There are many types of St. John’s Wort throughout the world and it is recognized and known for its medicinal value. The flowers and the leaves have antiseptic, analgesic, antispasmodic, astringent, digestive, sedative and vulnerary properties. All of these healing properties make this herb almost miraculous in healing wounds, sunburns, sores, swellings, cramps, headaches and can even be used as a mild anti-depressant. The high amount of biologically active phenolic compounds are acting as an antioxidant, giving this plant the powerful ability to heal. The antioxidant activity is attributed to flavonoids and phenolic acids.
St. John’s Wort is also rich in Hyperforin- a phytochemical responsible for the antidepressant activity that can ease anxiety and mild depression.
Hyperforin and the phenolic compounds are the main confirmed ingredients with antimicrobial, antiviral, analgesic, and wound healing abilities.
St. John’s Wort oil is used externally and applied to wounds, burns, sores, insect bites, swellings and many others skin problems. Here is a valuable recipe that everyone should make in order to have a healing oil with potent effects.
You will need:
- 1 cup St. John’s Wort flower buds
- 2 cups oil of your choice
- Small glass jar with a lid
The best time to harvest St. John’s Wort is mid-June or by the end of the month. The buds should have bright yellow color when fully blossomed. You can pick the whole plant or just the buds, but for this recipe, you will only need the buds. About one cup of flower buds should be enough. Put them in a small jar with a lid and fill the jar with oil. The kind of oil you’ll use it’s really up to you, but the best oil would be olive or coconut oil, for their great health benefits.
Once the jar is filled with flowers and oil, mix the ingredients well and close the lid. Find a good sunny spot and place it there. Make sure it gets enough sunlight every day for great solar infusion process.
It should stay like this for several weeks. Check it every once in a while to make sure all the flowers are covered in oil. The finished result should give the oil brilliant dark red color. Strain the oil into another clean jar, and discard the flowers. Store it in a dry and dark place and use it whenever necessary for external skin conditions.