St. John’s wort belongs to the St. John’s wort family and is found throughout Europe. There are over 400 species worldwide.

Ingredients

St. John’s wort contains hypericins, hyperforins and flavonoids, which are responsible for its effectiveness in treating depressive moods and nervous restlessness.

Effect of St. John’s wort

Medicinal plant research. It is now medically recognized that St. John’s wort can have a positive effect on the mental state. Accordingly, St. John’s wort is used for mild depression, as it has a mood-lifting, mood-balancing and motivation-enhancing effect.

The antidepressant effect of St. John’s wort has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years due to an increase in the concentration of certain messenger substances such as dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline, which are released in reduced quantities in the brain during depression. Hyperforin influences the nervous system so that the balance of these messenger substances in the brain is restored. However, no positive effects are known for severe or chronic depression.

In addition to depressive disorders, St. John’s wort is also used in naturopathy to treat nervousness, tension, insomnia and anxiety. The medicinal plant has also proven effective for bruises, contusions, sprains and minor burns, as it has anti-inflammatory properties.

Peppermint is a perennial plant that grows to a height of 50 to 90 centimetres and belongs to the labiate family. The plant reproduces itself through root runners, from which new peppermint plants sprout. The fragrant essential oils make peppermint a popular medicinal plant.

Ingredients of peppermint

Peppermint leaves contain essential oils such as menthol, menthone and menthofuran. Menthol is responsible for the typical peppermint smell. Peppermint leaves also contain tannins and flavonoids.

Effects of peppermint

Peppermint is said to have several effects. It has antibacterial, calming, anti-inflammatory, germicidal, choleretic, antispasmodic and analgesic properties. As a medicinal plant, it is mainly used for stomach and intestinal complaints. The essential oil (peppermint oil) stimulates digestion and causes more bile acids to be produced. It also relaxes the muscles of the intestinal wall, relieving abdominal cramps. Peppermint also has healing properties for the respiratory tract. Inhaled peppermint oil loosens stuck mucus in the bronchial tubes and clears the airways for colds and coughs.

Use of peppermint

Peppermint is often used internally as a tea – especially for stomach and intestinal disorders. The tea can also be used externally for baths, washes and compresses. As an essential oil, peppermint can be inhaled for colds or rubbed on the chest. However, caution is advised when using the oil: People who suffer from asthma must check with their doctor before inhaling peppermint oil. Inhaling essential oils can trigger an asthma attack. In addition, the oil should not get into the eyes as it is very irritating.

With its diverse range of plants, nature has numerous little helpers for our health. We present these in our medicinal plant special. Today: mugwort.

Mugwort doesn’t look like much – yellow-white or grayish flower baskets, elongated green leaves, green stems. That’s it. Its health benefits are quite different. The composite plant is said to have a digestive and antispasmodic effect. It is also said to have antibacterial, blood circulation and labor-promoting effects. Many of these effects can be explained by the numerous bitter and tannic substances and the composition of the essential oil. This consists of camphor, thujone and linalool, among other things. The herb also contains flavonoids, hydroxycoumarins, polyins and triterpenes. The most important ingredients are the strongly bitter sesquiterpene lactones.

Mugwort is used for all kinds of cramps, gastrointestinal complaints, menstrual pain and menopausal symptoms. In medicinal applications, all components of mugwort, i.e. root, leaves and panicles, are used in tinctures or teas. In the past, mugwort was used much more frequently, for example for epilepsy, neuroses and insomnia.

Mistletoe is found in Asia and Europe and is a spherical shrub that grows on deciduous and coniferous trees. It is green all year round and reaches a diameter of up to 100 cm. Mistletoe also bears fruit: white or red berries. However, only the leaves are used in naturopathy.

Mistletoe ingredients

Mistletoe contains the following substances: Acetylcholine, alkaloids, asparagine, bitter substances, choline, resin, histamine, inositol, lectins, oleanolic acid, pyridine, saponins, mucilage, tyramine, viscalbin, viscine, viscotoxin, xanthophyll, zinc (read more about the ingredients of medicinal plants here).

Effects of mistletoe

Mistletoe has a calming, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antispasmodic and revitalizing effect on the skin. It is said to have an overall positive effect on the immune system.

Use of mistletoe

In naturopathy, mistletoe is mainly used to treat high blood pressure and cancer in the form of teas or tinctures. In the case of high blood pressure, it is used because mistletoe slows down the heartbeat. Mistletoe is not used as the sole treatment for cancer, but as a complementary therapy. As mistletoe strengthens the immune system, which has been weakened by chemotherapy, the treatment improves the quality of life of cancer patients. In what way? By improving the general well-being of the cancer patient. For example, mistletoe stimulates the appetite and improves the mood.