic of scientific work by V. Kurkin, A. Dubishchev, O. Pravdivtseva and L. Zimina.

The specifics of the extraction of the perforated active substance hypericin from the herb St. John's wort are highlighted in the study by Rudometova N., Nikiforova T., Kim I.

St. John's wort in cooking

The herb and flowers of St. John's wort, dried and fresh, are used as a seasoning for dishes (especially fish), for the preparation of various drinks, as a spice that gives food a slightly bitter, tart and balsamic note.

Beetroot and St. John's wort salad

To prepare the salad you will need: 4 small well-washed raw beets, 2 apples, juice of one lemon, freshly ground black pepper and coriander seeds, half a cup of finely chopped parsley, half a cup of St. John's wort flowers. Grate the peeled beets and apples. Place in a bowl and season with lemon juice. Grind and add black pepper and coriander. Sprinkle the salad with parsley and St. John's wort flowers.

Potatoes baked with St. John's wort

Ingredients needed: 8 medium-sized potatoes, 4 tablespoons softened butter, sea salt and pepper to taste, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, 2-4 teaspoons grated nutmeg, 200 ml cream, 200 ml milk, a cup of St. John's wort flowers , disassembled into petals and separated from the sepals.

Peel the potatoes, cut into thin slices. Grease a baking dish with oil, sprinkle with crushed garlic, lay out the potatoes, salt and pepper, sprinkle with grated nutmeg and St. John's wort petals, season the potato slices with the remaining oil. Whisk the milk and cream and pour the mixture over the potatoes. Bake at 180 degrees until the potatoes are cooked and golden brown, about one and a half hours.

Avocado stuffed with St. John's wort

Products you will need: 2 large ripe avocados, lemon juice, canned sardines (one jar), one small onion, thoroughly chopped, a cup of crushed St. John's wort flowers, peeled from sepals, salt and black pepper.

Cut the avocado in half, separate from the pit, carefully remove the pulp from each half and mash with a fork or puree in a blender. Generously sprinkle the pureed mixture with lemon juice, mix with sardines, finely chopped onions, ground until smooth, sea salt, pepper, and St. John's wort flowers. Fill the empty avocado halves with the resulting “minced meat”, sprinkle with lemon juice again and decorate the stuffed avocados with St. John’s wort flowers. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Use in cosmetology

The healing properties of St. John's wort are actively used both to create professional cosmetics for the care of the skin of the face, body, and hair, and in home cosmetics recipes. St. John's wort is included in creams, lotions, masks, shampoos and hair rinses. St. John's wort helps with problematic and oily skin, is used to strengthen hair, and in the comprehensive fight against dandruff. Most skin care cosmetics made from St. John's wort are based on oil, which can be prepared at home.

How to prepare St. John's wort oil? Infuse 20 g of fresh St. John's wort in sunflower oil (200 ml) for two weeks, then strain. St. John's wort oil works great in nourishing hair masks and helps with dry scalp and hair loss.

Other uses

The drug " Novoimanin", created on the basis of St. John's wort, is used in agriculture to combat bacterial diseases affecting vegetable crops. “Novoimanin” is also used when tobacco plantations are affected by the so-called tobacco mosaic virus.

In industry, yellow, brown, golden and red dyes are extracted from the leaves and flowers of St. John's wort (sometimes from the whole plant).

In the Catholic tradition, St. John's wort is called the “herb of John the Baptist,” and according to one legend, the plant grew from drops of the executed saint’s blood that fell to the ground.

There is a belief: if on the night before the day of John the Baptist (June 24) a person hides a sprig of St. John's wort under his pillow, the saint who appeared to him in a dream will thank him with health and prosperity throughout the year.

Dangerous properties of St. John's wort and contraindications

It is important to remember that the combination of St. John's wort with certain medications can cause significant harm to health, since the simultaneous use of St. John's wort and a specific medicine entails disruptions in the absorption of certain medications.

St. John's wort reduces the body's sensitivity to the action of anticoagulants and thereby reduces the effectiveness of taking them. St. John's wort also reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptives (cases of unplanned pregnancies have been recorded). The simultaneous use of St. John's wort with synthetic antidepressants and a number of other medications is unacceptable.

If there is an individual intolerance to the components of the plant, a person may develop an acute allergic reaction and conditions accompanied by redness, allergic rashes, shortness of breath and swelling.

Long-term use of St. John's wort in excessive doses can cause bitterness in the mouth, constipation, not an improvement, but a decrease in appetite and a feeling of heaviness in the liver area. Patients suffering from hypertension, according to doctors, should take St. John's wort exclusively as part of herbal preparations, that is, in combination with other herbs that balance its effect on the body, since St. John's wort increases blood pressure.

The administration is not responsible for attempting to use any recipe, advice or diet, and also does not guarantee that the information provided will help and will not harm you personally. Be smart and always consult your appropriate physician!

St. John's wort

Often, when describing recipes for herbal treatment, we come across the name St. John's wort, what kind of magic herb is this, without which many herbal preparations would not be effective or there is simply no point in collecting them together, since St. John's wort is the main component in treatment;

symptomatic and reactive depression,
state of anxiety
diseases of the liver and gall bladder,
for sleep disorders,
in the treatment of lung diseases,
stomach, intestines and gall bladder,
for diarrhea and nervous disorders,
with myocarditis,
endocarditis,
as an anthelmintic,
as an additional remedy for endogenous depression (especially during menopause),
as an anti-inflammatory agent,
in the treatment of gout,
articular rheumatism,
pulmonary tuberculosis,
for headaches and dizziness,
peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum,
kidney stone disease,
sciatica,
furunculosis,
acne

Popularly, St. John's wort is often called: St. John's wort, St. John's wort, pierced St. John's wort (or pierced leaf), St. John's wort, crow's wort, fool's wort, hare's blood, Ivan's blood, Ivan's grass, bloodworm, umbilical grass, Svitoyanskoye potion, sevenfold blood, sickwort, chatogon, Balm-of- Warrior - Balm of warriors, Grace-of-God - Grace of God (English), Johannisblut - Blood of St. John (German), Dziurawiec pospolity (Polish), Bozha krivtsa, stokrivtsia, SvĔntojanske zilla (Ukrainian).

According to legend, the herb turned into St. John's wort, on which drops of the blood of the prophet John the Baptist, who was beheaded by order of King Herod, fell. Interestingly, the golden corollas of St. John's wort flowers contain a bright red pigment similar to blood - a kind of natural dye. The diverse healing properties of St. John's wort are used in both traditional and folk medicine; they are also indispensable in home cosmetics.

The question arises: why “St. John’s wort”? It turns out that it has long been observed that white and white-spotted ruminants suffer from skin itching on sunny days, and then from skin ulcers and skin inflammation. Sometimes, when they intensively eat St. John's wort, they die. This is where the name came from. The plant, when eaten, increases the sensitivity of non-pigmented animals to direct sunlight.

The following fact is interesting. St. John's wort, so popular here, is considered a harmful weed in the pastures of Australia, North America and New Zealand. The reason why farmers in these countries are worried is that this plant can cause serious illness in livestock. Sheep and horses are most sensitive to it.

There are at least two more explanations for the name of the plant.

The name comes from the Kazakh “jerabai”, which means “healer of wounds”.
St. John's wort can also “beat animals,” especially albinos. In non-pigmented areas (usually the ears, mouth circumference, eyelids) of white and spotted-white animals (most often sheep, but sometimes cows and horses) swelling, itching, cracks and ulcers appear on the skin, the animals lose weight, fever develops, sometimes - jaundice. However, the disease goes away in a dark room.

St. John's wort is extremely popular in folk medicine. At one time M.A. Nosal wrote: “... this plant is the most important medicinal plant of all known to us. In our flora, I believe, there is no plant in this sense similar to St. John’s wort... Just as bread cannot be baked without flour, so without St. John’s wort it is impossible to treat many diseases of people and animals.”

Many types of St. John's wort are medicinal. Usually, for medicinal purposes, the herb of the plant is harvested along with its inflorescences, at the beginning of flowering. Cut off top part plants (20-40 cm), under no circumstances uprooting them. The collected raw materials are tied into bundles and dried in the open air under a canopy. The shelf life of raw materials is 3 years. Briquettes of St. John's wort herb are available for sale in specialized pharmacies.

There are 200 species of St. John's wort in the world, and 50 species grow in Russia.

Of these, only four have medicinal value in folk medicine:

St. John's wort, or ordinary,
spotted, or tetrahedral,
rough
hairy

All of them are found in central Russia and at first glance are very similar to each other. But if you look closely, you can find some characteristic differences. St. John's wort can be recognized by its smooth stem, which has two rather sharp edges, and by its leaves. If you look into the light through a St. John's wort leaf, you can easily notice holes - storage areas for essential oils.

St. John's wort has a smooth stem, but has a tetrahedral shape. And St. John's wort has a pubescent stem, as if shaggy, and a round shape. The leaves and flowers of these three types of St. John's wort are very similar. Therefore, they are distinguished mainly by the type of stem. The fourth species, St. John's wort, got its name because of its densely pubescent leaves.

St. John's wort has a round and smooth stem, while St. John's wort has a cylindrical stem, but is heavily pubescent, rough to the touch - you can feel it well with your fingers.

St. John's wort (or tetrahedral) has a bare stem, not pubescent, but not cylindrical, like St. John's wort and St. John's wort, and the tetrahedral one is also very noticeable.
It is more difficult to distinguish the graceful St. John's wort from St. John's wort - its stem is also cylindrical and bare, but there are bluish spots along the stem.
There is also, perhaps, the most important difference between St. John's wort and its fellows: its leaves have numerous translucent dots, as if someone had deliberately pierced the entire leaf blade with thin needles. Next to the light dots on the leaves of St. John's wort there are also dark dots and spots. Remember that our St. John's wort is decorated with such dots on the entire leaf blade! This is important to remember, because you may come across plants that have similar dots only on the edges of the leaves - but this is no longer St. John's wort.

Try to remember the differences St. John's wort from its brothers, try not to make mistakes when you collect St. John's wort for yourself. But I, having great faith in doctors M.A. and I.M. Nosal, continue to believe that our other St. John’s worts also carry healing powers - the main thing is that they grow in a suitable place, in open sunny places, and not in the shade and dampness.

All four types of St. John's wort are perennial herbs up to 80 cm high with persistent rhizomes. They grow in dry, well-lit places, in forest clearings, forest edges, clearings, slopes, birch groves, and wastelands. The most common is St. John's wort, or regular one. Popularly it is also called valiant grass, Ivan's grass, red grass, plakun-grass, sicklewort, St. John's wort, valiant blood, hare's blood, black crow. The herb St. John's wort contains dyes, flavonoids, essential oil, and up to 10% tannins; carotene, organic acids and mineral salts.

In folk medicine, St. John's wort is believed to help against ninety-nine diseases. Medicines prepared from it have an astringent, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, wound-healing, diuretic and choleretic effect. They also promote the regeneration of nervous tissue, increase the secretion of digestive juices, and improve appetite. Externally, St. John's wort herb is used for difficult-to-heal wounds, ulcers and burns. Thick extract of St. John's wort is used in the treatment of vitiligo.

Composition of St. John's wort

The aerial part - about 0.5% of coloring substances (hypericin - 0.1-0.4%, pseudohypericin, protohypericin, pseudoprotohypericin, a number of others), more than 1% of greenish essential oil, which includes terpenes , sesquiterpenes, iso-valeric acid esters, up to 13% tannin, up to 55 mg% carotene, up to 140 mg% vit. S, not significant. quantity of nicotine quantity. (source 1). In addition, up to 1% of flavone glycosides (flavonoids) were isolated - hyperoside, rutin, quercetin, myricetin, cedyl alcohol, choline and traces of alkaloids. The raw material also contains resinous substances and traces of nicotinic acid.
The aerial part also contains: macroelements (mg/g) - potassium - 16.8, calcium - 7.3, magnesium - 2.2, iron - 0.11; microelements (µg/g) - manganese - 0.25, copper - 0.34, zinc - 0.71, cobalt - 0.21, molybdenum - 5.6, chromium - 0.01, aluminum - 0.02, selenium - 5.0, nickel - 0.18, strontium - 0.1, cadmium - 7.2, lead - 0.08, boron - 40.4; St. John's wort concentrates molybdenum, selenium, cadmium, and can accumulate manganese.

Use of St. John's wort in medicine.

The St. John's wort plant is recognized as official medicine.

St. John's wort

Herbalists, when there was nothing at hand, treated cuts and burns with St. John's wort. It was necessary to chew the flowers and leaves, and then cover the wound with the resulting pulp. In Ancient Rus', and later in Ukraine, the insect “worm” was extracted from the roots of the herb St. John’s wort, and paint was already made from it: St. John’s wort was cut out with a knife and the blue bubbles located in the upper part of the root, containing the dye insect, were collected in a vessel. The red paint was called red paint, and the month of June, when St. John's wort and insects were collected, was called red paint. In addition to Ukrainians, June is called worm by Bulgarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and Poles call worm. In ancient times, this paint was sold to foreign merchants for a lot of money, until a similar insect living in cacti was found in Mexico. The Mexican method of extracting paint turned out to be cheaper and more productive, and the ancient Russian paint was forgotten.

All plant preparations relieve spasms of blood vessels, especially capillaries, and improve venous circulation. St. John's wort tincture increases gastric secretion and improves appetite.

In folk medicine, St. John's wort is used for trophic ulcers, pulmonary tuberculosis, allergies, malignant neoplasms, hypertension, gynecological ailments and hemorrhoids. The plant is included in various medicinal teas and mixtures; Infusions are prepared from it for rinsing, irrigation and bathing. St. John's wort ointment and herb powder are used to heal wounds and bedsores.
St. John's wort tea increases the body's protective functions.

In case of overdose, St. John's wort can cause a bitter feeling in the mouth and decreased appetite.

In everyday life, St. John's wort is used as a dyeing plant, dyeing fabrics yellowish and greenish-brown (khaki).

Herbal decoction. 1.5 tablespoons of raw materials per 200 ml of boiling water. Heat in a boiling water bath for 15-20 minutes, filter, bring with warm boiled water to the original volume and drink 1/3 cup over 30 minutes. before meals.

Herbal tincture. The ratio of raw materials and vodka is 1:5, infuse for a week, drink 40-50 drops 3 times a day.

For inflamed facial skin prepare the cream. Whisk 1 tablespoon of alcoholic tincture of St. John's wort with 40 g of butter and apply to the face after a warm, soothing compress. Before going to bed, remove excess cream with a napkin.

Improve metabolism Moisturizing cream will help improve skin elasticity. Mix 2 tbsp. spoons of vodka tincture of St. John's wort, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 20 g of lanolin and 1 teaspoon of boiling water.

For dry and normal facial skin A mask using St. John's wort is useful. Mix 0.5 tbsp. tablespoons of St. John's wort vodka tincture, 1 tablespoon of water, 1 tablespoon of ground rolled oats, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 10 drops of vitamins A and E. Apply the mask for 10-15 minutes. It nourishes the skin of the face and neck, relieves inflammation and itching.

For oily scalp Rub a decoction of St. John's wort into the roots of your hair. Take 2-3 tablespoons of crushed flowers and herbs, pour 1 glass of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, strain and, after cooling slightly, rub into the scalp. Wrap your head in a warm towel for half an hour (warm wrap), then rinse
hair with boiled water.

Antidepressant properties plants (perhaps the most important pharmacological effect of St. John's wort) is carried out primarily through hypericin, which affects the level of serotonin in the central nervous system. Therefore, St. John's wort can be considered as a herbal antidepressant and used both independently and in preparations for conditions associated with neurotic disorders, depression, menopausal disorders, etc. When treated with St. John's wort, after 4-6 weeks (and sometimes much earlier, after 5 – 10 days) you can see a clear improvement in mental state. As an antidepressant, it is not so strong that it can be used to treat severe endogenous depression, however, for symptomatic and reactive depression and other similar conditions, St. John's wort can largely replace or supplement official drugs. If we consider that the so-called hidden (larved) depression can imitate up to 20% of somatic disorders, such a wide range of uses of the plant becomes clear. For vegetative dystonia, it is used as an addition to official medications and other treatments. St. John's wort and herbs containing St. John's wort treat bedwetting, which is quite reasonable given the fact that this disease often has a neurogenic basis.

On impacts, take a large pinch of St. John's wort, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water, boil. Cool, soak a clean cotton napkin in the infusion and, folding it in several layers, apply to the sore spot overnight. To prevent the infusion from drying out, cover it on top with cellophane and a scarf for insulation.

St. John's wort, flowers and grass. 100g. dried herbs with flowers per 1 liter of boiling water. Insist, wrapped for 2-3 hours. Take without the norm instead of tea and water for urinary incontinence. A glass of tea and St. John's wort, taken before bedtime, protects the child and adult from urinating in bed (involuntary) in a dream.

Tea with St. John's wort herb . St. John's wort is thoroughly crushed with a wooden pestle in a wooden mortar and tea is drunk with it. This is wonderful mild choleretic agent . In the presence of St. John's wort, any herb is brewed better than without it.
3-4 tablespoons of St. John's wort herb are poured into 2 liters of water and boiled for 15-20 minutes, after which the resulting decoction is used for douching for thrush.

Alcohol tincture of St. John's wort (extract): Pour 4 tablespoons of herbs into 100 ml. alcohol, leave in a dark place for about 10 days. Then strain the tincture, take no more than 50 drops 3 times a day.
If the tincture is prepared with vodka, then the dosage is increased. For external use (rinsing), it is added to water, 30-40 drops per 0.5 cup of water.

St. John's wort. An herbal infusion for rinsing hair after washing will help strengthen hair and prevent hair loss.
Infusion of St. John's wort herb. Pour 10 g of herb into 15 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain. Use for lotions for acne .

St. John's wort leaves heal wounds and malignant ulcers, have a diuretic effect.

St. John's wort flowers. Infusion - for cough, suffocation, ascites, heart failure; externally - for the treatment of rheumatism. Essential oil - for the treatment of burns, pityriasis of the face, leg ulcers, stomach and duodenal ulcers. St. John's wort oil (externally) - as a wound healing agent, orally - on the recommendation of a doctor for peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum.

St. John's wort seeds have a strong laxative effect and have antibacterial activity.

There are a lot of ways to use this plant - tea, decoction, tincture, oil, etc. But you need to remember that St. John's wort is a poisonous plant, and therefore it should be taken internally with caution, avoiding large doses and long-term use .
Here are several ways to prepare St. John's wort:

decoction: 1 tbsp. Pour boiling water over a spoonful of dry herbs and boil for 15 minutes. Let the broth brew and cool, then strain.
tincture: 15 g of herb is infused in a glass of vodka for 10 days.
infusion: 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of dry herbs into 1.5 cups of boiling water, let it brew for 20-30 minutes, strain.
oil: Pour 20 g of fresh St. John's wort flowers into 200 ml of sunflower, olive or linseed oil and leave for 2-3 weeks, shaking the vessel periodically, then strain. Or 1 tbsp. Pour 400 ml of oil into a spoonful of dry herbs and boil for 15 minutes, strain. Store butter in the refrigerator.
Grind fresh leaves of St. John's wort and wild sage (take equal parts) with fresh lard, squeeze through cheesecloth. Store in a sealed jar. Use as an ointment for healing wounds and abrasions.

The herb extract has a sobering effect.

St. John's wort is one of the most popular plants in folk medicine for external use, and fresh herb is no less effective than herbal preparations.
Most often in traditional herbal medicine, St. John's wort is used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (peptic ulcer, gastritis, cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia, o. gastroenteritis (simply diarrhea), since its preparations have an antispasmodic effect on the stomach, intestines, biliary tract, and, at the same time, stimulating - on the glandular apparatus of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also used for cystitis and urolithiasis.
In Bulgaria, the aerial part of St. John's wort is used as an anti-inflammatory and astringent for diseases of the digestive tract, gallbladder and liver diseases. The most commonly used decoction is St. John's wort.
In folk medicine of Uzbekistan it is used as a specific remedy against liver and stomach cancer. Abu Ali Ibn Sina recommended St. John's wort as a wound-healing agent, an analgesic for inflammation of the sciatic nerve, a diuretic and for malignant ulcers.
In France, St. John's wort is used as a diuretic, stimulating heart activity and tissue regeneration. St. John's wort oil is used in the treatment of ulcers and burns.
In Poland, St. John's wort is used as a hemostatic, wound-healing agent for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation, neurasthenia, neuralgia, headaches and insomnia.
In Russian folk medicine, St. John's wort is widely used for rheumatism, sciatica, gout, pulmonary tuberculosis with hemoptysis, bleeding and leucorrhoea in women, hemorrhoids, liver diseases, mastopathy, various types of inflammatory processes, boils, etc.

The plant is used in veterinary medicine.

basic recipes and preparations
inside
Decoction – 10 g x 200 g of water – 1/3 cup 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals;
Tincture – 1:5 in 40% alcohol – 40 drops 3 – 4 times a day (increases gastric secretion and improves appetite),
Infusion – 15 g x 100 g of boiling water – anthelmintic for children 1 – 7 years old: 3 times a day for 3 days (at the end of the third day, take a saline laxative), 3 cycles;

fees
Collection for diarrhea: 1 tablespoon of a mixture of St. John's wort and yarrow (equal parts) is poured into 1 glass of boiling water, infused, drunk on an empty stomach;
Collection for nervous exhaustion, overstrain, insomnia: herb St. John's wort, yarrow, angelica root (equal parts) - infusion 1 tbsp. l. x 200g of boiling water to drink in 30 minutes. before bed;
Remedy for lower back pain and general weakness after carrying heavy loads: St. John's wort (flowers) 2 tables. spoons x 4 table. tablespoons fresh butter, boil, salt to taste, 1 table. Stir a spoonful of the decoction into 0.5 liters of beer and drink it the day before. If necessary, repeat the procedure several days in a row.

externally
St. John's wort oil – 20 g of fresh inflorescences per 200 g of sunflower oil, leave for 14 days, strain – burns, trophic ulcers, poorly scarring wounds, furunculosis, eczema, neurodermatitis, vitiligo, psoriasis, etc., in the form of tampons – for the treatment of cervical erosion.
St. John's wort ointment – plant juice, evaporated by half and butter in a ratio of 1: 4, as well as herb powder are used to heal wounds and bedsores.
A tincture diluted in a ratio of 30–40 drops per 100 ml of water or a decoction is used for rinsing with sore throats, pharyngitis, gingivitis, bad breath, douching for inflammatory diseases of the vagina
Decoction and infusion of St. John's wort are also used locally.
other fees, which includes St. John's wort

Collection for diabetes, Preventive collections during pregnancy No. 1 and No. 2, Choleretic collection, Expectorant and sedative collection; Expectorant collection; collection for diseases of the liver and gall bladder No. 1 (source 9) and collection for diseases of the liver and gall bladder No. 2 (source 3); Collection for douching (source 10); Collection for severe and persistent diarrhea (source 10); Diuretic collection “to cleanse the blood” (source 3); Collection for hypoacid gastritis; Collection for ARVI; collection at storage hepatitis, cholangitis, cholecystitis; collection at storage pancreatitis; acne collection No. 1; acne collection No. 2; ointment for pustular skin diseases;