St. John's Wort

Hypericum perforatum

Chemotype: germacrene D / beta-caryophyllene type

herbaceoussweetfloralearthy

PLANT PART: leaves
EXTRACTION: hydrodistillation
AROMA NOTE: mid-base

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LEARN AS YOU COMPARE

What’s inside this oil?

Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.

I’m interested in

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FOLLOW YOUR SENSES

Aroma & character

A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.

herbaceoussweetfloralearthy

Aroma intensity: 45 / 100

Soft & subtleBold & expressive

Note layer: mid-base

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A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY

Using it thoughtfully

Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.

Cited dermal maximum · leave-on: No restriction cited
Phototoxicity: Not flagged in this profile
Oxidation risk: medium

A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.

No directly readable public source reviewed in this pass provided an essential-oil-specific phototoxic dermal limit for Hypericum perforatum leaf oil. Phototoxicity claims in public sources were mainly tied to whole-herb or infused-oil hypericin content rather than the distilled essential oil profile used here.

Contraindications & cautions

minorOral Hypericum perforatum extracts are well documented to induce CYP3A4/CYP2C9/CYP2C19 and P-glycoprotein, causing clinically significant interactions with drugs including HIV protease inhibitors, ciclosporin, tacrolimus, and oral contraceptives; this induction and the classic hypericin-driven photosensitization ('hypericism') are attributed to hyperforin and hypericin, non-volatile constituents that steam/hydrodistillation is not expected to carry into the essential oil (absent from this leaf-oil's GC profile). No dedicated pharmacokinetic or photosensitization study of the distilled essential oil itself was located in this pass, so oral/internal use of the essential oil by patients on CYP3A4-metabolized medications should still be approached cautiously pending direct data.

Read the complete safety guide

Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches

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THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT

Inside the oil

10 constituents

An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.

About this composition

This draft is anchored to a directly readable 2020 Biomolecules paper that separately analyzed Hypericum perforatum flower and leaf essential oils from Montana. The leaf oil was much more sesquiterpene-rich than the flower oil and provides the clearest public quantitative profile for a true essential oil record, with germacrene D, beta-caryophyllene, terpinen-4-ol, sabinene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, (E)-beta-ocimene, bicyclogermacrene, delta-cadinene, and myrcene as the main markers.

Constituent	Typical amount	Reported range	Chemical family	Source
germacrene D	25.7%	25.7–25.7%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include germacrene D 25.7%)
beta-caryophyllene	9.5%	9.5–9.5%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include beta-caryophyllene 9.5%)
terpinen-4-ol	7.4%	7.4–7.4%	monoterpene alcohol	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include terpinen-4-ol 7.4%)
sabinene	5.6%	5.6–5.6%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include sabinene 5.6%)
alpha-pinene	4.9%	4.9–4.9%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include alpha-pinene 4.9%)
beta-pinene	4.6%	4.6–4.6%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include beta-pinene 4.6%)
(E)-beta-ocimene	4.2%	4.2–4.2%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include (E)-beta-ocimene 4.2%)
bicyclogermacrene	2.5%	2.5–2.5%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include bicyclogermacrene 2.5%)
delta-cadinene	2.5%	2.5–2.5%	sesquiterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include delta-cadinene 2.5%)
myrcene	2.1%	2.1–2.1%	monoterpene hydrocarbon	View source Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ (Results section: HEO_Lv main components include myrcene 2.1%)

Profile source: Chemical Composition and Immunomodulatory Activity of Hypericum perforatum Essential Oils; St. John's wort flower oil; IFRA 50 Conformity Certificate Organic St. John's Wort Essential Oil · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7357012/ ; https://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/data/es1095421.html ; https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/20240117151345e_St_Johns_Wort_IFRA_50.pdf

A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY

Traditional & reported uses

These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.

traditionally used in folk herbal practice, with the essential oil valued mainly for its distinctive herbaceous-green aroma in blending
used in small proportions in natural perfumery for an earthy, green facet
traditionally associated with topical folk-herbal use, though usually as an infused oil rather than the distilled essential oil
used cautiously in aromatherapy due to its photosensitizing history as an herbal preparation

For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.

What we're still learning · 2 data gaps

Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.

This draft is anchored to a peer-reviewed leaf-oil profile, but the public odor references available on this pass describe St. John's wort flower oil or supplier material more generally rather than the exact Montana leaf-oil batch.
No directly readable public source reviewed in this pass published verified volatility-rate or tenacity-hour values for St. John's wort essential oil.