Vegetative growth of Hypericum Perforatum L. plants treated with high dynamized dilutions over different growing seasons

Abstract

Contextualization: The species Hypericum perforatum is widely applied for the treatment of several diseases, mainly for depression. The plant is not native to Brazil, a country that has a high degree of the disease, being considered a public health problem. Knowledge gap: The establishment of the species in the country can provide greater economic and demand autonomy, presenting itself as a treatment with few or no side effect. Purpose: Evaluate the use of highly potentialized dilutions and the influence of the growing season on the vegetative growth and contents of bioactive compounds in Hypericum perforatum plants. Methodology: Experiments were performed in two seasons: Spring/Summer and Summer/Autumn. The experimental plot consisted of 12 plants, 4 repetitions, and 5 treatments consisting of homeopathic preparations of Kali carbonicum, Natrum muriaticum, Phosphorus, and Silicea terra at 12CH, and distilled water as control, summing up 48 plants per treatment. The height of the longest branch, number of branches, dry mass of the shoots and dark glands were evaluated, as well as the amounts of phenolic compounds. Results and conclusions: Homeopathic preparations affected differently H. perforatum plants over the cultivated seasons. In the Spring/Summer experiment, the Silicea terra treatment promoted plant growth, differing from Phosphorus, but not from other treatments. In the Summer/Autumn experiment, the homeopathies Kali carbonicum, Natrum Muriaticum and Phosphorus increased the vegetative growth in relation to control. The experiment carried out in the Spring/Summer showed the best results, increasing the growth and the number of branches and affording higher biomass yield. The formation of dark glands was not stimulated by the use of homeopathic preparations, however, the Spring/Summer experiment promoted higher averages. The hypericin compound was not detected in any sample of H. perforatum leaves. This suggests the need for an extended cultivation time to accumulate that naphthodianthrone compound in the dark glands.

Keywords

• Hypericin
• Homeopathy
• Medicinal plant
• St. John's wort