St. John's wort pole. St. John's wort: photo, description, medicinal properties. The medicinal qualities of "St. John's wort" are due to the presence in it

How to recognize St. John's wort

This is a very beautiful plant, its thickets in the forest or in the meadow are especially spectacular. It is simply impossible not to notice these placers of yellow flowers. St. John's wort grows from old roots overwintering in the ground, which bud every spring. With the arrival of heat, the latter start to grow. And now bluish-green smooth stems are visible, studded with small leaves that are located opposite each other.

St. John's wort is a perennial herb of the St. John's wort family, which has a height of 30 to 100 cm. Its stems are smooth, round, with two lateral ribs, and are branched at the top. The rhizome is thin and strongly branched. The leaves of St. John's wort are ovoid or oblong. If you look closely, you can see numerous light specks on them, which shine through, as if holes were made in the leaves. This is why the plant's botanical name is St. John's wort. Leaves "speckled" are its characteristic feature. And the light dots on the leaves are essential oil glands that produce and store essential oil.

The flowers of Hypericum perforatum are five-petalled and rather large, and the petals themselves are bright yellow. Flowers have a large number of stamens, which grow together in three bunches. The pistil of St. John's wort has three columns and a three-celled upper ovary.

The flowers are collected in a broad-panicle, almost thyroid inflorescence at the very top of the plant and, as it were, are twisted into a bunch, so St. John's wort looks like a golden panicle. It grows both singly and in groups of plants, but large thickets are not common. Prefers fresh felling and young meadows, where it can be found in bulk. The flowers of St. John's wort are very fond of bees, which obtain its pollen.

In September, the fruits of the plant ripen. These are swollen brown three-celled polyseminated capsules decorated with yellow longitudinal stripes. Small oblong seeds are found here.

Where does St. John's wort grow

St. John's wort is distributed almost throughout the European part of Russia, in the Ukraine and the Caucasus, in Central Asia, Western Siberia, the Yenisei basin. He chooses dry and light forests, meadows, forest edges and meadows. It settles among shrubs, on fallow lands, on the outskirts of fields, often found in gardens and fields as a weed. St. John's wort does not like the northern and northeastern regions - he almost never occurs here.

How to grow St. John's wort in the country

Although St. John's wort is often found on the territory of our country, its natural reserves have significantly thinned out due to incorrect mass harvesting of the plant. Therefore, the owners of summer cottages can grow this healing herb right next to their home. First you need to collect the seeds of wild St. John's wort. This should be done in September, having previously determined the place of its growth.

The best predecessors for St. John's wort are winter crops. He prefers well-fertilized soils. It is necessary to sow seeds on the site either before winter - in October, or in early spring. You need to dig up the soil well in advance, then walk on it twice with a hoe and level it with a rake. For digging, for each square meter, 3-4 kg of rotted manure or peat compost and 2-3 kg of complex fertilizers - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - must be added.

Autumn and spring plantings have their pros and cons. With podzimny sowing, the best cultivation results are achieved if the spring is moderately rainy and not hot. Autumn planting allows you to get earlier shoots. In this case, the seeds are sown on the surface itself, not embedded in the soil, but only slightly dusting them with earth. The seeding rate is 0.3–0.4 g per square meter with a row spacing of 45 cm. But in podzimnuyu sowing, one danger awaits you. If the spring is too dry and hot, then the seedlings will die or not appear at all.

When sowing in spring, the seeds must be stratified - mixed with sand and slightly moistened, then kept in a refrigerator at a temperature of +5 ° C for 1–2 months. Then they will rise more amicably and will be more resistant to weather extremes. But plants will develop slowly, bloom later than their wild-growing counterparts. Therefore, the best way out of the situation is to grow St. John's wort seedlings. This can be done in warm or cold greenhouses, and then planted in the beds. When growing seedlings in pots, the plants will perfectly tolerate the transplant and give good yields, and at a fairly early date.

In order for the plants to be strong and healthy, care is needed for them, especially in the first month, when the seedlings are still very tender and develop slowly. They must be weeded out, and also loosened between the rows so that it does not dry out. Two-week-old seedlings should be fed with nitroammophos at the rate of 2 g per square meter. During the growing season, it is necessary to carry out 3-4 manual weeding.

Some plants may bloom in the first year, but they do not bloom profusely until 2–3 years later when they become adults. At this time, 30-40 g of seeds can be harvested from one square meter of St. John's wort.

As soon as the plant begins to bloom, it needs to be harvested for harvesting. The upper parts of the shoots are cut off for raw materials, and the lower and the root are not used. The length of the cut shoots should not exceed 30 cm, because all the beneficial substances of St. John's wort are concentrated in the upper part of the stem.

If the plant is strong, then after cutting it grows back and begins to bloom, so a second harvest is possible. So, from one square meter of biennial plants, you can collect more than 200 g of dry raw materials. And the next year - even more. With age, plants give more and more yield. By the way, St. John's wort is a very good honey plant, therefore it will bring double benefits.

St. John's wort is also used in everyday life. Its flowers can be used for dyeing fabrics: an aqueous infusion gives a yellow dye, and taken hot, depending on the concentration, pink and red.

Harvesting and storage of a plant

There is a popular belief: St. John's wort has a special magical and healing power, if collected on the night before the holiday of Ivan Kupala (June 24, old style). It has a completely scientific explanation. The fact is that it is at this time - from late June to early July - that its mass flowering begins. During this period, the plant contains a maximum of active substances. Therefore, it is necessary to collect St. John's wort for home preparations and treatment just then. The infusions and teas prepared from it will give the best effect.

During flowering, the upper parts of the stems are cut off and tied into bunches, which are suspended in the air in a shaded place - under a canopy or in well-ventilated attics. You can spread the grass in a layer 5–7 cm thick and occasionally stir up the hay. It is allowed to cook raw materials in a dryer at a temperature of 50-60 ° C.

The plants are harvested again after 30–40 days, when they grow back and bloom again. After the grass is dry, it is folded into wooden crates or packed in canvas bags. The shelf life of raw materials is 3 years.

Warning! You cannot pull out the plant by the root, otherwise it will die and will not give the next harvest.

This text is an introductory fragment.

Flower formula

The formula of the flower of St. John's wort: ♀♂ * 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 breath and strengthen the gums. St. John's wort preparations are used for biliary dyskinesia, hepatitis, stagnation of bile in the gallbladder, cholecystitis, chronic colitis, with the initial symptoms of cholelithiasis, with gastritis with secretory insufficiency, flatulence, as well as with a decrease in the filtration capacity of the kidneys, functional insufficiency of the renal glomeruli with fluid retention and electrolytes in the body. As an aid - for urolithiasis.

Infusions in the form of compresses are used for bleeding and infected wounds, condensed extract - for the treatment of vitiligo.

St. John's wort herb is a component of many hogs 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 an exciting effect on the central nervous system, insomnia, photosensitivity, it is contraindicated in pregnant women, during lactation, children under 12 years of age. Also, the drug has the following contraindications: hypersensitivity to the components of the drug.

Currently, there is the following information on the interaction with other drugs: with the combined use of 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 decrease their effectiveness.

For children

As a medicine, the infusion of crushed herb St. John's wort can be used from the age of 12.

Classification

St. John's wort (ordinary) - lat. Hypericum perforatum L. - belongs to the family of St. John's wort (Latin 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 herb up to 30 - 100 cm high. The stem is dihedral, glabrous in the upper part, oppositely branched. Rhizomes and roots are underdeveloped, slightly branched. Leaves are opposite, sessile, oval or ovoid, whole-edged, with translucent glands in the form of black dots. The flowers are collected in a broad-panicle, 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 around the edge. Stamens (about 50-60) fused at the base in 3 bunches. The plant blooms in June-August. The formula of the flower of St. John's wort is ♀♂ * H (5) L5T (∞) + (∞) + (∞) P ( 3 ).

The fruit is a three-celled oblong-ovate capsule 6 mm long and 5 mm wide. Seeds are small, up to 1 mm, cylindrical, brown. The fruits ripen in September-October.

Spread

St. John's wort grows in deciduous and mixed forests, meadows, clearings, shrubs, forest edges, fallow lands, clearings, along roads. Distributed in the 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.

Distribution regions 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 in the flowering phase, before the appearance of immature fruits. When harvesting, the tops of the plant are cut off with a length of 25-30 cm. The grass is dried in attics, under sheds or in dryers at a temperature not higher than 40 ° C. Sometimes the grass is tied in bunches, which are dried suspended 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; leukoanthocyanides and anthocyanins (5-6%); essential oil (0.1-1.25%), which contains cineole; resins, nicotinic and ascorbic acids, vitamins P and PP, choline, anthocyanins, saponins, alcohols, traces of alkaloids and other compounds.

The herb St. John's wort contains coloring substances: hypericin (up to 0.4%), pseudohypericin, protopseudohypericin, franguloemodinanthranol, hypericodihydrodianthrone, pseudohypericodihydrodianthrone.

Pharmacological properties

St. John's wort preparations have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, antispasmodic, diuretic effects, stimulate tissue regeneration. The plant has restorative and hemostatic properties.

St. John's wort flavonoids have an antispasmodic effect on the smooth muscles of the intestine, blood vessels, bile ducts and ureter, prevent stagnation of bile in the gallbladder, increase the outflow of bile, prevent the formation of stones, facilitate bile secretion into the duodenum as a result of reducing the spasm of the sphincter of the hepatic ampulla, spasms of the large and small intestines, restore normal peristalsis, improving the digestive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract.

St. John's wort relieves spasm of blood vessels and has a capillary-strengthening effect, typical for compounds containing vitamin P. St. John's wort preparations improve venous circulation and blood supply to some internal organs, and also increase urine output by reducing the tension of the walls of the ureters and directly increasing filtration in the renal glomeruli.

St. John's wort has photosensitizing properties, that is, it increases the sensitivity of humans and animals to the action of sunlight (this is associated with the presence of hypericin pigment in St. John's wort).

The tannins of the plant have a mild astringent and anti-inflammatory effect, have antimicrobial activity against a number of microorganisms resistant to antibiotics.

The high antibacterial activity of Hypericum perforatum was established. Plant hyperforin inhibits the growth of 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 that of bacteriostatic. However, hyperforin does not have independent practical value due to chemical instability and instability of antimicrobial activity.

The bitter substance in aqueous extracts from the herb St. John's wort stimulates gastric secretions.

The hypericin contained in the plant, when taken orally, plays the role of a catalyst for some intracellular reactions and a factor that regulates important vital processes in the 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.

Application in traditional medicine

Among the people, St. John's wort, infused with vegetable oil, treats bruises, wounds, ulcers, abscesses, burns. St. John's wort is also used in the treatment of diseases of the lungs, stomach, intestines and gallbladder, with diarrhea and nervous disorders. In Czech medicine, St. John's wort is believed to have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and has anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. Ancient Slovak medicine recommends St. John's wort for diseases of the respiratory tract, digestive tract, and gall bladder.

Historical reference

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 times of Hippocrates (460-377 BC). Dioscorides prescribed to take the seeds of St. John's wort with honey; wrote about the plant Pliny. Paracelsus used St. John's wort to treat wounds, contusions, bleeding, abscesses. During the excavations of the Biskupin settlement (Poland), which existed about 2500 years ago, the remains of St. John's wort were found among medicinal collections. In Russia, St. John's wort was considered a herb for 99 diseases. By order of Tsar Mikhail in Siberia, St. John's wort was collected, dried, rubbed into flour and sent to Moscow "a pood for every year."

Literature

1. State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR. Eleventh edition. Issue 1 (1987), Issue 2 (1990).

2. State Register of Medicines. Moscow 2004.

3. Medicinal plants of the State Pharmacopoeia. Pharmacognosy. (Edited by I.A. Samylina, V.A. Severtsev). - M., "AMNI", 1999.

4. "Phytotherapy 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. Mannfrid Palov. "Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants". Ed. Cand. biol. Sciences I.A. Gubanov. Moscow, "Mir", 1998.

8. Turova A.D. "Medicinal plants of the USSR and their application." 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: A reference guide. / N.I. Grinkevich, I.A. Balandin, V.A. Ermakova and others; Ed. N.I. Grinkevich - M .: Higher 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 herbal raw materials. Pharmacognosy: Textbook. allowance / Ed. G.P. Yakovleva and K.F. Blinova. - SPb .: SpetsLit, 2004 .-- 765 p.

13. Forest cosmetics: Reference book / LM Molodozhnikova, OS Rozhdestvenskaya, VF Sotnik. - M .: Ecology, 1991 .-- 336 p.

14. Healthy skin and herbal remedies / Author-comp .: I. Pustyrsky, V. Prokhorov. - M. Makhaon; Minsk: Knizhny Dom, 2001 .-- 192 p.

15. Nosov a. M. Medicinal plants. - M .: EKSMO-Press, 2000 .-- 350 p.

16. Phytotherapy of allergic skin diseases / V.F. Korsun, A.A. Kubanova, S. Ya. Sokolov and others - Minsk: "Polymya", 1998. - 426 p.

St. John's wort in folk ideas is considered one of those plants that originated from the blood or feathers of the "lightning" bird, which brought heavenly fire to earth and was wounded by a hostile creature. Later, St. John's wort was attributed to the ability to drive away evil spirits, it protected from witches and ghosts, and the purple juice obtained by pressing flower buds was considered a charming remedy.

St. John's wort, St. John's wort, or St. John's wort ( Hypericum perforatum) - a perennial herb; species of the genus St. John's wort ( Hypericum) of the family Hypericum ( Hypericaceae). Previously, the genus St. John's wort was usually considered as part of the Kluzievye family ( Clusiaceae).

St. John's wort, or St. John's wort, is one of the most used medicinal plants.

Pethan

Popular names of St. John's wort: common dyuravets, St. John's wort, St. John's wort, yellow St. John's wort, hare blood, hare tree, blood pen, blood man, blood, red grass, aphid, hare crooked (Ukraine), dzherabay (Kazakhstan), dazy (Azerbaijan), krazana (Georgia), arevkurik (Armenia).

Description

St. John's wort is a herbaceous perennial rhizome plant with upright dihedral branched stems. Leaves are opposite, odorous, oblong-oval, sessile, 0.7-3 cm long and 0.3-1.5 cm wide, oval, obtuse, with numerous translucent punctate glands. The flowers are yellow, with a large number of stamens, fused in three bundles. Pistil with three columns and three-celled upper ovary. The fruit is an oblong ovate capsule 6 mm long and 5 mm wide. Seeds are small, up to 1 mm, cylindrical, brown. Height 30 - 100 cm.

Flowering time... June July.

Spread... It is found in the forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones of the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in Western Siberia and in the mountains of Central Asia.

Habitat... Grows in forest glades, bushes, gardens, dry meadows.

Applicable part... Grass (stems, leaves, flowers) and leaves.

Collection time... June July.

Chemical composition... The herb contains the dye hypericin, flavonoids hyperoside, rutin, quercitrin and quercetin, nicotinic acid, ceryl alcohol, tannins, a small amount of choline, carotene (up to 55 mg%), vitamins C and PP, traces of alkaloids and phytoncides. When rubbed, St. John's wort has a peculiar pleasant smell and a slightly astringent bitter-resinous taste.

Attention: The plant is poisonous!

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Application for medical purposes

For medicinal purposes, herb is used plants. Gather the flower tops along with the leaves during flowering. Dried in dryers at a temperature of 35-40 ° C or in the air under a canopy.

Raw materials, ready for use, are leafy stems with flowers, buds, and partly fruits and seeds; raw materials are dull green in color, with a weak aromatic odor, with a bitter, slightly astringent taste. Moisture is allowed no more than 13%, extractives extracted with 70% alcohol, no less than 25%.

In pharmacies, they are sold in packs of 100 g in boxes or bags.

It is believed that the name of the plant comes from the Kazakh "jrabay", which means "healer of wounds". St. John's wort as a medicinal plant was known in ancient Greece. In Russia, it was used at the beginning of the 17th century. Russian folk medicine considers St. John's wort "a herb for ninety-nine diseases" and is widely used, especially in mixtures of medicinal herbs, to treat many diseases. The plant is used in folk medicine in many countries.

Useful properties of St. John's wort

St. John's wort has astringent, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, wound healing, diuretic and choleretic effect. The plant stimulates appetite, stimulates the excretory activity of various glands, promotes tissue regeneration (restoration), and has a calming effect on the nervous system.

There is evidence that they also have a stimulating effect on regenerative processes, have P-vitamin activity, and reduce capillary permeability.

The herb infusion is used for female diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (especially with colitis and various diarrhea), pain in the stomach and intestines, diseases of the liver, heart and bladder, in particular for kidney stones, cystitis and involuntary nocturnal urination in children. The herb is also used as a sedative, pain reliever for headaches and other nervous pains.

The herb infusion is used as a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and antihelminthic agent.

In German folk medicine, the infusion of the plant is taken for various gastrointestinal diseases, dropsy, liver and kidney diseases, rheumatism, hemorrhoids and is used as a sedative for headaches, irritability, restless sleep and nervous cramps.

Alcoholic tincture of the plant in the form of drops is used internally for rheumatic diseases.

Crushed fresh leaves applied to the wounds help them heal quickly. Crushed grass, infused with vegetable oil and mixed with turpentine, rub the joints affected by rheumatism.

Rinse the mouth with alcoholic tincture diluted with water to eliminate the bad smell, lubricate the gums with a pure tincture to strengthen them.

In dentistry, St. John's wort oil is used to treat chronic and subacute gingivitis and stomatitis. In the preparations of St. John's wort, medicinal properties are combined with a mild, bitter-astringent taste and a pleasant balsamic smell. The presence of vitamins A and C complements the healing effect.

The plant is a part of various medicinal preparations (diuretic, astringent and antirheumatic).

St. John's wort is used in scientific medicine for colitis and kidney stones. Clinical studies have shown a good effect of the ethereal-alcoholic tincture of the plant in acute and chronic colitis. A new preparation was made from St. John's wort - imanin for external use in case of burns (no disfiguring scars remain) and skin diseases, fresh and infected wounds, ulcers, boils, purulent inflammatory skin processes and acute rhinitis. Acute rhinitis disappears within a few hours after using imanin.

Internal use of Hypericum perforatum, as a poisonous plant, requires caution.

Peripitus

Ways to use St. John's wort

1. Brew 10 g of dry herb St. John's wort in 1 glass of boiling water, insist. Take 1 tablespoon 2 - 4 times a day after meals.
2. Insist 15 - 20 g of dry grass in 1/2 liter. alcohol or vodka. Take 30 drops with water 3 times daily after meals.
3. Grind fresh leaves of St. John's wort and wild sage (take equally) with fresh lard, squeeze through cheesecloth. Store in a sealed jar. Use as an ointment for the healing of wounds and abrasions.
4. Add 20 - 30 drops of alcoholic herb tincture to 1/2 cup of water. Use to gargle with halitosis.

Contraindications

St. John's wort grass is slightly toxic. With prolonged use in its pure form, it can cause discomfort in the liver and a feeling of bitterness in the mouth.

With prolonged use, decoctions and infusions of St. John's wort can cause narrowing of blood vessels and an increase in blood pressure. Persons suffering from hypertension, it is prescribed only in the collection of herbs and in small doses.

You should also be aware that St. John's wort is able to halve the blood content of such an important medication for AIDS as Indinavir. If you are sick with AIDS, in no case take St. John's wort, as this plant completely neutralizes the effective effect of drugs that can be prescribed to combat this ailment.

St. John's wort also cannot be used along with anticoagulants and heart drugs. When interacting with these drugs, this plant weakens their effect.

The same effect is observed when using St. John's wort with a drug such as Cyclosporin, which is used to prevent organ rejection after transplantation.

Dear women, if you are taking any contraceptives and at the same time you need to take St. John's wort, be sure to consult your doctor about this. The fact is that some of the components that make up this medicinal plant can reduce the contraceptive property of some contraceptive drugs.

With special attention, St. John's wort should also be taken by older people who use modern antidepressants. The simultaneous use of these drugs and St. John's wort can lead to frequent dizziness, confusion, anxiety, and migraine.

The use of St. John's wort should also be abandoned by those people who have hypersensitivity to the sun. If you do take St. John's wort, then try not to go out in the sun. Remember this as it is very important.

Taking antibiotics also involves avoiding St. John's wort.

Be especially careful when using St. John's wort along with anesthetics. If you are preparing for anesthesia while you are taking St. John's wort, be sure to tell your doctor about it. The fact is that this plant can cause an increase or prolongation of the action of some anesthetic drugs.

More recently, it became known that St. John's wort also negatively affects the optic nerve.

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Used materials.

• V. P. Makhlayuk... Medicinal plants in folk medicine.

It activates digestion, has a choleretic, soothing, astringent and cleansing effect, and helps to restore the function of the nervous tissue. St. John's wort also has a tonic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic (relieves spasm of muscles of internal organs and blood vessels), hemostatic, wound healing, soothing, anthelmintic and astringent effect, stimulates the heart.

The use of St. John's wort

St. John's wort is best known as a natural antidepressant that is used to treat mild to moderate forms of depression. The results of studies on the effectiveness of the use of St. John's wort as an antidepressant are somewhat contradictory, but the experience of hundreds of specialists and tens of thousands of patients, as well as historical sources, suggest that St. lethargy.

For a long time it was believed that the ability to relieve symptoms of depression is due to hypericin and pseudohypericin contained in St. John's wort. Today experts believe that this ability of St. John's wort may be related to its lesser known component, hyperforin. This substance not only improves the condition of patients with depression, but also has a stimulating effect on the immune system, improving the functioning of the body's defense mechanisms.

Laboratory experiments have shown that hypericin and pseudohypericin have pronounced antiviral properties; in particular, they effectively destroy the herpes simplex virus, influenza viruses, and other types of viruses. The possibility of using St. John's wort for the treatment of patients with disorders such as hepatitis is currently being studied. , tuberculosis and obesity.

St. John's wort can be used to relieve the condition of women suffering from PMS, which is not surprising since many of the symptoms of PMS are similar to those of depression.

This herb may also be useful for infantile enuresis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, alcohol-related gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis, sciatica , urinary tract infections and dysbiosis due to the use of antibiotics or steroid drugs.

Taking St. John's wort in low doses inhibits the growth of new cancer cells, and in high doses it can even kill cancer cells. Of course, while St. John's wort cannot be used instead of chemotherapy drugs, but it is possible that with its help anticancer therapy can become more effective.

St. John's wort also contains flavonoids, which also have healing properties. Proanthocyanidins are a common group of flavonoids that have antiviral, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. They can also be helpful for patients with cardiovascular disease. The quercetin contained in St. John's wort has a strong anti-inflammatory effect; it also acts as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor.

Flavonoids in St. John's wort also have diuretic properties, inhibit the growth of tumors, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, promote the expansion of the coronary artery, and have an antispasmodic and antifungal effect.

Tannins accelerate the healing of damaged tissues and reduce inflammation. When taken orally, they can stop diarrhea and internal bleeding.

Finally, St. John's wort contains alkaloids that have antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties as well as natural pain relievers.

Application in traditional medicine

In folk medicine, St. John's wort is used for gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, colitis (inflammation of the large intestine), diarrhea, liver and biliary tract disease, heart failure, kidney and urinary tract diseases. St. John's wort is also taken to recuperate after severe illnesses, as a sedative for neuroses, accompanied by headaches and insomnia.

• Hypericum infusions are taken for joint diseases of various origins - they relieve inflammation and edema, have an analgesic effect.
• Outwardly, infusions and decoctions of St. John's wort are used to treat wounds, burns, ulcers of various origins, cracked nipples. St. John's wort is used to prepare phytoncidal preparations imanin and novoimanin, which are used to treat various surgical wounds.
• For diseases of the throat and oral mucosa, extracts of St. John's wort are used for rinsing, for inflammatory diseases of the female genital area - for douching.
• After taking large doses of St. John's wort medicine, it is not recommended to be in the sun. St. John's wort infusions should not be taken with high blood pressure.

Preparation of medicines from St. John's wort

On the basis of St. John's wort at home, you can prepare the following medications:

• st. John's wort infusion: a tablespoon of dry crushed St. John's wort herb is poured with 1.5 cups of boiling water, infused for 30 minutes, filtered, squeezed and taken in a third cup 3 times a day half an hour before meals;
• st. John's wort tincture: pour a tablespoon of St. John's wort with ten tablespoons of alcohol or vodka, insist in a dark place for two weeks, strain, squeeze and take 30 drops 3 times a day in a little water; tincture can also be used for rinsing at the rate of 50 drops per third of a glass of water.

How and where does St. John's wort grow

St. John's wort is a perennial herb with a height of 30-60 cm with golden yellow flowers and opposite leaves of an oblong shape with holes. The fruit is a three-star polyspermous capsule. Blooms in June-July.

It is found in the forest and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, Siberia, the Urals, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It grows in forest glades, among bushes, in gardens and in dry meadows. St. John's wort is poisonous to animals, which reflects its name. It is cultivated as a medicinal and aromatic plant.

Chemical composition

The green parts of the plant contain:

• essential oils - fragrant volatile substances with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and some other properties;
• many vitamins: ascorbic acid and rutin (strengthen blood vessels), carotene - vitamin A is formed from it in the body (it protects skin, hair and nails from damage and aging), vitamin PP or niacin (participates in protein and carbohydrate metabolism, activates juice secretion);
• tannins (tannins) - non-toxic, nitrogen-free aromatic compounds with a characteristic astringent taste that have an astringent and antimicrobial effect;
• saponins are biologically active substances that, when dissolved and agitated, form a stable foam;
• traces of alkaloids;
• resinous substances - solid or semi-liquid organic compounds with a characteristic odor, chemical composition is close to essential oils;
• phytoncides are volatile substances with a pronounced antimicrobial effect.

Harvesting and application

John's wort is harvested during flowering, cutting off the upper part of the stem 15-20 cm long.In no case should the plant be pulled out by the roots, and large plants should not be touched at all - they should be left as seed seeds (only under these conditions can this useful plant be preserved ). John's wort is dried under a well ventilated canopy. Fresh and dried, the herb has a faint balsamic odor and a slightly bitter resinous taste. St. John's wort, dried for the winter, is usually stored in closed glass or metal jars in a cool dry place.

In the food and alcoholic beverage industry, St. John's wort is used for the preparation of bitters and as a seasoning for fish dishes and seafood.

The flowering plant St. John's wort (Hypericum) is a member of the St. John's wort family, but previously this genus was part of the Clusia family. Under natural conditions, St. John's wort is found in regions with a temperate climate, and also under the tropics in the southern regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is very widespread in the Mediterranean. The name of this genus is a Latinization of the Greek word, which consists of 2 roots, translated meaning "about" and "heather". This is due to the fact that St. John's wort is a herb that prefers to grow near heather. This genus unites about 300 species. However, in mid-latitudes, in natural conditions, the most common St. John's wort and St. John's wort, or perforated. These species are cultivated, like the evergreen St. John's wort, grown as ornamental plants.

St. John's wort, or medicinal, is also popularly called hare blood, St. John's wort, St. John's wort, red grass, blood, ailment, blood man. From a thin, but powerful rhizome, several branched dihedral shoots grow annually, which reach a height of 0.8 m. The green erect shoot gradually acquires a brown-red color shade. On the smooth surface of the stem there are 2 longitudinally located grooves. Opposite sessile leaf plates are entire and have an oblong-ovoid or elliptical shape. They are about 30 mm long and about 15 mm wide. Many glands are located on their surface, due to which the plant is called perforated. Regular flowers of golden yellow color have long stamens, which grow together in 3 bunches. These flowers are collected in racemose-corymbose apical inflorescences. Flowering begins in June and lasts 20-30 days. The fruit is a polyspermous triangular capsule with a mesh surface. The ripe fruit cracks.

Planting St. John's wort

Medicinal and garden St. John's wort can be easily propagated by seed. There is nothing difficult in planting and growing this plant. Sowing is carried out at the beginning of spring or in October. In autumn, freshly harvested seeds can be used for sowing. When sowing in spring, the seed will need stratification, for this it must be combined with moistened sand and poured into a glass jar or a plastic bag, which is placed on a refrigerator shelf intended for vegetables for 6-8 weeks. If the sowing was carried out in the fall, then the seedlings in the spring will appear relatively early, while the seedlings will be dense. But if the spring turns out to be sultry or dry, then the appearance of seedlings can not wait at all, or they will die. In spring sowing, the plants are characterized by slower development.

The site for planting must be prepared in advance, so for winter sowing this is done in summer, and for spring sowing - in autumn. For sowing, it is recommended to choose a sunny area that has good protection from cold winds. Well-drained soil should be sandy or loamy. Onions and carrots are considered the best predecessors of St. John's wort. After digging, the soil must be hoed twice, and then the surface of the site is leveled with a rake. When digging, peat compost or rotted manure should be added to the soil (3-4 kilograms per square meter). The prepared soil must be well shed, after which they begin to sow. The seeds are sown in rows, with the row spacing being 15 to 20 centimeters. It is not necessary to bury the seeds in the ground, but they must be sprinkled on top with a thin layer of earth or sand. Then the crops are watered very carefully. If the sowing was carried out in the spring, then it is recommended to cover the area with a film to accelerate the emergence of seedlings.

In the first year of growth, this plant blooms extremely rarely, but despite this, it still needs good care. During the growing season, it is necessary to weed the site at least three times, and it is also necessary to make sure that the soil surface is all loose. Don't forget to water St. John's wort in time. Starting from the second year, the soil must be harrowed in the spring, while last year's shoots must be cut off. Watering is carried out only after the topsoil on the site dries out. If there is a drought and heat, then the number of waterings will need to be increased. If it rains very often in the summer, then you will not have to water this plant at all.

St. John's wort is a perennial that, over the years of its growth, can significantly deplete the soil, as a result of which the yield will rapidly decline and the soil will become poor. To prevent this from happening, you need to regularly fertilize the soil. For top dressing, it is recommended to use Nitroammofosk, it is introduced into the soil at the beginning of the spring period (1 square meter 8 grams), and re-feeding is done before St. John's wort blooms.

This culture is highly resistant to frost, therefore, it is not necessary to cover it for the winter. If a very frosty winter comes out, then the bushes may freeze, but during the next growing season they will recover relatively quickly. In the event that a very cold winter with little snow is expected, then, just in case, it is recommended to cover the area with St. John's wort with spruce branches.

St. John's wort will begin to bloom magnificently only 2 or 3 years after the appearance of seedlings. As soon as this happens, you can start harvesting the grass. The collection of raw materials must be done during flowering (from the last days of June to the first - July), and this must be done in sunny and dry weather. During the collection of raw materials, the top 25-30 centimeters of the shoots must be cut off. For this, it is recommended to use a sickle, pruner or a sharp knife, but if the area is very large, then it is better to use a scythe. The collected raw materials must be sent for drying as soon as possible, if this is not done, it will begin to blacken and rot. For drying, the grass is laid out in a semi-dark room with good ventilation, while the temperature should be about 50 degrees. Remember to regularly turn and stir the grass to ensure even drying. As soon as the shoots begin to break easily, and the flowers and leaf plates crumble, we can assume that the drying process is over. The finished raw materials need to be laid out in ceramic or glass jars, and you can also use cardboard boxes or paper bags for this. It is necessary to store St. John's wort at an air temperature of 5-25 degrees for 3 years.

Types and varieties of St. John's wort

St. John's wort (Hypericum ascyron)

The homeland of this species is the Far East, Japan, southern Siberia, China and eastern regions of North America. The height of such a perennial plant is about 1.2 m. In the upper part, the tetrahedral shoots are slightly branched. Oppositely positioned entire stem-enclosing leaf plates have an oblong-ovoid shape, and on their surface there are many translucent glands. The length of the leaves varies from 60 to 100 mm. Their seamy surface has a bluish color. Flowers, up to 80 mm in diameter, are yellow, they are located in 3-5 pieces at the tips of branches, there are also single ones.

John's wort Gebler (Hypericum gebleri)

Under natural conditions, such a plant can be found in Central Asia, Japan, Siberia, China and the Far East. The height of the branched bush is about 100 cm. Sessile leaf plates can be linear-lanceolate or oblong. At the tips of the stems are rich yellow flowers, the diameter of which is about 15 mm. Flowering begins in July and lasts from 35 to 40 days.

St. John's wort (Hypericum olimpicum)

The height of this semi-shrub is 0.15–0.35 m. The shallow root system is quite powerful. Linear elliptical leaf plates have a bluish color. Apical semi-umbilical inflorescences consist of yellow flowers, reaching 50 mm in diameter. Cultivated since 1706.

St. John's wort (Hypericum calycinum)

This species comes from the Eastern Mediterranean, Western Transcaucasia and the Balkans. The height of the bush is about half a meter. This evergreen species has leathery leaf plates that have an elliptical or oblong shape. Yellow flowers reach 60–80 mm in diameter, they have a large number of stamens. It has been cultivated since 1676. The Citrinum form is the most popular, its flowers are painted in yellow-lemon color.

St. John's wort (Hypericum nummularioides)

This species is semi-ampelous petrophyte, which means that it prefers to grow on rocks and stones. The height of this dwarf plant is only 5-15 centimeters. There is a large number of slightly branched shoots, which become woody in the lower part. Almost sessile light-gray leaf plates have an oval shape, and glands are located on their surface. The apical semi-umbrellas contain from 2 to 5 flowers.

St. John's wort (Hypericum patulum)

This species is found in Southeast Asia from Japan to the Himalayas. The height of this highly branched evergreen shrub is about 100 cm. Drooping open branches are colored brown. Thin naked young shoots are colored green-red or carmine. Leathery leaf plates have an elliptical or ovoid shape. The small-flowered inflorescences consist of large, rich yellow flowers with many long stamens.

In nature, this species is found in Asia Minor, the Caucasus and Western Europe, while it prefers to grow on mountain slopes, in forests and in gorges. This semi-evergreen shrub is fast growing and reaches a height of about 100 cm. Yellow flowers do not represent any decorative value. The unique berry-like fleshy fruits first change their green color to red, and by winter they turn black.

St. John's wort odorless (Hypericum x inodorum)

This species is among the most decorative. In such St. John's wort, leaf plates persist for a long time, and large fruits can be colored yellow, green, purple, red, white, salmon or black.

In addition to these species, they are also cultivated such as: St. John's wort, graceful, hard-haired, Kamchatka, multi-leaved, Kalman, honeysuckle, etc.

St. John's wort properties: harm and benefit

The herb of St. John's wort contains a large amount of nutrients, thanks to which the plant has medicinal properties. This plant contains rutin, quercetin, nicotinic and ascorbic acids, sugars, saponins, carotene, choline, phytoncides, essential oil, bitter, resinous and tannins. Due to its rich composition, St. John's wort is used to treat a large number of diseases.

This plant is distinguished by antirheumatic, antiseptic, wound healing, choleretic, antibacterial, analgesic, diuretic and antihelminthic effect. It is used in both traditional and folk medicine.

The infusion of this plant, prepared in water, is used in the treatment of rheumatism, colds, diseases of the liver, bladder and stomach, hemorrhoids, enuresis, as well as female diseases and painful sensations in the head. The fact that St. John's wort has medicinal properties has been known for a long time. However, not so long ago, scientists have found that it still has an antidepressant effect, and also has a positive effect on the nervous system. This is a very important discovery, because St. John's wort products do not cause the unwanted side effects that chemicals have in abundance.

This plant is also used for inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity (stomatitis, inflammation of the gums, pharyngitis, sore throat), for nervous disorders (insomnia, increased anxiety, depression), for diseases of the digestive system and biliary tract (cholecystitis, hepatitis, diarrhea, dyskinesia, hypotension gallbladder, low stomach acidity, bloating). The pharmaceutical drug Novoimanin, created on the basis of St. John's wort, is used in the treatment of purulent skin diseases (burns, abscesses and infected wounds), sinusitis, inflammation of the pharynx or phlegmon. This drug is very effective, so it even manages to suppress the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to a large number of antibiotics.

In alternative medicine, St. John's wort is used for gastritis, heartburn, heart palpitations, gallstone disease, hepatitis, inflammation of the gallbladder, arthritis, joint pain, sinusitis, alcoholism, mental illness, skin infections. It is also used as a cosmetic product. It works well for dandruff, increased oiliness, cracked heels, acne, baldness, skin laxity and wrinkles.

Most often, this medicinal plant is used in the form of an aqueous infusion, medicinal tea, decoction and alcohol tincture. These funds can be made with your own hands. Herbal preparations are still quite widely used, in the composition of which this plant is present.

The most popular recipes for remedies that you can make at home with your own hands:

1. Infusion... 1 large spoonful of dried herb or 2 large spoons of fresh chopped mixed with 1 tbsp. freshly boiled water. The mixture is removed in a dark place, the infusion will be ready after 3-4 hours. The filtered product should be drunk 15 milligrams 3 times a day before meals. It helps with cystitis, gallstone disease, gastritis, colitis, pain in the head, and it is also used to improve venous circulation and to increase blood pressure. Such a remedy is also used to rinse the mouth for mouth infections, as well as for colds. And also compresses and lotions are made from it for skin inflammations. When bathing a small child, it is also recommended to pour this product into the bath.
2. Decoction... One and a half large spoons of chopped St. John's wort should be combined with 1 tbsp. freshly boiled water. The mixture is poured into a heat-resistant dish (enamel or glass) and placed in a water bath. The product should warm up for 20-30 minutes. (no boiling). It is used for washing, rubbing the skin and rinsing hair, and inside the broth is taken for intestinal disorders.
3. Tincture... Vodka (7 parts) or alcohol (10 parts) must be combined with St. John's wort (1 part). The mixture is well corked and stored in a cool and dark place. The tincture will be ready in 3 days. Before taking the product inside, it should be diluted with water (1 tsp tincture per 50 ml of water). Warming compresses are also made from it, which help with muscle and joint pain. The tincture is also used for inhalation and for rinsing the mouth.
4. Tea... Pour 1 tsp into the teapot. St. John's wort, after which 1 tbsp is poured into it. freshly boiled water. You can also add strawberries or lime blossom to the drink. This drink does not have medicinal properties, but it is used to strengthen the immune system.

Contraindications

This herb and products based on it should not be taken by hypertensive patients during pregnancy. You also need to remember that they cannot be used for a long time, otherwise a not very pleasant aftertaste in the oral cavity, hives or painful sensations in the liver may appear. Long-term use of such drugs contributes to the deterioration of male potency, however, a few weeks after the end of taking St. John's wort, sexual function is fully restored. Also, taking these drugs increases the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet rays, in this regard, when treating St. John's wort, sunbathing should be avoided, otherwise burns may appear or dermatitis may develop. An overly strong tea made from this herb can lead to pain in the stomach.