The buds and young leaves of St. John’s wort are used in herbal medicine to combat depression, stress and insomnia. You can use it internally in the form of an infusion, mother tincture, or externally in the form of oil for massages and poultices against skin irritations. But St. John’s wort presents risks to be aware of. Find out what the benefits, indications and precautions for using St. John’s wort are.
The active ingredients of St. John’s wort
St. John’s Wort, its officinal name Hypericum perforatum, is a herbaceous plant with bright yellow flowers, used for millennia in herbal medicine. It is its flowers and young leaves that are collected to make remedies, because of the active ingredients they contain. Indeed, St. John’s wort contains hyperforin and hypericin, substances known to have antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, but also xanthones with sedative properties, or even flavonoids and acid-phenols.
Indications for St. John’s Wort
St. John’s wort is popular in herbal medicine for various pathologies:
- Nervous imbalances, such as depression, anxiety, stress, psychosomatic disorders: studies have shown the effectiveness of St. John’s Wort in the treatment of anxiety, mild to moderate depression, and even, more recently, severe depression, informs the MSD Manual.
- Sleep disorders: St. John’s wort increases the secretion of serotonin in the central nervous system, which promotes falling asleep. It is therefore the ally of people prone to insomnia.
- Myalgia, joint pain and minor burns: St. John’s wort has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and analgesic properties, thanks to its richness in flavonoids in particular. It is therefore useful to combat aches, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, sciatica. But also to relieve minor burns, sunburns, skin irritations, insect bites, scrapes or bruises.
- Digestive disorders: St. John’s wort helps relieve gastroesophageal reflux, nausea, vomiting and heartburn (dyspepsia) thanks to its anti-inflammatory and healing properties.
- Menstrual cycles: for women prone to pain during menstruation, as well as irritability, St. John’s wort provides an analgesic, antispasmodic, and soothes effect.
Ways to use St. John’s wort
There are many possible uses of St. John’s Wort, both internally and externally. For internal use: the buds and young leaves are used in herbal medicine in the form of infusions, mother tincture (hydroalcoholic solution resulting from the maceration of St. John’s wort flowers in alcohol), capsules or even fluid extracts. For external use: it comes in the form of massage oil, essential oil, cream and poultices. The recommended dosages are one to two teaspoons of St. John’s wort flowers per 150 ml cup of water, at a rate of two cups per day with meals. If you opt for the mother tincture, take 20 to 25 drops in a little water, 3 doses per day. Finally, if you take EPS (standardized fluid plant extracts), the recommendations are 1 to 2 teaspoons per day in a little water.
The risks and contraindications of St. John’s Wort
St. John’s wort should be taken with caution even if it is over the counter, due to the contraindications and drug interactions it presents and its side effects. Its use is therefore regulated, as specified in the Official Journal of Légifrance. You should therefore always seek advice from your doctor before using St. John’s Wort, both internally and externally.
- Contraindications of St. John’s wort: it is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children under 12 years old. You should also avoid using it if you plan to expose yourself to the sun, as you risk having a skin reaction.
- Drug interactions of St. John’s wort: when used internally, there are many possible interactions between St. John’s wort and other treatments whose effects it can annihilate. You should therefore avoid taking St. John’s wort if you are taking oral contraceptives, antidepressants, painkillers, anticoagulants, antiretrovirals (in case of HIV infection), antiepileptics, antimigraine drugs, bronchodilators, or even immunosuppressants. Always check with your doctor before taking St. John’s Wort in any form.
Sources
- St. John’s wortThe MSD Manual – Healthcare Professional Version, January 2023
- Phytotherapy: St. John’s WortVidal, June 21, 2019
- Decision of January 22, 2001 setting the specific conditions relating to the delivery of compounded preparations, hospital preparations and divided medicinal products based on St. John’s wort, as well as homeopathic compounded preparations of St. John’s wort at dilutions less than or equal to the third centesimal dilution Hahnemannian and St. John’s Wort in bulkLégifrance, Official Journal of the French Republic of January 27, 2001
Read also :
⋙ Homeopathy: definition, indications, benefits and effectiveness
⋙ Homeopathy and phytotherapy: two alternative medicines not to be confused
⋙ Lithotherapy: 10 things to know about treating yourself with stones