St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)

OriginThe herb of the solstice

Hold a leaf up to the light: The apparent holes are oil glands, and the black dots on the leaf edge are hypericin, which turns oil and fingers deep red.

St. John's wort grows throughout Europe and Western Asia along roadsides, railway embankments, slopes, and in dry meadows – an undemanding, sun-loving perennial with bright yellow flowers. It gets its name from St. John's Day on June 24th: around the summer solstice, it is in full bloom, and it is precisely then that its active ingredient content is at its highest. The harvest time is therefore not folklore, but pharmacology.

Cultural history is closely intertwined with light and protection. It was hung above doors to ward off misfortune, woven into solstice wreaths, and called "devil's flight" and "witch's herb." The genus name Hypericum It is usually interpreted as "over the image"—branches that were placed over religious images. Two distinguishing features make it unmistakable: when held up to the light, the leaves appear perforated—these are light-colored oil glands, hence the specific epithet. perforatum. And if you rub a flower bud between your fingers, they change color. blood red; that is hypericin, and in common parlance the juice was called "St. John's blood".

Over the last four decades, St. John's wort has evolved medicinally from a folk remedy to one of the most thoroughly researched herbal medicines. In Germany, standardized St. John's wort extracts are among the most frequently prescribed medications for mild to moderate depressive episodes. Alongside this, its traditional external application continues to be used: Red oil, an oil extract from the fresh blossoms, traditionally used for burns, bruises and nerve pain.

To useWhat St. John's wort can do for you

St. John's wort is the The best-documented medicinal plant for mood, And that's no exaggeration. The European Medicines Agency lists standardized extracts in the category well-established use For mild to moderate depressive episodes. Large review studies, including a comprehensive Cochrane review, conclude that St. John's wort extracts are more effective than placebo in treating mild to moderate depression and are comparable in efficacy to standard antidepressants – with significantly fewer side effects and therefore fewer treatment discontinuations. This is an exceptional body of evidence for a plant.

Two limitations must be included immediately. First: This applies to standardized extracts in sufficient doses - usually 600 to 900 milligrams of dry extract daily - and not for St. John's wort tea or low-dose supplements. Secondly: This applies to light to moderate Episodes. St. John's wort is not the right answer for severe depression, and suicidal thoughts require immediate professional help, not a herbal remedy. And as with all antidepressants, it takes two to four weeks to assess whether it is effective.

However, the most important paragraph on this page is a different one, and it is deliberately placed at the top: St. John's wort has massive interactions. Its active ingredient, hyperforin, activates enzymes in the liver and transport systems in the intestines, which break down and eliminate medications more quickly. As a result, other drugs in the blood can drop significantly and lose their effectiveness – this affects, among others... hormonal contraceptives (Pregnancies caused by St. John's wort while taking the pill have been documented), blood thinners like warfarin (Marcumar), medications taken after organ transplants, HIV medications, some cancer medications, heart medications, and cholesterol-lowering drugs. Anyone regularly taking any medication should consult their doctor or pharmacist before using St. John's wort. This isn't fine print; it's the bottom line.

IngredientsThat's what's in the weed

Here too, it is not a single substance that is at work, but a combination of them. Hypericin and pseudohypericin are the red pigments from the black glands on the leaf and flower margins; they are traditionally used for standardization and are responsible for photosensitivity. Hyperforin Today it is considered the most important carrier of the mood-enhancing effect: It inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine - similar to synthetic antidepressants, only broader and weaker at each individual point.

Hyperforin is also the substance behind these interactions. It activates a receptor in the liver that stimulates the production of the enzyme. CYP3A4 boosts, and additionally increases the transport protein P-glycoprotein in the intestine. Both of these factors combined mean that other drugs are broken down more quickly and absorbed less effectively. That's why there are also preparations with low hyperforin content – they have fewer interactions, but the strong body of research primarily concerns extracts with high hyperforin content.

In addition, the herb contains flavonoids such as hyperoside, rutin and quercetin, tannins, xanthones and essential oil. For the Red oil Fresh flower buds are steeped in good quality vegetable oil and left in the sun for several weeks; the oil turns deep red as hypericin and related substances are extracted. Applied externally, it is a traditional remedy for burns, blunt injuries, and nerve pain—with one caveat: after application, the skin should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Enhanced combinationsWhat makes St. John's wort stronger

With this plant, the most important part is not what makes it stronger, but what you should have clarified beforehand.

What contradicts itselfIt's best to avoid these combinations.

ApplicationHow it is used

• Standardized dry extract600 to 900 mg daily as a tablet - the form to which the studies refer.
• St. John's wort teaTwo teaspoons in 250 ml, covered for ten minutes - significantly weaker than the extract, more of a supportive measure.
• Red oil homemadeFresh flower buds in olive or sunflower oil, leave in the sun for three weeks, then strain.
• Red oil externallyMassage into the skin to relieve bruises, muscle tension, minor burns, and nerve pain.
• tinctureAlcoholic extract, taken drop by drop - dosage is more difficult to estimate than with a finished product.
• Combined with valerianWhen restlessness and sleep disturbances are part of the picture.
• As an accompanimentIn addition to talk therapy, exercise and light therapy, but not as a replacement for them.
• WintertimeTraditionally used during the dark season - together with daylight in the morning.
• Harvest timeAround St. John's Day at the end of June, when the active ingredient content is at its highest.
• Not for medicationsBefore starting any of this: Go through the medication list with your doctor or pharmacist.

As a home remedyMake your own red oil

Ayurveda & TCMWhat the old systems say

Warning noticesWhen you should be careful

This page provides information and does not replace medical advice. If symptoms persist, please consult a doctor.

Related to the topicRead on and cook along!

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