Energetics:
Bitter, Cold, Dry, Sweet

Common Names:
St. John’s Wort, Amber, Fendigedig, Goat Weed, Hardhay, Herbe de la St. Jean, Klamath Weed, Johnswort, Johannaskraut, St. Joan’s Wort, St. John’s Grass, Tipton Weed, Qian Ceng Lou

Latin Name:
Hypericum perforatum

Family Name:
Hypericaceae - St. John’s Wort family

Functions:
Alterative, anodyne, antibacterial, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiviral, astringent, cholagogue, diuretic, expectorant, nervine, sedative, vulnerary

TCM Functions:

1. Activates the Qi, releases constraint and relieves pain
   * Liver-Spleen disharmony, Liver Qi constraint with dysmenorrhea
   * bedwetting, menstrual cramps, painful urination, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, depression, fatigue
2. Transforms phlegm, dispels wind and stops spasms
   * wind-phlegm channel obstruction with spasms, muscle tension, neuralgic pains
3. Transforms Heart phlegm-damp, restores the mind, and relieves depression
   * Heart phlegm-damp obstruction with depression, sleep disorders, psychosis
4. Stops bleeding and dispels wind-damp-heat in the skin (topical & internal use)
   * cold sores, herpes, chicken pox, skin rashes.
5. Reduces contusion, swelling, heat and pain (topical & internal use)

Therapeutics:
Used for AIDS/HIV, anxiety, cough, depression, diarrhea, dysmenorrhea, fatigue, flu, gout, grief, herpes, hydocephalus, incontenence, insomnia, irritability, jaundice, menopause, neuralgia, rheumatism, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), ulcers and viral infections.

Notes:
Today, St. John’s Wort is the primary drug or herb used in Europe to treat mild depression and nervous tension. The herb has been shown effective in numerous double-blind studies to have both anti-depressant and sleep-regulating functions. St. John’s Wort initially was theorized to be effective through selective serotonin uptake reinhibition, like many of the popular antidepressants. This pathway has been disproved, and my personal theory is that St. John’s Wort effects serotonin balance through adjusting the body’s sensitivity to light. Clinically, depression has also been shown to be treated through increased exposure to natural light sources. Clinically, we have also found St. John’s Wort an effective remedy for bedwetting in children, especially when the children are undergoing stressful life circumstances. One case in particular, involving a Spinabifida child, saw significant improvement with urinary incontinence on a low, regular dosage. Much to our surprise, we have created a following of individuals that keep an emergency bottle of St. John’s Wort tincture handy, for bruises, acne, hives, and many other miscellaneous mishaps.

Tradition:
St. John’s Wort blooms around the time of the summer solstice, and in medieval Europe it was considered to have powerful magical properties in the Wise Woman tradition. It was a common remedy in the Middle Ages for the treatment of “bad spirits”. The name Saint John’s Wort is also said to be in honor of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem who used this herb to treat battlefield wounds. A Native Indian custom was to dry the plant and grind it into a meal, and were also known to eat the fresh leaves for their soothing effect.

UpS Alternatives:
Use St. John’s Wort as an analog to endangered species Lomatium (Lomatium dissectum) and endangered species Arnica (Arnica sp.)

Contraindications:
Avoid in pregnancy due to its emmenagogue and abortifacient effects. St. John’s Wort has anecdotal evidence of causing photosensitivity in light-skinned individuals. St. John’s Wort has had numerous medical studies showing that it can interfere with western pharmaceutical drugs through increasing the liver’s metabolism of the pharmaceuticals. Caution and supervision by a medical professional should be obtained if taking this herb concurrently with pharmaceuticals. An interesting addendum to the discussion of contraindications is that the majority of the major negative research against St. John’s Wort was paid for by pharmaceutical companies who manufacture anti-depressants.