A Sunlit Herb for Mind, Mood & Healing

If sunshine had a fragrant, herbal form, it might just be St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum). With its vibrant yellow blossoms, this humble wildflower has long been celebrated as a comforting ally for the mind, body, and heart. From healing sun-drenched meadows to nourishing human spirits, St John’s Wort shines brightly where healing is needed most.

Historically, folks carried sprigs of it during midsummer festivals—often coinciding with St John’s Day—to ward off shadows and melancholy. And today, herbalists continue that tradition, honoring it as one of the most researched and trusted herbs for mood support and wound healing.

In our experience, people who feel the most relief from this plant are those who feel depression along with a sense of tension and anxiety, people who feel their nervous system is perhaps overloaded, and life is too burdensome for them.

St. John’s Wort seems to have the effect of easing life’s struggles and of bringing light back into people’s lives. It helps relieve the strain and worry that often comes when life is too busy and hectic, and one simply can’t calm their brain down.

(image source)

Some of this could be explained by the herb’s effect on the liver when taken internally.

The liver is in charge of processing the majority of substances that are in our body, everything from foods to medications to your hormones, quite an array of substances. Most of this processing is done through the Cytochrome P-450 (1) system that takes place in the liver cells (but also in the GI tract lining). This process transforms substances into something different in order to either activate it for use in the body (such is the case with most prescription medications), or to deactivate it and send it on it’s way to excretion (like your hormones!)

Mind you, this is a very simple explanation of a complicated process…so feel free to look more into it if you’re so inclined!

St. John’s Wort is know to increase or speed up this process in the body, which means that it effectively clears things out of your body faster through it’s normal detoxification pathways. (4). Now this is a good thing when you’re looking to clear out stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline (3), not such a good thing when it comes to making sure your hormonal birth control pill is effective (I’ll come back to that later).

In addition to it’s effect on the P-450 system, SJW has also been shown to affect the serotonin (2) pathways in the brain, which is believed to be a big factor in it’s anti-depressant qualities as well.

So what does this mean and why does it matter?

To start, what it means is that there are many different ways SJW is known to affect the human body (I haven’t even talked about the nerve-pain relieving aspect yet!!) and given the complexity of human biology no one is going to react the same to any herb, so even though it’s great for depression, it may not be great for YOUR depression.

Gentle Light for the Mind

St John’s Wort is most famous for its mood-balancing effects. Clinical research supports its use for mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and seasonal affective challenges, often showing results comparable to common antidepressant medications but with fewer side effects. The herb’s active compounds, hypericin and hyperforin, are believed to influence mood-regulating chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain, helping to gently lift emotional fog and restore inner harmony.

A Friend to the Nervous System

Beyond easing low moods, St John’s Wort provides nervine support, helping quiet an overactive mind and nerves frayed by daily stress. Whether it’s worries that linger into the night or tension that grips the chest, this herb offers a reassuring calm. Regular use can help smooth the edges of stress, allowing a more natural rhythm of rest, focus, and ease to return.

Mending Wounds, Topically

The magic of St John’s  Wort doesn’t end with the mind. Its bright red-infused oil—made by soaking fresh flowering tops in olive oil—has been valued for centuries as a topical vulnerary. Applied to bruises, minor burns, sunburn, and scrapes, it helps soothe pain and supports the skin’s natural healing processes. Its mild astringent and anti-inflammatory qualities offer gentle, nurturing care.

Oil infused from Saint John’s wort is commonly used to treat back pain, bruises, burns, hemorrhoids, herpes, nerve pain, sunburn, ulcers, varicose veins, and wounds.

It has been used extensively for issues relating to the nervous system, such as nerve pain, shingles, sciatica, and even nerve-related viruses such as herpes and HIV. The Commission E monographs from Germany approved external preparations of SJW for use for “sharp or abrasive wounds, muscle pain, and first-degree burns” (6).

We use it in combination with arnica-infused oil in our Sore Muscle Massage Oil for any and all topical pain issues.

Supporting the Whole Being

St John’s Wort is more than a mood tonic. Its actions echo across multiple body systems:

In addition to being an amazing plant and powerful healer, this plant holiday falls on our owner’s birthday, so this plant is a particular favorite of ours.

Celebrate this happy and historical herb on June 24th or, all week long!

THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW IS TO TRY.

We love this herb; our owner reports it being especially helpful for her when she was a server at a busy restaurant and had a hard time winding down at the end of her shift for sleep at night (it helped to clear the adrenaline from the system through my liver so she could relax (5)). She will also turn to it when she is feeling frazzled and on edge due to life pressures; it has a remarkable effect on calming down the nervous system, though this aspect hasn’t been studied much. Anyone who’s ever used the herb can tell you this is what it feels like it’s doing.

MATERIA MEDICA

Latin Name: Hypericum perforatum

Family: Hypericaceae

Botanical Description

The plant, which consists of many branching stems, grows to a height of 1 to 3 feet. The pale green, oblong leaves are approximately 1 inch long and arranged oppositely along the stem (Foster, 1993). By holding a leaf up to the light, one can see tiny dots that appear to be perforations; in fact, they are a translucent layer of oil glands. The bright yellow five-petaled flowers, which are arranged in a flat-topped cluster at the end of the branching stems, are approximately one inch across and are covered with tiny black dots that release a red oil.

Sustainability Issues: None known. Considered an invasive weed in the rangelands of western North America and Australia due to its aggressive growth.

Harvesting Guidelines: The open flowers, flower buds and leaves from the top 2-3 inches of the plant are harvested during full bloom from June through August

Part used: Flowering top

Energetics: Bitter, sweet, cool, dry

Key Constituents: Dianthrones (hypericin and pseudohypericin), essential oils, tannins, flavonoids, resins, plant acids, alkaloids, phloroglucinols (hyperforin) (Foster, 1993; Hoffman, 2003; Holmes, 1997).

Actions: Antibacterial, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, aromatic, digestive, diuretic, nerve restorative, vermifuge and vulnerary

Uses:

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Anxiety disorders
• Depression in certain situations and certain people
• Dermatitis
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Nerve pain
• Nervous system restoration
• Nervous system viruses (HPV, HIV, Shingles…)
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Mild to moderate depression and mood imbalance
• Anxiety, restlessness, and nervous agitation
• Sleep support (especially when emotions are unsettled)
• Topical use for minor skin issues (e.g., bruises, burns, muscle soreness)
• Support for PMS, nervous digestion, or stress-induced tension

Preparation and Dosage

• Tea or Infusion: Use 1 tsp dried herb or 2 tsp fresh flowering tops in a cup of hot water. Steep for 10–15 minutes; sip 1–3 times daily.

• Tincture: 1:5 (herb-to-ethanol), 1–2 mL (20–40 drops), 2–3 times daily. Increase slightly during periods of low mood.

• Infused Oil: Fill a jar with fresh flowers, cover with olive oil, and leave in sunlight for 2–4 weeks. Use externally for bruises, healed burns, or sore muscles, apply topically to areas in need of nerve restoration, such a sprains and strains, as well as skin affected by nervous system viruses such as shingles and herpes

Safety considerations:

• Saint John’s wort should be avoided by patients with known allergies or hypersensitivities to the herb.
• This herb should not be combined with anti-depressant pharmaceuticals, protease inhibitors, or other pharmaceutical drugs, such as oral contraceptives.  Saint John’s wort can reduce the bioavailability of these pharmaceuticals, decreasing their overall effectiveness.
• It also interacts with birth control medications as well as many other medications, so double-check with an herbalist, doctor, or pharmacist before taking St. John’s Wort if you take any medications.
• It is also not recommended to utilize this herb during pregnancy, while nursing or for children under the age of 2.

 Resources:

• 1. Cytochrome P-450 System: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytochrome_P450
• 2. Serotonin: http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/serotonin
• 3. Affect on serotonin: http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/15049433
• 4. SJW effect on drug metabolism: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24575655
• 5. SJW and Cortisol: http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/11302563
• 6. American Botanical Council Commission E monograph: http://cms.herbalgram.org/expandedE/StJohn27swort.html
• 7. Linde K, Berner M, Kriston L. (2008). St John’s wort for major depression
• Herbal Academy’s Herbarium Monograph
• American Botanical Council (1999). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: St. John’s Wort. Retrieved on October 20, 2014 from http://cms.herbalgram.org/commissione/Monographs/Monograph0347.html.
• American Botanical Council (2000). Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Online: St. John’s Wort. Retrieved on October 20, 2014 from http://cms.herbalgram.org/expandedE/StJohn27swort.html.
• Chevallier, Andrew. (1996). The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc.
• Edwards, Gail Faith. (2000) Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs. Woodstock, NY: Ash Tree Publishing.
• Foster, Steven. (1993) Herbal Renaissance. Layton, UT: Peregrine Smith Books.
• Grieve, Margaret. (1913). A Modern Herbal. Retrieved on October 20, 2014 from http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sajohn06.html.
• Hardin, Kiva Rose (2014). Gifts of the Solstice: Native St. John’s Wort. Retrieved on October 20, 2014 from http://bearmedicineherbals.com/gifts-of-the-solstice-native-st-johns-wort.html.
• Hoffman, David. (2003) Medical Herbalism. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.
• Holmes, Peter. (1997). The Energetics of Western Herbs, Volume 1, Revised Third Edition.
• Laakmann G, Schüle C, Baghai T, Kieser M. (1998). St. John’s wort in mild to moderate depression: the relevance of hyperforin for the clinical efficacy. Pharmacopsychiatry. 1998 Jun;31 Suppl 1:54-9.
• Linde K, Berner M, Kriston L. (2008). St John’s wort for major depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008;4:CD000448.
• McIntyre, Anne. (1996) Flower Power. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, Inc.
• Miller AL. (2005). Epidemiology, etiology, and natural treatment of seasonal affective disorder. Altern Med Rev. 2005 Mar;10(1):5-13.
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institute of Health. (2013). St. John’s Wort and Depression. Retrieved on October 22, 2014 from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjw-and-depression.htm#science.
• Samadi S, Khadivzadeh T, Emami A, Moosavi NS, Tafaghodi M, Behnam HR. (2010). The effect of Hypericum perforatum on the wound healing and scar of cesarean. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Jan;16(1):113-7.
• Tierra, Lesley. (2003). Healing with the Herbs of Life. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
• Tillotson, Alan Keith. (2001). The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook. New York, NY: Kensington Publishing Group.