Botanical Library
St. John's Wort
Holistic tradition
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At a glance
Where it's from
Native to Europe and Asia; naturalized in North America.
Look & taste
A wildflower with bright yellow, five-petalled blooms. Bitter, astringent
Signature compounds
Hypericin and hyperforin.
Traditionally used for
A traditional European herb for low mood and 'nervous' complaints.
In Canada, we can say...
Used in Herbal Medicine to help promote healthy mood balance, to relieve restlessness and nervousness (calmative), and to relieve sleep disturbances associated with mood imbalance. IMPORTANT: interacts with many medications.
Did you know?
Crush a flower bud and it 'bleeds' a deep red oil - the pigment hypericin.
History & natural history
Used since ancient Greece; named for blooming around St. John's Day in late June.
What we're actually allowed to say
🇨🇦 Health Canada
✓ Permitted: Used in Herbal Medicine to help promote healthy mood balance, to relieve restlessness and nervousness (calmative), and to relieve sleep disturbances associated with mood imbalance. IMPORTANT: interacts with many medications.
How to use it
As a standardized capsule - after checking for drug interactions.
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Request St. John's Wort →Side effects & safety
MAJOR drug interactions - do NOT use with antidepressants, birth control, blood thinners, anti-HIV or immunosuppressant medications (among others). Can increase sun sensitivity. Talk to a practitioner or pharmacist before use.
A note on how to read this page. Traditional (TCM / Ayurveda) and holistic notes are cultural and historical context, offered for education — not medical advice or health claims. Health Canada's permitted claims reflect what regulators have assessed. Emerging research is early, and not a promise of results. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always talk to your (or your pet's) health professional before starting a supplement.