;In the middle of summer, yellow flowers of Hypericum enliven the forest edges and clearings. St. John's wort, which has beneficial properties and contraindications that are well studied and described, is one of the most common and powerful Russian medicinal plants. The possibilities of grassy perennial have long been interested in people, caused admiration, fear, were the cause of the appearance of legends and prejudices. The first thing people noticed when they saw the plant was the blood-red hue of the decoction. Thanks to him, St. John's wort is commonly called Ivanovo blood, which is connected with the legend of John the Baptist, from whose blood it would have sprouted an amazing flower.
Herb used in folk rites, harvested and dried for the manufacture of tea, lotions and other medicinal drugs. Today, the healing properties of the herb St. John's wort have been scientifically confirmed and are widely used not only in folk medicine, but also in traditional medicine.
Why is St. John's wort useful? The composition of the medicinal herb
A plant with a branched, upright stem, oval or ovate leaves and numerous golden-yellow flowers is a real storehouse of biologically active compounds. However, most of them are in the tops of flowering shoots.
The therapeutic properties of Hypericum and contraindications to their use entirely depend on the biochemical composition, including:
- complex of essential vitamins, including tocopherols, carotene, ascorbic acid, vitamin B compounds, rutin;
- flavonoids, including hyperoside;
- phytoncides;
- saponins;
- essential oil;
- micro-and macronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, selenium;
- organic acids and alcohols;
- tannins and resins;
- natural bitterness;
- sugar.
Such a lush bunch of ingredients determines the healing properties of Hypericum and the harm that is difficult to avoid if you ignore the available contraindications and recommended dosages.
What treats Hypericum grass: Indications for use
Hypericum is extremely wide. Grass collected during flowering:
- is used as a natural antibacterial, disinfecting, anti-inflammatory agent;
- has the ability to reduce pain of a different nature;
- promotes wound healing and stimulates natural regeneration processes;
- is a natural diuretic and is used in the urogenital diseases.
In folk medicine, it has long been assigned the role of an antiparasitic agent, as well as drugs for heart, liver, colds, problems with joints and digestive disorders.
What more does St. John's wort grass treat? Due to the astringent, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing effect, St. John's wort is often used for stomatitis and other violations of the integrity of the oral mucosa. A decoction of herbs relieves sore throat, pharyngitis, toothache.
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Well familiar with the beneficial properties of Hypericum and cosmetologists who prescribe the external use of drugs based on it:
- for acne, complicated by purulent and inflammatory processes;
- with fading skin, which requires support with vitamins, minerals and unsaturated fatty acids;
- with excessive production of sebum, provoking not only untidy greasy face, but also the development of inflammation.
St. John's wort herb without contraindications is used for oily seborrhea. The grass perfectly dries the inflammation, nourishes, supplies the tissues with moisture and has a safe antibacterial effect.
If the above described healing properties of a plant have been known for a long time, then only recently have physicians turned their attention to the effect that St. John's wort has on the human nervous system. What is useful St. John's wort in this area?
The active substances contained in vegetable raw materials have the ability to prevent and resist depression, stress, and chronic fatigue.
Tea prepared on the basis of Hypericum or healing oil of the plant perfectly tones, normalizes sleep, strengthens the immune defense. The drink helps to quickly recover from a long illness, operations or difficult, exhausting work. 
Application of medicinal properties of Hypericum herb
The list of finished products with the inclusion of medicinal herbs is very wide. Due to the small number of contraindications, the beneficial properties of Hypericum are valued in the fight:
- with inflammatory processes in the oral cavity and nasopharynx;
- with diseases of the liver and gallbladder;
- with digestive problems, for example, diarrhea, increased gas separation, lazy bowel syndrome;
- with stress, chronic fatigue, depressive conditions, accompanied by insomnia, mood swings, short temper;
- with purulent processes and complicated wounds on the skin with acne, burns, cracks on the heels;
- with edema and urinary tract pathologies.
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If you look at the instructions for using Hypericum, it turns out that the upper parts of the stems with flowers and leaves are used for ingestion. In order for the beneficial substances to take on the most accessible and active form, the vegetable raw materials must go through the cooking process. Spirit tinctures, water decoctions and infusions are made from Hypericum, oil is prepared, and used as a blend for medicinal tea.
Fresh grass is great for outdoor use. It is crushed and applied to problem areas for cuts, bruises, all sorts of wounds and burns. St. John's wort will help to transfer insect bites more easily and reduce irritation caused by an allergic reaction.
In folk medicine, Hypericum mixed with honey is an effective basis for compressing radiculitis, rheumatism or other problems of the musculoskeletal system.
Hypericum medicines for home use
Broth is prepared at the rate of 3 tablespoons of dried grass per 500 ml of water. On a small fire, the tool is from 20 to 30 minutes, and then infused and filtered. Liquid reddish-brown shade fully retains the beneficial properties of Hypericum and contraindications indicated in the instructions for the use of plant materials. The decoction is used in and out, as the basis for lotions, rinsing and compresses.
An infusion of dry or fresh grass is ready in 4–6 hours after the raw material is filled with boiling water. Saturated aromatic liquid is used to treat gastritis, colitis, signs of hypotension, cholelithiasis and inflammatory processes in the urogenital area. A warm infusion for rinsing perfectly relieves the condition of a cold, sore throat, stomatitis. The tool is indispensable as lotions after bites, with skin irritation, boils, weeping eczema, wounds of different nature.
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in your country house The most popular remedy and preventive medicine for Hypericum is herbal tea. St. John's wort is excellently combined with black or green tea, as well as with other spicy-flavoring herbs, for example, with mint, oregano, lime blossom, dogrose, currant leaves and strawberries.
The tincture is made from pre-dried herbs. On 1 spoon of the crushed raw materials take 7 parts of alcohol or 10 parts of vodka. In a tightly closed glass container, the liquid is infused for at least 3 days. What helps St. John's wort in the composition of alcohol tinctures? The main scope of such natural medicines - painkillers, warming, anti-inflammatory compresses or grinding with muscle and joint pain.
From the herb of Hypericum get oil, into which all the beneficial properties of the plant. To insist for 3-4 weeks, take olive, almond or other unrefined oil at the rate of one to one.
Contraindications to the use of Hypericum herb
Whatever the use of St. John's wort, there are contraindications to its use. They can not be avoided, otherwise the healing power of the plant can lead to harm to health and deterioration of health.
Doctors do not recommend that St. John's wort be included in treatment and prevention if you have:
- hypertension;
- aggravations of peptic ulcer and gastritis;
- enhanced photosensitive skin and acute reaction to the action of solar radiation.
You can not drink decoctions and tinctures from the herb of St. John's wort during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
In the first case, there is a risk of elevated blood pressure and increased muscle tone in the pelvis and uterus. In the second, St. John's wort changes the taste of breast milk and may cause an undesirable reaction in the baby.
Hypericum based preparations can be given to children only from 12 years of age. After five years, the infusion is applied externally, for example, as a lotion or a useful additive in a bath for skin diseases or as prevention of seasonal colds.
Rules for the collection and storage of hypericum - video
