Articles by Steena Barnett - Medical Herbalist

 

St John`s Wort is a one metre high, yellow flowered plant with red stamens.
It has been used for approximately 2,500 years mostly for depression.

The Latin name is Hypericum perforatum due to the leaves having tiny pin prick holes in them. Hyerpicum contains hypericun and hyperforin.

Hypericum has been proven to be more effective, and have less side effects than many leading

anti depressants. It seems to stabilize serotonin in the brain and so has an enormous potential use for anxiety, depression, headaches, multiple sclerosis, menopausal problems, ADD.

Hypericum is starting to show amazing possibilities as an anti viral drug both internally and externally.
It works especially well on enveloped viruses and is one of the extracts used in our wonderful cold sore
remedy.
Hypericum has been found to be useful for chicken pox, shingles (the red oil is especially soothing on the skin) and latest news show the Chinese government is starting to test Hypericum extract for use against Asian bird flu.
If you are taking orthodox medications or wish to come off them to start Hypericum, please do come and see us to ensure you are taking the correct dose, also due to hypericums ability to activate detoxing enxymes within the body, it cannot be taken with drugs which have a very specific action eg warfarin and neveripine (HIV nnti`s)

 

The return of the red oil

At last, St Johns wort oil has been harvested in NSW.
It is considered a weed except on properties where it is grown for the plant and oil. The oil comes from the
red stamens which gives it the characteristic colour.
The flowers are put into a glass jar with olive oil poured over them and left on a sunny window sill for
one week when the oil is strained and a fresh batch of flowers introduced. This carries on until the redness
is a deep beautiful glowing colour.

 

The oil we use in the clinic comes from the farm of Andrew Pengally, one of the worlds leading authorities
on plant constituents.
The pure oil plus lavender e.o. is used for the pain of Shingles and chicken pox. Pure oil plus wild yam extract, lavender and rosemary e.o. is used to reduce joint/arthritic pain, and the pain of torn cartilages and degenerating discs.

 

 

 

Copyright
Steena Barnett, M.N.I.M.H, M.N.H.A.A., Cert Phyt (1990)