Kantarion

Although in the last hundred years in technical, human and industrial development, man has advanced at enormous speeds and has reached unprecedented heights, although he has the enormous power to adjust the conditions in which he lives and much less depends on nature, it seems that man has never been in his history unhappy and lonely. In some major cities, such as Ninberg, depression, as a topic, has outperformed the scope of medical discussions and research. The city assembly also began discussing it. It is in Germany that the euphoria has begun, which continues today. Cantarion was proclaimed a natural prozoka, which has no major side effects and does not cause a habit.

Kantarion (Hypericum perforatum) belongs to a group of plants whose names indicate medicinal properties. In our language, it is also called cut (cantarion oil is one of the most famous folk remedies for wounds and burns), blasphemy or gospel grass (plants that the people associate with the Virgin are usually useful in so-called feminine diseases, messy menstrual periods, inflammation of the ovaries and etc.), or the grass of St. John. Interestingly, this plant is also called in Britain (St. Jhon's worth). In that country, it is customary to put a little cantarion under the pillow ahead of St. John's feast, it is believed that it will provide health and preserve life in the next year.
Cantaryon is a plant of extremely complex chemical composition - contains flavone heterozyde hyperoside, rutoside, quercitoside, which are considered to be responsible for the antiviral activity of cantarion. In the plant there are about 9% tannin, some resin, essential oil of pronounced antibacterial activity, choline, vitamin C and red hypericin. It was the hypericin that attracted the attention of the scientific public because it turned out that this substance is antidepressant. Preparations with hypericin inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO inhibitors) just like some synthetic anti-depressants. Studies on antidepressant properties of cantarion were particularly numerous in Germany where the use of plants for this purpose and the most widespread. Advantage of cantarion versus other antidepressants is in harmlessness and a small number of contraindications. It has been observed that hypericin has a phototoxic effect, that is, increases the sensitivity of the skin to the sun's rays.

This phenomenon was first noticed in cows that went into the cantarion and survived in the sun. On their skin burns were noticed. It is a big mistake to use kantarion oil for sunbathing, it is one of the best anti-burning medication, but after the lubrication of the skin it should not be exposed to the sun. Hypericin is a thermosetting substance (it does not tolerate high temperatures) and is difficult to obtain in pure form (in Switzerland, a special procedure for obtaining hypericin by vacuum distillation has been completed), one kilogram of this substance costs 10,000 euros. Some therapists claim that high concentrations of hypericin act anticancerally and help those who have suffered stroke.

Thanks to the flavone heterozyodes, the kantarion is ranked among the most effective antiviral plants in addition to echinacea, called, sweet root, spermicoli and imela. Many anti-influenza preparations on the European market contain extracts of these plants most commonly combined with zinc and vitamin C.