Chemical constituents and effect of topical application of Oleum Hyperici on skin sensitivity to simulated sun exposure

Hypericum perforatum is one of the oldest and most experimentally and clinically studied herbal drugs. In this work, using HPLC/MS/MS, we investigated the chemical composition of the methanolic extract of the flowering tops of Oleum Hyperici, an ancient remedy obtained following the methodology reported in Deutsche Arzneibuch 6 (DAB). The chemical composition of Oleum Hyperici was very different from that of the crude drug, in which two new phloroglucinols were identified for the first time. The main components responsible for the activity (hyperforin and its derivatives, hypericin and its derivatives) were not found in the oil extract. The sun protection factor (SPF) for Oleum Hyperici was demonstrated to be low.