HypericumSpecies01

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Erect noxious perennial, to 1.2 m tall, with rhizomes and showy, bright yellow flowers. Foliage is dotted with tiny translucent and black oil glands that contain hypericin, a fluorescent red pigment that is toxic to livestock when consumed in quantity, especially to animals with light-colored skin. Toxicity symptoms include skin photosensitivity of light-colored areas and loss of condition. Most animals graze plants only when more desirable forage is unavailable. In herbal medicine, hypericin is the antidepressant ingredient in St. Johnswort remedies. There are several regional varieties of common St. Johnswort. The variety in the Pacific Northwest is aggressively competitive and can spread rapidly by seed and rhizomes. By 1940, more than 2 million hectares (~ 1 million ha in California) of range lands were infested. Several years later, the leaf-feeding flea beetles Chrysolina quadrigemina and C. hyperici and the root-boring beetle Agrilus hyperici were successfully introduced as biocontrol agents. Today infestations of the weed have been reduced by 97 to 99 %. Localized outbreaks of the plant sometimes occur after disturbances such as logging, fire, or during low population cycles of the flea and root-boring beetles. Introduced from Europe where it has been used medicinally for centuries.

Stems with numerous sterile shoots 2-10 cm long from the lower leaf axils, highly branched near the top, glabrous, often reddish, with black glands along 2 longitudinal ridges. Leaves opposite, elliptic-oblong to linear, 1-3 cm long, sessile, flat, glabrous, green, 3- to 5-veined from the base, dotted with numerous, tiny translucent glands that are visible when a leaf is held up to the light. Edges of leaf lower surfaces lined with elevated black glands. Margins rolled under (revolute).

FLOWERS:June-September. Flowers bright yellow, ~ 2 cm in diameter, clustered at the stem tips. Petals 5, separate, 8-12 mm long, typically dotted with black glands along the margins. Sepals 5, linear-lanceolate, 4-5 mm long, much shorter than petals. Stamens yellow, numerous. Styles 3, 3-10 mm long. Plants typically do not flower the first year. Insect pollinated and apomictic (seed develops without pollination).

FRUITS and SEEDS:Capsules 3-chambered, ovate, not lobed, sticky-glandular, 5-10 mm long, with persistent styles 3-10 mm long, open longitudinally to release seed. Seed shiny black to brown, nearly cylindrical, ~ 1 mm long, densely pitted, often coated with gelatinous material from the capsule that aids dispersal and may inhibit germination until it breaks down or leaches out in about 4-6 months.

This species, as other Hypericum, may contain hypericin, a promising compound providing protective control of viral diseases (Duke 1989) and anti-depressant action (Ullman 1997).

Data Collected by Archbold Biological Station’s Plant Ecology Lab: We have collected annual census data (4993 individuals, 1994-2002) from 15 sites across a gradient of time-since-fire in Archbold Biological Station. We have also collected annual census data from natural and human-modified habitats in the Lake Wales Ridge Forest (2320 individuals, 1996-2001). Monthly, quarterly and biannual data was obtained during several germination and seedling survival experiments and observation trials. We have estimated seed production (1994-2001). We counted the number of flowers, fruits, and reproductive buds for each studied individual during their reproductive peak in August-September of each year, except 1997 and 1999. We used linear regressions relating plant height and number of reproductive structures (logarithm transformed data) to estimate number of fruits in these 2 years (all r2 > 0.75, n = 20 per site). In 1995, 1996, and 1998 the most distal mature fruit of randomly selected individuals in each population was also collected, and number of viable seeds counted. Allozyme analysis allowed the resolution of 18 loci, with 6.2 mean percent loci polymorphic.

St. John's Wort should NOT be used while pregnant or if breast feeding. There is a slight possibility that it may interfere with conception in couples trying to conceive. Therefore, it should not be used by couples attempting to conceive a baby, especially if they suspect problems with infertility.

Whether St. John's Wort can interfere with conception is controversial. In a recent study, []a researcher took hamster eggs, placed them in solutions of 4 different herbs: St. John's Wort, echinacea, saw palmetto and one other herb. He then exposed them to hamster sperm to see if fertilization was impeded. He found that 3 out of the 4 herbs did interfere with conception, including St. John's Wort . One would suspect that a test tube full of herbal extract would not be a conducive environment for fertilization. Yet, interestingly, while St. John's Wort and two other herbs interfered with fertilization, the saw palmetto extract didn't seem to cause any problems.

It is a perennial, hardy plant that grows 1-3 feet tall, is shrub like, and has a woody root, lower stalk and branching, two-edged stems. Its composite leaves are green ovate to oblong and with reddish translucent subsurface oil glands. The 5-petaled flowers, arranged in terminal cymes, are bright yellow with multiple stamens and bloom from June through August. The sepals and petals are black dotted, frequently more so along the edges. The fruit is an ovate, three valvular capsule. Crushing the flowers produces a deep purple dye.

It grows throughout the United States, Australia and Europe in woods, open fields, and on the sides of roads. It grows especially well in lime rich soils. Other species of Hypericum grow throughout the world and most have a reputation as healing herbs. 3 / 4

St. John’s Wort also has a reputation as an invasive weed which can be harmful to livestock when ingested (see Toxicology and also, Adverse Effects) As such, considerable time and effort have been expended in efforts to control it’s growth. In 1946, within the United States, the agricultural community introduced the Klamath weed beetle (Chrysolina quadrigemina) to biologically control this "weed". 5 Through this biological approach to control, the herb today is at an estimated 1% of its original population. 6 Problems arising from its toxic effects on livestock and tenacious growth have also caused it to become a vexation in Australia where it was introduced as a healing herb in the `1880’s.7

As a healing herb, the plant is thought to have been traditionally used for anxiety, depression, burns, wounds, bruises, nerve injuries, rheumatism, gout, jaundice, neuralgia, inflammation and ulcers. Usage in England can be traced back as far as the 1600’s. With the onset of European colonization of America, it was discovered that the Native people of America also prescribed this herb for medicinal purposes. They are said to have used St. John’s Wort for the treatment of diarrhea, fevers, snakebite, wounds and some skin problems. It was a common folk remedy in the 1800’s for infection and inflammation, however, as with many herbs, it lost it’s appeal by the early 1900’s and further with the onset of antibiotics and modern allopathic medicine.

Though its popularity in America waned , its usage continued in Germany where it was used internally to treat depression, anxiety, nervous unrest and externally for contusions, myalgia, and first degree burns. The German Commission E recognized Hypericum Perforatum (dried above ground parts) as an approved herb in 1984. 8 It should be noted that though there are other species of Hypericum they are not mentioned in the Commission E monographs and very little medical research has been conducted on them to date.

St John’s Wort is considered a safe herb and incidents of adverse reactions are rare however it is not recommended for allergic or photosensitive individuals. 8/20

Though all parts of the plant leaves, stems and flowers may be used, the fresh flowers and tops are thought to have the most potency and are the parts approved for use by the German Commission E. St. John's Wort yields its properties in water, ether, or alcohol. 8 It has been reported that the fresh flowers contain the highest concentrations of the constituent, Hypericin.

St. John's Wort's full therapeutic potential has yet to be determined. Hypericin (a glycoside) was initially thought by many to be the main active constituent responsible for Hypericum's success in treating depression. Current research, however, has shown that this may not be the case. Many believe that its abilities are derived from a number of other active ingredients. (See Pharmacology and Clinical Studies) Usually though, Hypericin content is still used when referring to standardized extracts.