St. John's Wort is a well studied natural alternative to anti-depressants in the U.S. but it's history and uses go well beyond depression as you can see. It's exciting to learn about it's well documented properties proving St. John's Wort essential oil to be of great value medicinally as new findings continue to be revealed. "St. John’s wort (SJW), known botanically as Hypericum perforatum, is a sprawling, leafy herb that grows in open, disturbed areas throughout much of the world’s temperate regions. The use of this species as an herbal remedy to treat a variety of internal and external ailments dates back to the time of the ancient Greeks. Since then, it has remained a popular treatment for anxiety, depression, cuts, and burns. Recent research suggests the effectiveness of this herb in treating other ailments, including cancer, inflammation-related disorders, and bacterial and viral diseases, and as an antioxidant and neuroprotective agent. Pharmaceutical companies, particularly in Europe, prepare standard formulations of this herb that are taken by millions of people."
In the herbal/massage world there's a well loved basic formula for a carrier oil blend called, Trauma Oil. The basic blend usually consists of St. John's Wort, Arnica and Calendula flowers infused in olive oil with occasional variations. Trauma carrier oil is often used all by itself because it's so healing, calming and analgesic. If you wanted to step things up a notch Helichrysum and Lavender are especially compatible with Trauma Oil. I'm taking the traditional another step further by supporting therapeutic St. John's Wort essential oil in my pure salve base of organic, unrefined coconut oil (gmo-tested), organic olive oil (real olive oil, make sure yours it too), beeswax, rosehip seed oil and non-gmo, Kosher certified vitamin e for added anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial protective properties. How can St. John's Wort Salve be used?
It's fascinating to me that powerful essential oils like this can be so soft, like Frankincense, St. John's Wort essential oil is a non-irritant and non-sensitizing. Many herbalists consider the herb to be safe for children but remember, essential oil is much more potent than an infusion. Always use sparingly, less is more! St. John's Wort is photosensitive like citrus oils, be careful of topical application areas that will be exposed to sunlight. If you're curious to know more about the extensive research and nothing short of amazing properties of St. John's Wort check out this article from PubMed! Help for opiate withdrawal without side effects, included. Medical Attributes of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) As mentioned in this paper, there's a lot of conflicting information about SJW and drug interactions and the lines are somewhat blurred about internal or external use and drug interference. As always, it's best to check with your health care provider if you're on any medication before using SJW.
