How To Make St. John’s Wort Tincture (Herbal Medicine)

Last Updated on June 1, 2025 by Nico

St. John’s Wort tincture can help to reduce symptoms of depression and support your overall mood. This St. John’s Wort tincture recipe is simple to make and uses only two ingredients.

St. John’s Wort (scientifically known as hypericum perforatum), is a flowering plant native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It tends to bloom just after the summer solstice and has edible leaves and bright yellow flowers. 

The plant has a long history of use in herbal medicine, including in ancient Greece and Rome. Its name comes from its traditional flowering and harvesting time around the feast day of St. John the Baptist in late June. It is particularly known for its mood-enhancing powers and was used in traditional herbal medicine to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and nerve pain. Today, it continues to be studied and used to provide overall mood support.

Other DIY tinctures that can help with anxiety, depression, and sleep are basil tincture and chamomile tincture.

Benefits of St. John’s Wort tincture

Antidepressant effects – St. John’s Wort is most known for its antidepressant properties. Research suggests that it may help alleviate symptoms of mild to moderate depression by increasing levels of serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline in the brain.

Anti-anxiety properties – It may also have mild anti-anxiety effects due to its impact on the nervous system. This can include making neurotransmitters in the brain (particularly serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline) more accessible.

Improved mood – Regular use of St. John’s Wort tincture may contribute to a mood boost and overall more positive mood. It’s been reported to help alleviate symptoms of seasonal affective disorder which can appear in the winter months.

Sleep support – Some people have found that St. John’s Wort can help to improve sleep quality and make it easier to fall and stay asleep through the night.

Nerve pain relief – It has been suggested that St. John’s Wort may provide relief from certain nerve pain.

Support menopausal symptoms – While more research is needed, some women use St. John’s Wort to alleviate symptoms associated with menopause, such as mood swings and hot flashes.

Anti-inflammatory properties – St. John’s Wort has several compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties such as quercetin, rutin, and hyperforin. This means that consuming the tincture may help alleviate symptoms of inflammation from conditions like arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and more.

Fresh or dried flowers

You can use either fresh or dried St. John’s Wort to make this tincture. I use dried flower heads in the winter and fresh flowers and leaves in the summer when I have access to them.

Like other medicinal herbs, if you are harvesting fresh plant material, it’s best to do so in the morning, before the full sun reaches the flowers. When it becomes hot and the flowers get direct sunlight, the plant’s essential oils become less condensed, which will reduce the strength of your tincture. To harvest the flowers, simply use garden shears or scissors to snip off the flower heads.

How to make St. John’s Wort tincture

Tools

An airtight container with a plastic lid – I use a glass mason jar with parchment paper between the metal lid and tincture or extraction to prevent the alcohol from corroding the metal.

Small bottle with dropper tops – I use these ones

A fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or coffee filter

A small funnel

A knife – to chop up fresh St. John’s Wort

Supplies

Fresh or dried St. John’s Wort – Here’s a source for dried St. John’s Wort but it’s not organic

80-proof vodka (or 40% alcohol) – You can use organic alcohol if you would like – I tend to use what I have. If you want to avoid alcohol, you can swap out the alcohol for store-bought apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin. I use this bulk raw apple cider vinegar.

For complete measurements, see the printable recipe card below.

Instructions

Fully sanitise your glass jar and lid.

If you’re using fresh flowers, rinse them to remove any visible dirt and debris. It’s a good idea to pat them dry or allow them to air dry to avoid having excess water content in your tincture.

Use a knife to chop up the flowers or a pestle and mortar to crush the plant material. This is done to maximise the surface area that is exposed to alcohol when the tincture is steeping.

Add the flowers to a glass jar. If you’re using fresh flowers, fill the jar ¾ of the way full. If you’re using dried plant material, fill the jar about ⅓ of the way full, to leave room for the alcohol to be absorbed.

Submerge the St. John’s Wort in alcohol. You want everything to be coming covered.

Add a lid to the jar and shake it for 30 seconds to mix everything together.

Set the jar in a dark, cool place away from direct sunlight for 6-8 weeks. Aim to shake the jar 3-4 times a week to make sure everything remains covered in alcohol.

After 6-8 weeks, use cheesecloth, a fine mesh strainer, or a coffee filter to strain off the tincture.

Make sure to remove the plant material from the liquid completely. If you don’t the tincture could go bad more quickly. I strain off my tinctures a few times to remove everything fully. If you used fresh flowers, you could use a coffee filter to catch any residual dirt.

Use a small funnel to pour the tincture into an amber glass bottle. I like to use the bottles that come with a dropper because it makes using the tincture simpler but just use what you have.

Date and label the finished tincture so you remember what it is and when you made it. 

The best way to help the tincture last a long time is to store it in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight.

That’s it – enjoy!

How much St. John’s Wort tincture to take?

I like to take 1 dropper full (or roughly 1 teaspoon) per day 2-3 times a day to support my mood during the colder months. You can start by taking a small amount and work your way up.

How long does St. John’s Wort tincture last?

Like many homemade alcohol-based herbal tinctures, this tincture has a long shelf life if stored away from direct sunlight. I like to use the tincture within 1-2 years.

How to consume St. John’s Wort tincture?

Directly under the tongue – The fastest way to take the tincture is to place the dosage under your tongue. Hold it there for 30 seconds and then swallow. This is a great way to quickly allow the medicinal benefits to be rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream. 

Diluted in water or juice – Add the dosage to a small amount of water or juice to dilute the flavour. 

In tea or coffee – Add the dosage to a cup of herbal tea or coffee for an added nutritional boost.

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I’m not a medical professional and do not intend to offer medical or health advice in any content I create. I offer information for educational purposes and, as always, get your physician’s advice or the advice of your health care practitioner before trying a new herbal remedy. There are always possible unintended consequences of trying new herbal remedies such as allergic reactions or unexpected side effects like interactions with other prescription medications. 

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