SJW’s anti-inflammatory, vulnerary, astringent, and antimicrobial actions make it a powerful healer for wounds, bruises, burns, sprains, and muscle pain. Used as an infused oil, salve, or poultice, SJW will reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation associated with many injuries that affect the skin and muscles (Hardin, 2014). Its antiseptic properties (Chevallier, 1996) help prevent infection in wounds and burns. SJW helps relieve the pain associated with damaged nerves and neuralgia, and is helpful for painful sciatica, shingles, and rheumatism. It can even heal and repair nerve sensation in nerves damaged by traumatic injury or other causes. In fact, SJW is known as “arnica for the nerves” due to its strong healing abilities. Germany’s Commission E approved external preparation of SJW for use for “sharp or abrasive wounds, muscle pain, and first-degree burns” (American Botanic Council, 1999). One clinical study of SJW as treatment for wound healing and scarring associated with Caesarean surgeries found that women treated with SJW ointment experienced “significant differences in wound healing on the 10th day…and scar formation on the 40th day postpartum” as women in the placebo and control groups, as well as significantly lower pain and itching (Samadi, 2010).
SJW’s active constituents hypericin and pseudohypericin are antiviral (Tillotson, 2001), and SJW is used to treat viral infections such as herpes (cold) sores, influenza, HIV, and AIDS (Tierra, 2003; Edwards, 2000; McIntyre, 1996).
SJW is also considered a urinary system tonic and can relieve bedwetting in children and incontinence (McIntyre, 1996). Herbalist Margaret Grieve gives us this advice: “For children troubled with incontinence of urine at night an infusion or tea given before retiring will be found effectual” (Grieve, 1931). As Holmes (1997) states, “SJW’s action on the bladder stands out” due to its energetic ability to tonify the kidneys and clear damp-cold in the urinogenital system, and recommends SJW for difficult, painful urination, incontinence, bedwetting, and mucus in the urine.
