Spotlight on Local Medicinal Herbs—St. John’s Wort
Wildcrafting and medicine-making are ways to intimately explore our local ecosystem, and to become actively involved in our own healing journey. The process is simple, there is no special skill required, and the result is a deeper connection to our role in the natural rhythms of life. A key feature of this endeavor is to ensure the sustainability of the plants we choose to harvest. This allows us to rest assured that we are contributing to earth’s natural cycle without harming the environment and the other living beings who rely on it for food, medicine, and shelter.
Late summer is a time ripe for harvesting the bounty of many edible and medicinal herbs. We’ll focus on one very powerful plant ally that can be found in great quantity here in Jefferson County: St. John’s Wort.
This plant was given its common name in the Western herbal tradition because its peak bloom occurred around the summer solstice, coinciding with the Feast of St. John. Hypericum perforatum is its Latin name, so called because its leaves contain tiny perforations which can be seen if held up to the light. It’s considered an invasive plant, originally brought to our continent from Europe. St. John’s Wort is a perennial with small bright yellow flowers, and grows best in a habitat with plentiful sun and sandy soil, so look for it near beaches and on open grassy knolls.
The aerial parts of this plant are used medicinally, which include its flowering tops and buds. It should not be dried and stored for later use, as its most potent medicine is given to us in fresh form. When you find this plant in the wild, its visual appearance and preference of habitat will clue you in to its medicinal properties; this is known to herbalists as the “Doctrine of Signatures”.
Notice the plant’s bright yellow flowers, its growth near other medicinal plants, and its preference for full sun, and you will understand much about its medicinal actions. Perhaps its most famous use, adopted into many popular mood-support formulas, is in helping to treat mild-to-moderate depression and seasonal affective disorder. It quite literally helps bring light, joy, and desire for community engagement to folks who are suffering with depression and anxiety, particularly in the dark, cold, damp winter months.
Conventional Western medicine has even acknowledged and adopted the plant for this purpose, and numerous research studies and clinical trials have shown its effectiveness. Chemically speaking, the herb has two major constituents (hypericin and hyperforin), which act to inhibit the reuptake of neurotransmitters in the brain. In this sense, it acts similarly to pharmaceutical antidepressants, but also contains a range of other therapeutic uses which those drugs do not. When used as an antidepressive, St John’s Wort often needs to be taken for at least 2-6 weeks to notice improvements. It is also very important to know that St. John’s Wort has side effects including photosensitivity (when taken internally), and can act upon liver enzymes to increase or decrease the metabolism of other drugs including MAOIs, oral contraceptives and blood thinners. Always consult with your physician before initiating oral use of St. John’s Wort.
Herbalists have used St John’s Wort traditionally to treat injuries of the nerves and spinal cord, any type of sharp shooting pain, chronic pain coupled with emotional exhaustion, and feelings of isolation and disconnection from the world. It can also be used to soothe gastrointestinal inflammation, sunburn, and shingles. It has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, antioxidant, antidepressive, antibacterial, nerve restorative, liver supportive, and astringent properties. It is truly a master herb and a powerful addition to any medicine cabinet, small or large.
The process of harvesting this plant and transforming it into medicine is easy. We will focus here on making a simple alcohol-based tincture for internal use, although there are other ways to extract its medicine.
First, gather your tools: a pair of kitchen shears, grain alcohol (190 proof), and a quart-sized mason jar with a securely fitting lid. Next, and perhaps most important, find a spot to harvest that is far from roads and other sources of environmental toxicants. This is a good rule for all wildcrafting adventures, to ensure your medicine is relatively free of pollutants.
Once you find the plant, consider sitting and meditating with it before harvesting. Energy transfer is a powerful aspect of medicine-making, and includes the physical as well as metaphysical dimensions. You may choose to say a prayer, to ask the plant permission for its medicine, and to offer thanks. Let your own spiritual practice guide you in this manner.
Snip off the flowering tops and buds from the plant (some leaves are fine, too), and fill your mason jar halfway. Fill the jar the rest of the way with the grain alcohol, secure the lid, and place the jar in a dark and cool spot. Each day for four weeks, give the jar a vigorous shake to encourage the extraction process. At the end of the four weeks, strain off the beautiful red liquid from the solid plant matter, and pour it into smaller dropper bottles.
A standard dose is 10-60 drops 1-4 times per day. Always consult with your Naturopathic doctor or herbalist for proper dosing, as we are all individuals with different constitutions and differed needs. Enjoy your newfound medicine-making power!
Citation:
Tilgner, S. (2009). Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth (2nd ed.). Wise Acres.
