Herbs of Utnapisjtim: The Master Thread

St John's wort [Hypericum perforatum]
In Norway we call it 'Perikum' or 'Johannesurt'. It's link to St. John has it's roots in Jerusalem, where the 'Johanite' warrior monks (today: 'Knights of Malta') used it to treat wounded crusaders [5]. It's of the Hypericaceae family, earlier Guttiferae or Clusiaceae. Blessed St John's has been cultivated as a medicinal herb since ancient times, and is found in temperate and subtropical regions in Europe and Asia, and has been introduced to the Americas ane elsewhere due to it's medical preference.

Bright yellow flowers on a plant is usually a sign it has great medical properties. St. John's wort was and is still used to tackle depression, nervousness and insomnia for example. It contains quite a few interesting chemicals, like hypericine, oligomeric procyanidines, tannins and flavonoides (quercetin), a few of which interacts with the limbic system and the production of certain neurotransmitters, like dopamin and serotonin, and this is the reason it is used as antiderpressant and even in treating Parkinson's disease. But ask your doctor before using it. Please read the warning at the end of this post.

An analysis of twenty-nine clinical trials with more than five thousand patients was conducted by Cochrane Collaboration. The review concluded that extracts of St John's wort were superior to placebo in patients with major depression. St John's wort had similar efficacy to standard antidepressants. The rate of side-effects was half that of newer SSRI antidepressants and one-fifth that of older tricyclic antidepressants.[1]

Used in all pulmonary complaints, bladder troubles, in suppression of urine, dysentery, worms, diarrhoea, hysteria and nervous depression, haemoptysis and other haemorrhages and jaundice. For children troubled with incontinence of urine at night an infusion or tea given before retiring will be found effectual; it is also useful in pulmonary consumption, chronic catarrh of the lungs, bowels or urinary passages. Externally for fomentations to dispel hard tumours, caked breasts, ecchymosis, etc.[6]

St John's has both antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects, mostly due to the hyperforin, hypericin and pseudohypericin in it's genetic makeup, making it an effective remedy for treating wounds, abrasions, burns, and muscle pain, but also certain viral infections. It has slight analgesic and sedative effects. Also an astringent it stops or reduce bleeding and diarrhea. It is also used against jaundice, working miracles to some livers. It's also an effective pectoral in chronic bronchitis and in removing excessive phlegm. A friend to the bed-wetter, a glass of St John's tea before bedtime is the recommendation.

==> Tea general: A teaspoon of dried or fresh St John's to one cup of boiled water[3]
==> Tea for depression: 2 teaspoons of dried wort to one cup of cold water. Boil up[4]
==> The oil of St. John's Wort is made from the flowers infused in olive oil.[6]
For treating wounds and analgesic effect: Use Hypericum oil, available at most pharmacies[4].

Warning! Make sure to ask your doctor before starting using this one, though, for it has some undesired pharmacokinetic and -dynamic interactions with certain medicine, including risen serotonin and decreased serum levels and can turn out to be life threatening in some cases, it can also cancel out the effect of some contraceptive pills, so be smart and consult your doctor first. In large doses, St John's wort is poisonous. Increased respiration and heart rate and fever are early signs of St John's wort poisoning. You have hereby been warned.

Sources:

[1] ==> en.wikipedia.org...
[2] ==> www.amazon.com...
[3] ==> Legeplanter (NKS, Norwegian) ISBN 82-508-0106-7
[4] ==> Legeplanter (Cappelen, Norwegian) ISBN 82-02-12667-3
[5] ==> Blomstermedisin (Carol Rudd, Norwegian) ISBN 3-8290-6169-2 (seems to be identical to this one here
[6] ==> www.botanical.com...
[7] ==> www.herballegacy.com...

Utnapisjtim
When the Germans defined their 'Reinheitsgebot' or the 'Bavarian Purity Law' in 1516, hops were the only herb allowed in the brewing process. However, original 'Pilsen' lager recipes allowed a wide array of herbs, primarly henbane, but also wormwood, yarrow and other often bitter herbs with similar psychoactive effects as that of hops, most often mild sedatives. Unlike stinging nettles, hops is still classified as a plant in the Cannabaceae family, and actually has much the same medicinal properties as it's famed cousins.

But be careful, for the result will be concentrated chemicals of varying toxicity depending on which plant you are using. We wouldnt want people to extract and drink sarin, would we?

Ironically, they chose Hops because of those sedative effects, whereas the other, more psychotropic and inebriating herbs produced a desire to do two frowned upon activities at the time... Imbibe more to excess, and then take home the beer wench.

Sage, In my opinion can be safely used as a brewing herb. I would not use Henbane! And, have only ever read of the dried seeds being used, not the plant itself. Not into wormwood, since I can safely drink sage ale [to excess]. Van Gogh was rumored to have been drinking absinthe when he cut off his ear... I like my ears.

Having also made Gruit with Yarrow, Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale) and Marsh Rosemary; there is a noticeable difference between hopped and unhopped ales that is in part probably due to the level of toxicity in the herbs used. Your Caution is not lost on me

This is all fascinating stuff, and I am learning a lot. Keep up the good work. I would love to see a writeup on hops. I grow them, but use them for a lot more than

Side note: Is Sarin plant derived? All that is coming to mind is Ricin.

J.B. Aloha
Ironically, they chose Hops because of those sedative effects, whereas the other, more psychotropic and inebriating herbs produced a desire to do two frowned upon activities at the time... Imbibe more to excess, and then take home the beer wench.

Sage, In my opinion can be safely used as a brewing herb. I would not use Henbane! And, have only ever read of the dried seeds being used, not the plant itself. Not into wormwood, since I can safely drink sage ale [to excess]. Van Gogh was rumored to have been drinking absinthe when he cut off his ear... I like my ears.

Indeed. I won't extrapolate too far here, fearing the mods going cross on us. But yes, I agree totally.

BTW: Van Gogh never sold a single painting in his whole [short] life. And the reason he used so much yellow in his pieces, is probably due to the absinthe he was drinking excessively. "Yellow-vision" is common when you get too much of the stuff over too long a period.

Having also made Gruit with Yarrow, Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale) and Marsh Rosemary; there is a noticeable difference between hopped and unhopped ales that is in part probably due to the level of toxicity in the herbs used. Your Caution is not lost on me

I'm planning on setting up a beer kit next winter, using this half year for research and shopping what I need.

This is all fascinating stuff, and I am learning a lot. Keep up the good work. I would love to see a writeup on hops. I grow them, but use them for a lot more than

Later, looks like I'll go for something rather exotic for tomorrow's post, either that or a more general post about a certain plant family everyone knows about, but few know much about.

Side note: Is Sarin plant derived? All that is coming to mind is Ricin.

I naturally meant Ricin. Sorry for the mix-up they kind of sound similar. Point is, there are many dangerous toxins in the Plantae kingdom, trying and failing isn't a good idea when plants is the subject.

Utnapisjtim

St John's wort [Hypericum perforatum]

This is one of my favourite plants. Found growing 'wild' or self-set, it is an indicator that you are standing in what was once an ancient forest.

It grows in profusion in my church-yard so no need for me to go hunting this one down.

KilgoreTrout
This is one of my favourite plants. Found growing 'wild' or self-set, it is an indicator that you are standing in what was once an ancient forest.

It grows in profusion in my church-yard so no need for me to go hunting this one down.

Kool, and yes, you can find it especially in fields where the conditions are best for it. Churchyards and the outskirts of open fields are typical. Like I mentioned in the OP, be warned if you take any kind of medication, esp. those pills that works directly on the brains, like nevroleptica, antidepressants and psychopharmaca (as well as many rogue street drugs). St John's might cancel out the effects or oposite, crank up these meds to a state where life, sanity and general health is at risk. So make sure to ask your doctor first.

Ironwood [Guaiacum Officinale]

Thought I'd bring in quite a curiosity to this thread for a change. All the ealier threads and posts have been dedicated to mostly wellknown herbs. This one is different. This one is special:

Native to the West India, Guaiacum Officinale is one of those plants that seems to have a split genealogy[1][2][3] and is a good example of how important it is to find and use the proper latin tax, and not their mythical or iconic names, eventhough they are in Latin or a modern Latin language or English. Also known as the Tree of Life or Lignum Vitae in Latin, or refered to as Palo Santo, Holy Wood in Spanish, it is thus called for it’s medicinal qualities and being nearly unbreakable to the ancients it is also one of the trees that are refered to as Ironwood[2]. Tea made from chips or resin applied in this way or the other, would cure "all kinds" of ailments.

G. officinale is one of two species yielding the true lignum vitae, the other being Guaiacum sanctum. Guaiac, a natural resin extracted from the wood, is a colorless compound that turns blue when placed in contact with substances that have peroxidase activity and then are exposed to hydrogen peroxide.[1]

Turns out Ironwood earned it’s tre-of-life renomé for it’s rumoured ability to cure syphilis which was a true epidemic that raged Europe for nearly a century back in the 16th century. The part that was used was the resin which was extracted left to dry and transformed into a fine colourless powder that would change colour if put in contact with certain gasses or fluids (thus it can for instance identify blood stains else invisible to the eye)[7].

The 1955 edition of the Textbook of Pharmacognosy also says that: "Guaiacum has a local stimulant action which is sometimes useful in sore throat. The resin is used in chronic gout and rheumatism, whilst the wood is an ingredient in the compound concentrated solution of sarsaparilla, which was formerly much used as an alterative in syphilis.”[4][

And more about it’s medicinal qualities from botanical.com:

It is a mild laxative and diuretic. For tonsilitis it is given in powdered form [U: powdered resin]. Specially useful for rheumatoid arthritis, also in chronic rheumatism and gout, relieving the pain and inflammation between the attacks, and lessening their recurrence if doses are continued. It acts as an acrid stimulant, increasing heat of body and circulation; when the decoction is taken hot and the body is kept warm, it acts as a diaphoretic, and if cool as a diuretic. Also largely used for secondary syphilis, skin diseases and scrofula.[5]

For more detailed descriptions of how to mix the medicine, se link to herballegacy.com below[6].

Looking back to it’s iron properties:

The genus [U: Guaiacum] is famous as the supplier of Lignum vitae, which is the heartwood of several species in the genus. It is the hardest wood that is measured using the Janka hardness test, requiring a force of 4,500 lbf (20,000 N) to embed a steel ball 0.444 in (1.13 cm) in diameter a distance half of that into the wood.[4]

All in all, it’s a fascinating plant with many almost mystical and supernatural aspects. If even half of what they say about this plant is true, it’s pretty amazing stuff.

Sources:
[1] ==> en.wikipedia.org...
[2] ==> en.wikipedia.org...
[3] ==> en.wikipedia.org...
[4] ==> en.wikipedia.org...
[5] ==> www.botanical.com...
[6] ==> Link to herballegacy.com about rheumatism and syphilis
[7] ==> en.wikipedia.org...