Why use a plant such as St. John's wort? Tincture of this herb has a lot of useful properties. Such a tool can be made independently, or can be purchased at any pharmacy. About how and why the drug is used, we will tell right now.
Pharmacological action of herbal remedies
What are the properties of a drug based on such a plant as St. John's wort? Tincture made on alcohol, vodka or moonshine contains derivatives of anthracene. These include hypericin and pseudo-hypericin. The drug also includes flavonoids such as quercetin, hyperoside, isocvercitin, rutin and amentoflavon.
In addition to these components, St. John's wort tincture contains alcohol, xanthones, essential oils, acylchloroglucinols, oligomers, caffeic acid derivatives (including chlorogenic acid), procyanidins and other catechin tannins.
Drug properties
What are the properties of St. John's wort? Tincture and decoctions from this plant are capable of exerting mild anxiolytic, sedative and antidepressant effects. Also, the drug has a stimulating effect on all organs of the gastrointestinal tract and blood circulation in general. In addition, it has a general tonic effect.
Experts say that the antidepressant effect of this plant is due to the fact that its active components are able to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and other neurotransmitters, as well as affect the metabolism of melatonin.
Due to the high content of flavonoids, the drug in question has a fairly strong anti-inflammatory effect.
Indications for the use of herbal remedies
What is St. John's wort used for ? Tincture made from this herb is used for reactive and symptomatic depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance.
It should also be noted that such a remedy is often prescribed as an additional drug for endogenous depression, including during the menopause. In addition, St. John's wort tincture with vodka or alcohol is used to treat various diseases of the lungs, intestines, stomach and gall bladder.
Most patients take this drug inside. However, experts say that it can be used externally. This is done with muscle and joint pain (as an additional tool), as well as with herpes zoster, hemorrhages and for disinfection of wounds.
Contraindications to the use of a herbal preparation
In what cases is St. John's wort contraindicated? Alcohol tincture is not prescribed for patients with increased sensitivity to biologically active substances of the plant, as well as in conjunction with the use of MAO inhibitors.
Methods of use and dosage of the drug
How is tincture of hypericum used? The use of this drug depends on the indications. The dosage of tincture may be different. Therefore, only the attending physician should prescribe it.
Inside, tincture of vodka or moonshine should be taken 40 or 50 drops three times a day. To rinse the throat or oral cavity, the same amount of the drug is dissolved in half a glass of ordinary water.
If you decide to use not an alcohol preparation, but an infusion on water, then 1/3 cup three times a day, half an hour before meals, is prescribed inside. Also, such a tool is used to rinse the oral cavity. Before use, the drug should be shaken.
If the herbal remedy is used topically, then it is rubbed with light massaging movements and is not washed off.
Side effects
Are there any side effects of St. John's wort tincture on moonshine, vodka or alcohol? When using the drug in recommended doses and strictly according to indications, undesirable effects almost never occur. However, constipation, a feeling of fullness of the stomach and photosensitivity cannot be ruled out.
Drug interaction
What features does tincture of St. John's wort have on vodka or alcohol? Before using such a herbal preparation, it is necessary to read the instructions or consult a doctor. The latter should tell the patient about the drug interaction of this drug:
- Co-administration of the drug with MAO inhibitors can enhance the development and effects of hypertensive crisis.
- Reception of St. John's wort tincture significantly affects the concentration in the blood of any drugs that are metabolized with the participation of enzymes belonging to the cytochrome P450 system.
- The concomitant use of the drug with Digoxin can reduce its effectiveness, and after canceling the tincture, increase its toxicity.
- With the simultaneous administration of tannic acids contained in St. John's wort, inhibit the absorption of iron.
- Taking medications based on St. John's wort reduces the concentration of “Theophylline” in the blood, especially in patients who regularly receive it.
- There are reports of the development of acyclic bleeding when combined with St. John's wort (including tinctures) with oral contraceptives, which contain a combination of levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol.
- Simultaneous administration of tincture with Fluoxetine, Fluvoxamine, Paroxetine, Citalopram and Sertraline enhances the development and effects of the serotonin syndrome (that is, the patient develops tremor, increased sweating, confusion, redness, agitation).
- When sharing the drug with Cyclosporine, the concentration of the second in the blood plasma decreases.
special instructions
Experts suggest that tincture of St. John's wort in high concentrations and doses can damage human reproductive cells. It should also be noted that this drug is not recommended to be taken during pregnancy and during breastfeeding.
Infusion and tincture of St. John's wort: recipes
Despite the fact that this drug has a fairly low cost, most people do it on their own. To do this, you can use different components (for example, vodka, alcohol, moonshine, etc.).
For the preparation of tinctures on vodka, you need to use only freshly picked grass. They thoroughly wash and chop it with a knife. Having laid the plant in a glass jar, it is poured with 40-degree vodka in a ratio of 1: 5. After that, the resulting mass is thoroughly mixed with a spoon, covered with a lid and left to infuse in a dark place for 10-14 days.
Over time, the finished drug is taken as prescribed by the doctor. As a rule, tincture of vodka is drunk in the amount of 40 drops twice or thrice a day.
If you decide to make a tincture for alcohol, then you should take 4 tablespoons of chopped grass and put it in a small jar. The plant is filled with ½ cup of 95-99% alcohol, the mixture is put in a dark place and kept for about 10 days.
After the time has passed, the tincture is filtered and poured into a small jar of dark glass. Such a drug is taken three times a day for 15 or 20 drops (can be previously diluted with water).
Now you know how to prepare tincture of St. John's wort. However, it should be noted that such a drug can be done not only using moonshine, vodka or alcohol, but also using ordinary water. For this, dried grass in the amount of 1 large spoon is poured with boiling water, covered with a lid and left in this form for 30 minutes. Over time, the infusion is filtered and drunk before meals three or four times a day in ¼ cup. This tool has the same properties as alcohol tincture. However, it should not be stored for longer than a day. Cooked broth must be drunk during the day.
When using a filter bag it is placed in an enameled or glass dish, pour 100 ml of boiling water, cover with a lid and insist for about ¼ hour. After that, the contents of the filter bag are squeezed out strongly, and the volume of herbal remedy is adjusted to 100 ml (boiled water). In this form, it is taken before meals for 3-5 large spoons.
Use in traditional medicine
Despite the fact that tincture of St. John's wort is sold in pharmacies and is often prescribed by doctors, such a tool is often used in alternative medicine. This drug is used as an antiseptic, antibacterial, wound healing, tonic, analgesic, astringent, anthelmintic, diuretic, choleretic, antirheumatic and regenerative medicine.
We can not say that supporters of traditional medicine often treat St. John's wort colic, cough, liver disease, diarrhea, and also strengthen the gums.
A medicinal plant and preparations based on it are very often used for purulent wounds, burns, rhinitis, sinusitis, phlegmon, pharyngitis and mastitis. In addition, there is evidence that the tincture of St. John's wort is very effective in such a serious ailment as an abscess.
The mentioned plant can heal a stomach ulcer, gout and diseases of the nervous system. By the way, St. John's wort is actively used in folk medicine for the treatment of depressive psychoses, hysteria and insomnia. Such fragrant grass copes well with epilepsy.
Infusions and decoctions of St. John's wort on the water well save people from gynecological diseases and heart diseases, flu and colds, enuresis in children, hemorrhoids, headaches, tuberculosis and rheumatism. Also, such drugs are used for diseases of the mammary glands and the genitourinary system.
It should be noted that a strong infusion of the mentioned plant will forever save you from bad breath. If you have children, then St. John's wort tincture will help cure finger abscesses and skin rashes.