Preparation and use of St. John’s wort tincture on vodka (alcohol)

The outstanding herbalist M. A. Nosal called St. John’s wort the most effective medicinal plant in our flora. The scientist claimed that all types of St. John’s wort have healing properties. However, for the preparation of tinctures, St. John’s wort (perforated) is usually used.

It is a perennial herbaceous plant, which has long been considered by the people as a cure for 99 diseases. There is a legend that St. John’s wort grew where drops of the blood of John the Baptist fell, so the grass is sometimes called Ivan’s blood.

Some philologists explain the formidable name of the plant by the fact that “St. John’s wort” is a distorted Kazakh word “dzherabay”, that is, “wound healer”. There is another version: the plant increases photosensitivity, and animals that have eaten it on a pasture experience skin itching in sunny weather.

Healing properties of St. John’s wort

St. John’s wort contains many useful substances:

• rutin and hyperoside – strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
• phytoncides – substances with antibiotic properties;
• hyperforin and hypericin are antidepressants;
• vitamin C – strengthens the immune system, accelerates regeneration, improves skin condition;
• nicotinic acid – normalizes the state of the cardiovascular and nervous system;
• tannins – accelerate wound healing, have a disinfecting effect;
• carotene – has a beneficial effect on vision, accelerates tissue regeneration;
• tocopherol (vitamin E) – antioxidant.

St. John’s wort tincture is used to treat:

• bleeding gums;
• colds and flu;
• diseases of the bronchi and lungs: from pneumonia to tuberculosis;
• infection with worms or pinworms;
• rheumatism;
• swelling (as a diuretic);
• headaches;
• depression;
• sharp mood swings with menopause;
• hypotension;
• acne, various rashes.

Although the plant also helps with low acidity, diseases of the gallbladder (as a choleretic agent) and liver, gynecological diseases, hemorrhoids, but in these cases it is recommended to drink not vodka tincture, but water infusion or decoction.

John’s wort collection

St. John’s wort is easy to distinguish by two signs:

• the leaves of the plant in the light seem to be perforated;
• if you pick a yellow St. John’s wort flower and rub your hand with it, a lilac-blue stain will remain on it: the grass juice contains a dye.

St. John’s wort usually grows in meadows, glades well-lit by the sun, forest edges, roadsides, sometimes it is specially planted in vegetable gardens. The height of the plant is 60–80 cm, the lower part of the stem is woody.

The grass blooms from June to August with small yellow flowers. It is during this period, when the plant acquires the greatest healing power, that it should be harvested. To prepare St. John’s wort tincture, cut off the tops of the stems along with the flowers. The length of the cut branches is about 20-30 cm. They are dried in a shady place.

St. John’s wort smells very pleasant, so not only healing, but also table tinctures are made from it. For tinctures, vodka, alcohol, double-cleaned home-brew are used. The main thing is that the alcohol is of high quality.

Recipes for table tinctures of St. John’s wort

To prepare a classic table tincture you will need:

• 0,5 l of vodka, moonshine double distillation or alcohol, diluted to 45 degrees;
• 2-3 tablespoons of chopped dry St. John’s wort.

St. John’s wort is poured into a glass jar, poured with vodka and placed in a dark place. Shake the tincture every 2-3 days. After 2 weeks, it is filtered and bottled.

To make the tincture more fragrant, you can add 2-3 g of dried oregano to St. John’s wort. If you do not like the bitter taste – dissolve 1-2 tablespoons of sugar or honey in vodka (to taste). To simply neutralize the bitterness, 1 tbsp is enough. l. sugar or 0,5 tbsp. l. honey.

This tincture improves digestion, helps with diarrhea, mild food poisoning, severe fatigue, starting a cold. The drink relieves the effects of stress, relieves insomnia. But in order to take courses, this tincture is not suitable.

“Winter” tincture of St. John’s wort on vodka:

• Xnum l vodka;
• 2–3 tbsp. l. dried hypericum;
• 1–2 tbsp. l. sugar or honey (to taste);
• 1 glass of cranberries.

Infuse for 2 weeks in a dark place, then strain, squeeze the cranberries. St. John’s wort tincture with cranberries is a good remedy for increasing immunity, with hypothermia, chills, runny nose, and symptoms of an incipient cold.

Therapeutic tinctures of St. John’s wort

Basic tincture recipe:

• 50 g of dry chopped St. John’s wort;
• 0,5 l of vodka or double distillation moonshine.

St. John’s wort is poured with vodka, insisted for 2 weeks in a warm place, then filtered. The shelf life of the drug is 2 years.

Recipe for tincture of St. John’s wort to combat worms and pinworms:

• 50 g of dry St. John’s wort;
• 250 ml of alcohol (it is not necessary to dilute, although you can replace it with vodka or moonshine).

The medicine is insisted for 2 weeks.

Application of tincture of St. John’s wort

St. John’s wort tincture, prepared according to the main recipe, is an antidepressant. It differs from many popular drugs in that it does not suppress sexual desire. It is taken with excessive anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia. It is also useful to drink tincture during menopause: the medicine not only soothes, but also relieves headaches.

Reception scheme:

• 30 drops of tincture diluted with 50 ml of water;
• drink 3 times a day an hour after meals;
• course of treatment – 2-3 months;
• no more than one course per six months is allowed.

If the disease does not manifest itself too strongly or because of the work it is impossible to take the medicine according to this scheme, there is another option:

• in the evening, before going to bed, drink warm tea with 1-2 teaspoons of tincture;
• course of treatment – a month.

St. John’s wort tincture for other diseases

For colds, bronchopulmonary diseases, swelling, St. John’s wort tincture on moonshine or vodka is taken according to the scheme:

• 40-50 drops of tincture diluted with 50 ml of water;
• drink 3-4 times a day an hour after meals;
• course of treatment – a month;
• interval between courses – a week;
• 2-3 courses in a row are allowed.

For pain in the joints, the tincture is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1 and warm compresses are made.

With bleeding gums, 1 teaspoon of tincture is diluted with 100 ml of water and rinsed with a mouth. With the same composition, you can gargle with a cold.

For rashes on the skin (including acne), prepare a lotion: 1 tsp. tinctures are dissolved in 200 ml of water. A cotton pad dipped in lotion is wiped over the face after washing. The cream is applied only after 20 minutes, when the skin is dry. To purify the blood, it is advisable to drink tincture for a month, 20 drops 3 times a day an hour after eating.

St. John’s wort lotion slows down skin aging and prevents the appearance of wrinkles.

Fight against worms and pinworms

To cleanse the body of worms and pinworms, take a concentrated tincture (50 g of St. John’s wort per 250 ml of alcohol) according to the scheme:

• 1 tsp dilute tinctures with 50 ml of water;
• drink 3 times a day half an hour before meals;
• course – 3 days;
• in the evening of the 3rd day, 15 minutes after taking the tincture, drink a laxative;
• interval between courses – 7 days;
• 4-5 courses may be needed to cleanse the body.

Contraindications to taking St. John’s wort tincture

John’s wort tincture is a strong choleretic agent. Therefore, in no case should it be drunk by people with a removed gallbladder.

The drug increases sensitivity to light. When treating with tincture, it is not recommended to stay in direct sunlight for a long time (sunbathe, walk, work in the garden).

Other contraindications:

• pregnancy;
• lactation;
• hypertension (tincture increases blood pressure);
• pancreatitis;
• age up to 18 years (rinsing the mouth and throat is allowed from the age of 12);
• treatment of infertility in men (after the end of the course of tincture, a short-term decrease in potency is possible);
• individual intolerance.

Tincture can significantly enhance or weaken the effect of drugs.

Before starting treatment with St. John’s wort tincture, you should consult your doctor.