Véritable millepertuis : effets, utilisation et dosage

True St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) botanically belongs to the St. John's Wort family. It thrives in Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. But it also grows abundantly in other parts of the world today. In Europe, no other plant of the genus is as widespread as True St. John's Wort – at forest and meadow edges, on embankments and forest clearings, even in the city and on railway ballast.

The plant, known by many names, loves partial shade and moderately warm to high temperatures. True St. John's Wort avoids acidic soil; instead, it prefers a nitrogen-poor substrate that can be slightly moist but also dry.

As widespread as True St. John's Wort is, its applications are equally broad. Due to its beneficial effects, it was already recognized as a medicinal plant in antiquity. As tea or tincture, it was supposed to help with menstrual complaints and also with mood swings caused by puberty.

Today, we know more about the effects of True St. John's Wort and can attribute to it great medical potential: especially as a herbal sedative and antidepressant – it is among the phytopharmaceuticals most commonly used for these purposes in Europe. The German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology (DGPPN) lists it for optional treatment of depression. In 2015, scientists at the University of Würzburg named the herb the Medicinal Plant of the Year.

The ingredient responsible for the medicinal effect of True St. John's Wort and its use as an antidepressant is considered to be hyperforin. In addition, the plant contains 2 to 4 percent other flavonoids and bioflavonoids. Essential oils form additional ingredients.

The plant, considered a weed outside of targeted cultivation, grows up to 100 cm tall. The stems branch increasingly upwards. True St. John's Wort can be recognized by its long, pointed leaves. The golden flowers consist of five petals.

Its name goes back to John the Baptist, in whose honor St. John's Day is celebrated on June 24th. This is the time when True St. John's Wort begins to bloom. Although the plant has a wide range of applications, its individual components are toxic.