* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
Medicinal Usage
The herb is harvested just as the plant comes into bloom. A medicinal oil can be prepared by soaking a handful of the fresh flowers in a cup of olive oil for about three weeks. The yellow flowers will turn the oil a deep blood-red color.
St. John's wort oil has been a popular domestic remedy since ancient times. Externally it is applied to bruises, sprains, burns, skin irritations, or any laceration accompanied by severed nerve tissue. Internally a tea or tincture has been used for lung ailments, bladder infections, depressions, dysentery, diarrhea, and worms.
It has been highly esteemed as an antidepressant and sedative. It is resolvent, expectorant, nervine, and astringent. St. John's wort contains phototoxins which may cause photodermatitis in fair-skinned persons who use the herb internally, then become exposed to bright sunlight. Because of this propensity, in 1977, the FDA put this herb on its "unsafe herb list"
St. John's wort contains a glycoside - hypericine - (responsible for the plant's fluorescent red pigment and phototoxicity); the flavonoids quercetin, hypericin, and rutin, an essential oil, pectin and choline.
General Herb Information
Hypericum is a large genus with about 300 species. H. perforatum is a perennial herb growing from one to three feet high, native to Europe and naturalized in waste places and along roadsides in North America.
The stems are smooth, erect, and branching toward the top. The oblong, pale green leaves are sessile and about an inch long. The leaves are covered by translucent dots easily seen by holding the leaves up to light; these are the perforations of H. perforatum. The star-shaped golden yellow blossoms appear on terminal corymbs from June to August. The flowers are about an inch across and marked, especially along the margins, with minute dark dots and lines.
St. John's wort is best propagated from root divisions made in spring or fall, or by spring cuttings.
It is not particular about soil conditions, growing in any average garden soil. It does like good drainage, a slightly acid situation, and full sun.
How to Use the Herb
Commission E recommends a daily dose of 2-4 grams for internal use. The standardized supplement dose in Germany for internal use contains 0.3 percent hypericin. The drug starts to work after about six weeks for patients with mild to moderate depression.
User Group Forum
Share your questions and information with the ZooScape community!
Anonymous - May 15, 2006, 18:45
#10000500
Hello:My name is Pat from Colombia, south america, I am suffering of immsonia long ago, and I have st.johns wort caps, want to know if the expiration date is 2005 are they still good?
ZooScape Moderator - May 16, 2006, 08:34
#10000506
You should definitely not be taking the St. John's Wort capsules that you currently have as they are past their expiration date. Regardless of whether a product is herbal or pharmaceutical you should never consume them once they have expired.
ZooScape.com does carry a wide range of St. John's Wort products that you could use to help with your condition. Some other products that are recommended for insomnia are valerian root, passion flower and reishi mushroom. TerraVita manufactures Insomnia Formula, a blend of herbal ingredients that is specifically designed to assist people with the symptoms associated with insomnia and restlessness.
Directions
Take 1 capsule, 3 times daily, with meals.
Cautions
May increase sun sensitivity, especially in fair skinned individuals.
Seek professional medical advise prior to taking this product, if you are taking any of the following medications, MAO-inhibiting anti-depressants, anti-coagulants, oral contraceptives, anti-epilepsy drugs, antiretroviral drugs (protease inhibitors) or immunosupressants.
Additional Information
TerraVita is an exclusive line of premium-quality, natural source products that use only the finest, purest and most potent ingredients found around the world. TerraVita is hallmarked by the highest possible standards of purity, potency, stability and freshness. All of our products are prepared with the highest elements of quality control, from raw materials through the entire manufacturing process, up to and including the moment that the bottles or bags are sealed for freshness and shipped out to you. Our highest possible standards are certified by independent laboratories and backed by our personal guarantee.
TerraVita exists to meet and ensure your family's health and wellness without the harmful effects or chemicals and prescription medications. We strive to make all of our products affordable and reliable and are constantly searching the market to maintain our affordability and to look for new ways to serve you and the ones you love. TerraVita has become a trusted household name for many families and can bring you and yours the very best herbal supplements, blends, teas and spices that are on the market today.
TerraVita is packed in childproof, tamper-proof pharmaceutical-grade recyclable containers.
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
