Acacia nilotica / Arabic Gum / Leguminosae (Pea family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Arabic Gum, Acacia, Acacia Gum, Acacia Syrup, Indian Gum, Turkey Gum.

Scent

It has its own very light, typically resinous scent.

Contents

Chemically, Arabic Gum is a combination of complex polysaccharides and proteins. On the molecular level, this arabino-galactan-protein complex is a beautiful amalgamation of complex branches, trapping water inside, for the use of the plant. The gum contains 12-17% of moisture and a trace of sugar, and yields 2.7-4% of ash, consisting almost entirely of calcium, magnesium and potassium carbonates. Arabic Gum is colorless, tasteless, and soluble in cold water.

Historical

During the Middle Ages, Gum Arabic trade was carried on through ports controlled by the Turkish Empire, thus giving rise to the name "Turkey Gum". An export trade was also developed for a time around Bombay, thus, "East Indian" or "Indian Gum".
Gum Arabic is highly nutritious. During the time of the harvest, the Moors of the desert are said to live almost entirely on it, and it has been proved that 200g is sufficient to support an adult for 24 hours. It is related that the Bushman Hottentots have been known in times of scarcity to support themselves on it for days.

Plant Description

A tree with a single central stem and a dense flat-topped crown, bark without any papery peel, rough, gray or brown, with pubescent, rarely glabrous inflorescence, and pods variable in size, rounded to somewhat pointed but not rostrate or acuminate at apex. Widespread in tropical Africa from Mozambique, Zambia to Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. Cultivated in India, Nigeria, and Pakistan.
Strangely, Gum Arabic is only produced by trees that are in an unhealthy condition. Gum yields are improved by natural factors that lessen the vitality of the trees: Hot weather, poor soil, lack of moisture, etc.
It is important to remember that a damaged tree will give a larger yield of gum. Thus, the natives will cut and strip the bark from a tree and return later to remove the tears of gum that form in the wounds or scars. Within 3-8 weeks, the gum will start to collect in the wound, but this depends on the weather conditions. Gum droplets are about 1-2cm in diameter, and they gradually dry and harden on exposure to the atmosphere. A young tree will yield 400-7000g annually.

Articles

Any information provided about products on this website, including any links to external websites, is purely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and should never be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the products.

Acacia nilotica (L.) Del. (Gum Arabic)
Acacia nilotica - Wikipedia

Myrciaria dubia / Camu Camu / Myrtaceae (Myrtle family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Paullinia cupana / Guarana / Sapindaceae (Soapberry family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Contents

Guarana seeds contain caffeine 0.9%-7.6% (called guaranine by the german botanist Theodore von Martius who isolated it). They also cantain Adenine, Catechutannic-acid, Choline, D-catechin, Guanine, Hypoxanthine, Mucilage, Saponin, Starch, Tannin, Theobromine, Theophylline, Timbonine, Xanthine (2).

Historical

The uses of this plant by the Amerindians predates the discovery of Brazil. South American Indian tribes (especially the Guaranis, from whence the plant's name is derived) dry and roast the seeds and mix them into a paste with water. They then use it much the same way as chocolate - to prepare various foods, drinks, and medicines. According to a myth dating back to the Sateré-Maué tribe, guarana's domestication originated with a deity killing a beloved village child. In order to console the villagers, a more benevolent god plucked the left eye from the child and planted it in the forest, resulting in the wild variety of guarana. The god then plucked the right eye from the child and planted it in the village, giving rise to domesticated guarana.
Over centuries the many benefits of guaraná have been passed on to explorers and settlers. This plant was introduced to western civilization in the 17th century following its discovery by Father Felip Betendorf. By 1958, guarana was commercialized. Eighty percent of the world's commercial production of guaraná paste is in the middle of the Amazon rainforest in northern Brazil - still performed by the Guarani Indians, who wild-harvest the seeds and process them into paste by hand. (1)(2)

Plant Description

Paullinia Cupana (Paullinia sorbilis) is a climbing, shrubby vine, growing in northern Brazil, in moist, sandy locations. The flexible stem is very long, and takes root readily wherever it touches the ground, so that a single plant often extends over considerable space. In the wild state the vine attaches itself to large trees, and the fruit is difficult to collect, and of small yield; the vine is cultivated without support. The leaves are alternate, stipulate, and consist each of 5 smooth leaflets. The flowers are small, numerous, and disposed in erect, axillary, close panicles; the sepals are 5, the petals are 4, and have each a large pubescent scale on the inside, near the base; the stamens are 8, attached to a thick column. The pistil has a 3-lobed ovary, and a sessile, 3-parted stigma. The fruit is pear-shaped, and generally has a single brownish seed attached to the base, and nearly filling the pericarp. (3)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Norway

References

(1) Guaraná, Raintree Plant Database
(2) Guarana, Wikipedia
(3) Guarana (U. S. P.)—Guarana. King's American Dispensatory, by Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D., 1898
(4) Document: NL E4-0-C-REF, Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

Cannabis sativa / Hemp / Cannabinaceae (Hemp family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Hydrocotyle asiatica / Hydrocotyle / Umbelliferae (Carrot family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Bevilacqua, Brahmamanduki, Brahmi, Centelase, Centella asiatica, Chi-hsueh Ts'ao, Gotu Kola, Hydrocotyle , Indian pennywort, Kaki kuda, Khulakudi, Luei gong gen, Madecassol, Man t'ien hsing, Marsh penny, Nandukparni, Sheep rot, Thankuni, Tsubo kusa, Water pennywort, White rot.

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Norway

Lepidium meyenii / Maca / Cruciferae (Mustard family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Peruvian ginseng, Maka, Lepidium peruvianum, Lepidium weddellii, Lepidium affine, Lepidium gelidum

Contents

Alkaloids, Amino Acids (Alanine, Arginine, Aspartate, Glutamine, Glycine, Histidine, OH-proline, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Sarcosine, Serine, Threonine, Tyrosine, Valine), Fatty Acids (Lauric, Myristic, Palmitic, Palmitoleic, Linoleic, Oleic, Stearic, Arachidic, Behenic, Nervonic, Lignoceric, Tridecanoic, 7-Tridecanoic, Pentadecanoic, 7-Pentadecanoic, Heptadecanoic, 9-Heptadecanoic, Nonadecanoic, 11-Nonadecanoic, 15-Eicosenoic,), Vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B12, C, D, & E), Minerals (Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc), Sterols (Brassicasterol, Ergosterol, Ergostadienol, Campesterol, Sitosterol, Stigmasterol) Carbohydrates, Protein, benzyl isothiocyanate, p-methoxybenzyl isothiocyanate, â-ecdysone, Saponins, Tannins (1) .

The nutritional benevolence of Maca is regarded by some as amazing. It resembles cereal grains such as maize, rice and wheat in food value. Although composition varies according to various factors (harvest conditions, soil content, etc.), Maca has at least 5 times more protein, 4 times more fiber and less fat than a potato. It has an excellent saturated/unsaturated fat ratio (0.76: 40.1% saturated, 52.7% unsaturated) and contains 2 of the 3 (Linoleic and Oleic) essential fatty acids. It contains an exceptional amino acid profile with seven of the nine essential amino acids. It includes a variety of vitamins and minerals, and per US % Daily Value, is high in copper (100%), iron (23%) and calcium (18%). It is low calorie, low cholesterol, low sodium, low fat, and high in protein.

Historical

Maca is a true Puna plant and the only known cruciferous crop originating in the Americas. Although it has been previously reported that Maca was first domesticated about 2000 years ago by the Inca Indians, evidence suggests that it was actually domesticated during the pre-Inca Arcaicia Period (5000-1800 BC) with a date of 3800 BC. Primitive cultivars of Maca have been found in archaeological sites dating as far back as 1600 B.C. Thus, Maca has a history as a food staple for over 5800 years. Prior to the Inca's mass propagation, it was widely grown and harvested as a food source by the Pumpush, Yaros, and Ayarmaca indians.

It is unsure when the Andean Indians first began trading Maca to communities at lower elevations for other staples, but it has a history as a valued commodity. Following the Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire in the 16th century, Maca was recommended by the local Indians as a feed for their domesticates that were experiencing fertility problems associated with high altitudes. The results were so notable as to warrant in-depth reports. In 1549, the visiting Spanish encomendero de Soto Mayor was given Maca as a tribute which he subsequently used to improve the fertility of livestock in Castille, and in 1572 the Chinchaycochas Indians used Maca in bartering. Spanish Colonial records indicate in one instance that 9 tons of Maca were used as a method of payment. (1)

Maca is traditionally consumed fresh or dried. The fresh roots are roasted in the field as "Huatias" or "Pachamancas" and eaten directly as one would a potato. Said to have a unique tangy taste and an aroma similar to butterscotch. The dry roots are also hydrated overnight and then parboiled in either milk or water until soft, to make a sweet aromatic porridge called "Mazamorra." The boiled roots are also mixed with fruit juice and milk to prepare a thick broth and can also be liquified to prepare juices and cocktails. In Huancayo, Peru, even Maca jam and pudding are popular. It also makes a popular fermented drink known as "Maca Chicha". This is often mixed with rum to make "Coctel de Maca".

Today, locals consume it boiled alongside dried vicuña meat in soups; or diced with carrots, peas and cauliflowers in salads. Maca flour is used to make sponge cake. Flavored with chocolate, it is made into maca puffs. Villagers offer visitors maca drinks and maca juice; airports sell maca toffees.(4)

Plant Description

The genus Lepidium belongs to the family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae, which includes approximately 175 species. The aerial part of maca has 12 to 20 leaves, and the foliage forms a mat-like, creeping system of stems that grows close to the soil. The underground portion of the plant, known as the hypocotyl, is a storage organ and is the part that is used commercially. The hypocotyl can be a variety of colors, such as red, purple, cream, yellow, or black, and is 10 to 14 cm long and 3 to 5 cm wide; a cold climate seems to be critical for its formation or growth. Maca is cultivated in a narrow, high-altitude zone of the Andes Mountains in Peru, particularly near Carhuamayo and Junin. Maca has one of the highest frost tolerances of any cultivated plant, allowing it to grow at altitudes of 3,800 to 4,800 m above sea level in the puna and suni ecosystems, where only alpine grasses and bitter potatoes can survive. (3)

References

(1) Maca, Raintree Tropical Plant Database
(2) Document: NL E4-0-C-REF, Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
(3) Complete Maca information, Drugs.com
(4) On a Remote Path to Cures, New York Times

Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane / MSM / sulfur compound

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Contents

MSM and its related compounds are the source of 85 percent of the sulfur found in all living organisms. Many researchers believe that sulfur, the eighth most abundant element in the body, is a sorely neglected mineral nutrient and plays an indispensable role in human nutrition.
Methyl-sulfonyl-methane (MSM) is a naturally occurring sulfur compound found in our bodies as well as in many common beverages and foods, including milk, coffee, tea and green vegetables. In its purified chemical form, it is an odorless, essentially tasteless, white, water-soluble crystalline solid. It is one of the safest substances in biology, similar in toxicity to water.

Historical

For centuries, mankind has soaked in sulfur-rich mineral hot springs to help heal a variety of ailments. While sulfur's natural anti-inflammatory properties have shown benefits for a range of health problems, including arthritis, muscle and joint pain, much is still unknown about precisely how sulfur works in the body.

Morinda citrifolia / Noni / Rubiaceae (Coffee family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

great morinda, Indian mulberry, beach mulberry, Tahitian noni, cheese fruit

Contents

Analyzed as a whole fruit powder, noni fruit has excellent levels of carbohydrates and dietary fiber, providing 55% and 100% of the Dietary Reference Intakes, respectively, in a 100 g serving. A good source of protein (12% DRI), noni pulp is low in total fats (4% DRI). The main micronutrient features of noni pulp powder include exceptional vitamin C content (10x DRI) and substantial amounts of niacin (vitamin B3), iron and potassium. Vitamin A, calcium and sodium are present in moderate amounts. It also contains oligo- and polysaccharides, glycosides, scopoletin, beta-sitosterol, damnacanthal, alkaloids. (2)

Historical

About 2000 years ago, the ancient peoples of French Polynesia colonized islands throughout the South Pacific. As they made their voyages, they brought with them sacred plants from their home islands. These plants
had within them basic foods, construction materials and medicines used by the colonizers. Morinda citrifolia L (noni) is one of the most important traditional Polynesian medicinal plants. Remedies from isolated Polynesian cultures, such as that of Rotuma, illustrate traditional indications that focus upon leaves, roots, bark, and green fruit, primarily for topical ailments. Anecdotally collected Hawaiian remedies that employ noni fruit illustrate changing usage patterns with shifts in recent times to preparation of juice made of ripe or decaying fruit. (1)
This species was commonly cultivated as a dye plant; the bark contains a red pigment and the roots a yellow pigment used in dying kapa. (3)

Plant Description

Small trees or shrubs 3-6 m tall; stems 4-angled, glabrous. Leaves glossy, membranous, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 20-45 cm long, 7-25 cm wide, glabrous, petioles stout, 1.5-2 cm long, stipules connate or distinct, 10-12 mm long, apex entire or 2-3lobed. Flowers perfect, ca. 75-90 in ovoid to globose heads, peduncles 10-30 mm long; calyx a truncate rim; corolla white, 5-lobed, the tube greenish white, 7-9 mm long, the lobes oblong-deltate, ca. 7 mm long; stamens 5, scarcely exserted; style ca. 15 mm long. Syncarp yellowish white, fleshy, 5-10 cm long, ca. 3-4 cm in diameter, soft and foetid when ripe. Seeds with a distinct air chamber. Native from southeastern Asia to Australia; in Hawai’i a Polynesian introduction originally cultivated for its medicinal and dye properties, now naturalized in relatively dry to mesic sites, 0-450 m, in solution pits near the coast, disturbed hala forest, dry to mesic forest, and alien grassland, on all of the main islands except not documented from Kaho’olawe. (3)

References

(1) From Polynesian Healers to Health Food Stores: Changing Perspectives of Morinda citrifolia (Rubiaceae), Will McClatchey
(2) Noni, Wikipedia
(3) The Noni Website, University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.

Spirulina platensis / Spirulina / Cyanobacteria (Blue-green Algae family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

AFA-algae, BGA, Blue-green algae, Dihe, Pond scum, Spirulina, Spirulina fusiformis, Spirulina platensis, Tecuitlatl.

Hypericum perforatum / St. John's Wort / Hypericaceae (St. John's Wort family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Amber Touch-and-Heal, Hardhay, Hypericum, Klamath Weed, Millepertuis, Rosin Rose, SJW, Tipton Weed and Goat Weed.

Contents

St. John’s wort contains a large number of active compounds, the best studied of which are Hypericin, pseudohypericin and Hyperforin. It also contains essential oils, tannins and flavonoids (3)

Historical

St. John’s wort has a long history of use in many cultures dating back to pre-Christian times. Romans burned the herb at bonfires as part of the Mid-summers day celebrations while in England, people used St. John’s wort to protect against witchcraft, evil spirits, enchantments and even storms and thunder by draping the plant over doorways, windows and even on their bodies. Priests were said to exorcise demons using the herb and it was also thought to drive away the evil eye. On the Isle of Man, one superstition claimed that anyone who stood on the plant after sunset would be taken away by a fairy horse to ride through the night until sunrise. (7)

St. John’s wort also has a history of use in folk medicine in several different cultures dating back to ancient Greece. Native Americans also used the herb internally to help relieve stomach ailments and to fight tuberculosis. (3)(7)

The popularity and scientific interest in St. John’s wort has increased greatly in recent years and it is currently being prescribed in Germany in some cases to treat mild depression especially in children, adolescents and where costs are a concern. (6) Several studies have shown St. John’s wort to be more effective than placebo in treating mild to moderate depression while having fewer side effects than conventional antidepressants. (5) Some research has also suggested that St. John’s wort helps to support digestion, improve the appearance of the skin, support the excretory functions of the kidneys and improve overall health. (4)

Health Warnings

St. John’s wort has been noted to increase sensitivity to light. Other side effects can include anxiety, dry mouth, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, headache, or sexual dysfunction. (1)
St. John’s wort has also been noted to have interactions with several drugs including (1):
Antidepressants
Birth control pills
Cyclosporine, which prevents the body from rejecting transplanted organs
Digoxin
Indinavir and possibly other drugs used to control HIV infection
Irinotecan and possibly other drugs used to treat cancer
Warfarin and related anticoagulants

Plant Description

H. Perforatum is a long living perennial with flowers that grows 300-1200 mm tall. Its leaves are opposite, ovate to linear and 15-30 mm long. The leaves have translucent dots which become obvious when held against the light and there are five petals to each flower which are bright yellow in color with black dots. It is a fast growing and invasive plant and listed as a noxious weed in more than twenty countries. It is native to temperate zones of Europe and western Asia but has spread to many other areas. (2)(3)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Norway

References

(1) St. John's Wort, US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(2) Herbal Harvest, Greg Whitten
(3) St John’s wort, Wikipedia
(4) Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, Jelling, Jeff M.
(5) St John's wort for depression--an overview and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials., Linde K, Ramirez G, Mulrow CD, Pauls A, Weidenhammer W, Melchart D.
(6) Antidepressant use in children and adolescents in Germany., Fegert JM, Kölch M, Zito JM, Glaeske G, Janhsen K.
(7) Aromatherapy, Roberta Wilson