
Hypericum perforatum
Latin Name: Hypericum perforatum
Family: Hypericaceae
Main action: Regenerative, anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer.
It has a regenerative and anti-inflammatory effect. It is useful against ulcer disease, depression, periodic emotional disorder, anxiety, irritability, nervous tension, anxiety, smoking cessation, mouth rash, herpes.
Widespread: It grows in dry grassy and scrubby places, thinned forests and clearings, abandoned fields, roadsides and uncultivated places. It is spread all over Bulgaria up to 2000 m above sea level. It is found throughout Europe.
Content: Contains the coloring substances hypericin and pseudohypericin. They are condensed anthracene derivatives. The drug also contains catechin tanning substances up to 10%, flavonoid glucoses – hyperoside, rutin and quercitin, greenish colored essential oil (composed mainly of sesquiterpenes), ascorbic acid, resinous substances, a lot of carotene and traces of nicotinic acid.
Drug used: The drug consists only of the upper leafy flower-bearing stem parts of the plant (Hebra Hyperici). It is collected in June – August. During flowering, the leafy stems of the plant are cut about 20 cm from the top. The stalks are tied loosely into bundles and hung to dry on taut twine. The dry drug preserves the natural color of the fresh plant. Its taste is pungent-bitter, and its smell is pleasant, slightly balsamic.