Cultivation of Hypericum Perforatum (St. John’s Wort) and Biotechnological Approaches for Improvement of Plant Raw Material Quality

Hypericum perforatum L. is a species long used in traditional medicine of Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland. Since many years, it possesses the important position in official medicine in EU countries as a medicinal species for allopathic and homeopathic use. Hypericum perforatum herb, which is the raw material derived from this species, has a very rich chemical composition, containing naphtodianthrone derivatives (dimeric anthraquinones), flavonoids, catechins and their derivatives, phenolic acids, xanthones, phloroglucinol derivatives and essential oil. The generous chemical composition of this raw material determines its numerous possible therapeutic applications. This raw material is used in allopathy to treat digestive tract ailments, and in particular gallbladder dysfunction. It is also applied in the treatment of depressive disorders. The newest lines of biological activity documented by professional studies include neuroprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anticancer actions. H. perforatum can be found in plentiful natural locations in Europe; however, its natural resources are quickly depleted due to a very large demand for the raw material. For this reason, it is commercially cultivated on a large scale and with great success not only in European countries. Cultivation obviously ensures control and high quality of the raw material. The article reviews basic information on the morphology, ecology and distribution of this plant species. Taxonomic problems are also signaled. Chemical composition, traditional medicinal uses and new directions of biological activity confirmed by scientific researches are presented in detail, and cultivation requirements were thoroughly discussed. Moreover, numerous biotechnological studies of this species have been characterized. They are mostly related to the development of micropropagation protocols and procedures for endogenous production of secondary metabolites in various types of in vitro cultures. Some studies have also focused on elucidation of biogenetic pathways of different groups of secondary metabolites under in vitro conditions. A single study has explored the biotransformation potential of cells cultured in vitro.