mehomonculus
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query into Hyperforin
I have been looking into Hypericum perforatum, I purchased a pound of this stuff, without any details being
further specified by the providing company. I have been in contact with them several times and so far have not been able to get much additional
information on it.
It is my idea to become rather proficient at understanding and using this herb, and to do it as cheaply as possible, with as much reliability as
possible. I have some reason to believe it is an antidepressant that outperforms at least a handful of others in my experience.
For starters, though there are a couple of companies that are out there and actually appear to know what they are doing, and are making extracts and
tablets that are standardized for hyperforin content. Most of the stuff out there on the market however, is, if standardized at all, standardized to
hypericin content, which it turns out may not be a very effective substance to standardize to. Not to mention that the better brands require ordering
and are quite expensive, and I tend to want to understand this plant and the pharmacognocy of it pretty well anyway.
To complicate matters, it appears hyperforin is quite unstable. At present I am simply grinding up the bulk herb, sieving it, and then capping it up,
luckily I am getting a pretty good average of 0.5 g / cap so at least for now, in this form I am able to hold down at least one variable. I have
looked for good sources for pharmacognosy but unfortunately, while I have found some sources of free journals I am not able to locate too much of
direct relevance. If anyone has pointers or ideas on any of the following it would be helpful:
*simple ways to determine hyperforin content.
*sources of free pharmacognosy (in general or relevent to this specific plant
*personal experiences
*clever tips for preventing oxidation beyond simply squeezing the air out of the bulk bag, and keeping the thing in the dark
*anything else you consider relevant.
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hissingnoise
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I have John's Wort bushes in my front and back gardens but I've not tried extractions from them.
I'm more interested in the cannabis in my garden which grows alongside it.
Interestingly, the smell of John's Wort is very similar to that of cannabis.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=sfoKAAAAEBAJ&printsec=a...
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mehomonculus
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Okay... those are called St. Johns Wort... several species of Hypericum seem to produce the active component, though there are nursery species called
St. Johns Wort that are a separate species and may or may not have much of the active components in them.
As far as your other plants go: great, have fun... thanks for the link to the patent.
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winter_mute
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Hyperforin and related....
Without going too much into herbal medicine theory and practice, youre likely to be much better off using a complex mixture extract from the plant,
rather than isolating one particular compound.
Buying bulk herb, when this plant grows wild in abundance and free for the taking. You get as fresh as possible, there is no question about it being
what it is supposed to be, and I can say from experience it is very satisfying to gather something you will be using yourself.
Not an option right now, I dont think, unless you live somewhere below Zone5B. In Zone 5, flowering begins mid-June. Leaves and flowers, lot more
good sources of how-to and what than me 
Extraction really is not that difficult, a methanol/water extraction would be sufficient. Methanol because hyperforins et all dissolve best in it, I'm
sure ISO or something else could be used if more steps or solvent were used. You should end up with a reddish-brown gunk. Again, lot better sources to
be found for particulars.
Also, speaking from experience, crude black pepper extract is quite something for relieving depression, I was really floored by what it did. Not sure
on long-term effects or if there is a withdrawal syndrome from Piperine and related, and it is not something to be eaten in single high doses. It
really does work very well.
[Edited on 17-9-2011 by winter_mute]
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