COMMON NAME: St. John's Wort

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hypericum perforatum

FAMILY NAME: Guttiferae

INDIGENOUS COUNTRY: Europe, Asia, Africa

COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION: France

HISTORY INFORMATION: The plant received its name from European peasants who assigned it magical powers and gathered it on St. John's Day for special cures. Used by the Greeks to expel internal worms and as a diuretic. Native Americans used it with raspberry root to make a tea for tuberculosis. In the last century, it was widely used to treat wounds where the nerves were exposed.

GENERAL INFORMATION: Used mostly as an infused oil or as a tincture of flowers (It is very red in color. If light in color, hypericin is weak). Hypericin and pseudo hypericin are singled out as having great healing powers, but these constituents are not found in the essential oil. The essential oil is very rare as it is distilled from the flowers and little oil is obtained from large quantities of flowers.

DESCRIPTION OF PLANT: A perennial herb growing to 3ft high with star-shaped yellow flowers when pinched turn red.

PARTS PROCESSED: Flowers.

PROCESSING METHODS: Steam distilled.

COLOR RANGE:

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS: Class: Sesquiterpenes. Caryophyllene, germacrene, alkanes,alcohols, oxides, 2% ketones.

PHYSICAL ACTIONS AND USES: Analgesic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, blood purifier, calmative, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, euphoric, expectorant, nervine, sedative, tonic, tranquilizer, vermifuge, vulnerary. Used for dandruff, oily hair, pimples, sores, eczema, inflamed skin, and stress. Used to calm, soothe the intestines, uplift mood, create euphoria, improve mental clarity, relieve muscular aches and pains, relieve menstrual discomfort, and relieve headaches.

MENTAL USES: I am loved. I love. I am love.

EMOTIONAL USES: Tensed, stressed, feel unloved or unwanted TO loving, loved, free, soaring, expansive.

SPIRITUAL USES: Can indicate that you have been under extreme pressure. Are you doing the work you were born to do or doing the work you are suppose to do and hating every minute? Are you asking for help both physically and spiritually? St. John's Wort clears tension from the etheric field. The tension can be like steel belts. The oil releases the tension creating feelings of freedom. It balances out the material and the spiritual needs of the person. "Give unto Caesar."

APPLICATIONS: Aroma lamp, bath, compress, diffusor, inhaler, light bulb ring, massage, mist spray, salve.

WARNINGS\CONTRAINDICATIONS: Photosensitizer, some allergic response, use with caution.