An old tradition said that the harvesting of the hypericum herb during the early hours of San Juan gave this plant magical powers. very useful to protect homes and lift spirits. Since ancient times, the hypericum or St. John’s wort has been one of the medicinal and magical plants par excellence.
We discover below the properties of hypericum.
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What is hypericum or St. John’s wort
Hypericum perforatum is a plant native to Europe that grows easily in many temperate parts of the world. Medicinal and magical properties have been attributed to it since the 1st century, and since then it has been used by sorcerers and healers as a powerful remedy against depression and sadness.
How can you recognize the hypericum? This herbaceous plant grows wild on roadsides and in dry, sunny environments. It has a branchy stem at the top, with entire leaves, speckled with translucent glands that contain a colored liquid made up of essential oils.
These glands draw a series of spots on the leaf that gives the sensation that it is perforated., and hence the scientific name they gave it: perforatum (holed). Hypericum probably comes from the Greek hyperikon (above appearances) for its function of driving away evil spirits.
Another way to recognize hypericum is through its bitter taste.or, although not because of its smell, since it is not a particularly aromatic plant. Still, the ancients believed that its scent repelled demons.
Magical Properties of St. John’s Wort
The peculiarity of its appearance drew attention to the Greek and Roman civilizations, who already many centuries ago were great connoisseurs of herbs and their powers. The fact that the leaves were not damaged, despite giving the impression that they were pierced, gave it a reputation as an amazing and magical plant with great properties.
The accumulation of myths around the hypericumsuch as the fact that the intense red sap that it treasured in its entrails was the very blood of San Juan, and the knowledge that began to be obtained from this plant gave it a double function as a protection plant and as an herb to lift the spirits and revitalize the body.
That is why it was common in the Mediterranean regions to place the hypericum on the lintel of the house door as a protective barrier. The sorcerers claimed that the hypericum was a sacred herb, touched by the gods, and that it had to be picked up in San Juan so that it would acquire its amazing capacity to drive away evil spirits.
On the other hand, when the person was in a low mood or the body was experiencing a drop in the immune system, St. John’s wort was also used as a magical plant to restore mood and end depression. Later, that magical use evolved into a much more studied medicinal use.
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Medicinal properties of hypericum
This is how little by little the experts in medicinal herbs were discovering in the leaves and glands of this plant numerous active ingredients and beneficial substances for the body that are still being explored today. Although it has many properties, it is mainly used for depression, healing and anti-inflammatory action.
1. Hypericum antidepressant properties
The ancients discovered that hypericum was a magical plant that drives away sadness, but this also had a scientific explanation. Currently, the use of hypericum as a medicinal plant is almost entirely reduced to its antidepressant effect.
Until now it was believed that this property was due to the hypericin it contains, but more recent studies suggest that substances such as hyperforin and flavonoids also help its antidepressant effect. All these substances cause a blockade of monoamine oxidase and an inhibition of serotonin and dopamine uptake.
The use of hypericum extracts as an antidepressant is indicated for mild and moderate depression in clinical studies, as effective as synthetic antidepressants. In addition, the great advantage of hypericum is that it hardly has any side effects.
2. How to make hypericum essential oil
The fact that the hypericum did not suffer any damage despite the fact that the leaf seemed perforatedand the assimilation of its appearance with that of healed wounds, aroused the curiosity of magicians and healers who discovered amazing virtues in its essences in that sense.
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Since then, one of the best known properties of hypericum is its healing action and as a skin balm. That earned it the name, in the 17th century, of “herb of wounds”.
This medicinal and magical plant also has antiseptic qualities, so can be applied to wounds to avoid any infection. The use of hypericum as a healing agent and to keep the skin smooth and young acquires more strength when applied in the form of essential oils.
To make hypericum essential oil at home take a glass jar and fill it halfway with the dried leaves of this plant, then add vegetable oil until the bottle is full. Close the jar hermetically and let it macerate in a dark and cool place for about 40 or 50 days. Then filter the homemade hypericum oil and store it in an opaque container.
3. Hypericum, an anti-inflammatory remedy
The powerful effects of St John’s wort as an active anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory have also been revealed., and above all, its recurrent use has survived to this day as a relief for intestinal problems, a remedy against gastroenteritis and a complement for the cure of hemorrhoids. It also has antispasmodic qualities.
Used as an oil or poultice, the antibacterial and analgesic properties of St John’s wort help relieve pain and reduce inflammation of this uncomfortable problem. It is also usually taken as an infusion, and usually produces antibiotic effects. Taken in a moderate dose, its side effects are very limited..
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