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What is St. John's Wort and What is it used for?
St. John's Wort is Hypericum Perforatum. It is a short, yellow-flowering, wild-growing plant — healing herb to some; troublesome weed to others. It has a 2,400-year history of safe and effective usage in folk, herbal, and ancient medicine.
A series of recent double-blind, placebo-controlled studies indicate that a specific extract of Hypericum Perforatum was as effective as prescription anti-depressants but had far fewer side effects and cost considerably less
In Germany, more than fifty percent of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders are treated with Hypericum.
"St. John's Wort is a promising treatment for depression . . . Hypericum extracts were significantly superior to placebo and similarly effective as standard anti-depressants . . . The herb may offer an advantage, however, in terms of relative safety and tolerability, which might improve patient compliance." - British Medical Journal, August 3, 1996
How Does St. John's Wort Work?
The mechanism of action of St. John's Wort is not clearly understood. Some references suggest that it may act like a SSRI (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor) while others suggest that it acts like a MAOI (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor). At any rate, it can be predicted that the use of St. John's Wort concurrently with anti-depressant drugs or natural anti-depressants could potentize the effect of both.
St. Johns Wort Dosage Suggestions
The suggested dosage for St. Johns Wort is 200 to 1000 mg. of 0.3% standardized hypericin content per day. Start at the lower dosage and work up slowly. Discontinue if there are any apparent side effects. Do not use if you are taking any anti-depressant or anti-psychotic medications without consulting your physician first.
St. Johns Wort Precautions & Side Effects
Each individual responds differently to prescription medications, herbs, foods and practically everything else. Regardless of any claims that a substance is safe and free of side effects, one should always approach it cautiously. When trying a new substance, get all the information you can, consult your physician if there are any doubts about safety, and start slowly with low dosages.
St. John's Wort has been known to increase photo-sensitivity in animals and may theoretically cause this same reaction in some humans. We recommend that strong sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light (like "tanning booths") be avoided when taking St. John's Wort.
St. John's Wort should not be used by patients taking anti-depressant drugs. Combining the two could potentize the affects of each. Other drug interactions have been reported. Read this statement from the National Institute of Mental Health:
"Adverse interactions have been reported between St John's Wort (Hypericum), an herbal product used to treat depression, and two drugs: indinavir, a protease inhibitor used to treat HIV and cyclosporine, a drug used to reduce the risk of organ transplant rejection. Potentially dangerous changes in drug effects can occur when medications such as cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps) and warfarin (Coumadin) are taken with Hypericum extracts. Hypericum extracts can decrease the blood levels of anti-retroviral medications that are used in the treatment of HIV infection, thus making these drugs less effective. Recent data show that the plasma levels of the protease inhibitor indinavir (Crixivan) were reduced by more than 50% by Hypericum (St. John’s Wort) products." - National Institute of Mental Health
For Individuals not taking the medications listed above, St. John's Wort is a treatment option for mild cases of depression.
Where to Get St. John's Wort?
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St. John's Wort: The Herbal Way to Feeling Good by Norman E. Rosenthal
Rosenthal, an expert on depression who has appeared frequently in the media, describes how the herb St. John's wort (SJW), known since ancient times and available without a prescription, "may emerge as one of the most popular, effective and safest anti-depressants." Part I features SJW "success stories," anecdotal reports of the herb's role in successfully reducing symptoms of such conditions as subsyndromal depression, PMS and anxiety disorder. Part II gets down to the nitty-gritty: how to diagnose one's depression; involve (or get rid of) a doctor in treatment; and develop "an anti-depressant lifestyle." The history of the herb's use and reputation and its current scientific, government and economic status are considered in Part III. Rosenthal evenhandedly details what research has and has not been proven about SJW, and offers notably clear explanations of depressive disorders and pharmacology. Although he advocates appropriate use of SJW, Rosenthal repeatedly points out that those suffering severe depression should seek immediate professional help.
Hypericum (St. John's Wort) and Depression by Peter McWilliams, Mikael Nordfors, Harold H. Bloomfield In Hypericum & Depression, two noted psychiatrists report on research that could change the way depression is treated in America explaining what depression is, how to know if one is depressed, the medical effects of hypericum on depression, and where to find research-grade hypericum (noting that not all hypericum supplements are alike). Hypericum & Depression is enhanced with summaries of selected medical studies on the effect of hypericum upon a state of depression. Hypericum & Depression is "must" reading for anyone with an interest in alternative medicine and/or who suffers from chronic depression.
Disclaimer: The information in this article and on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. None of the products mentioned in this article or on this website are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information in this article is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional. This information is made available with the understanding that the author and publisher are not providing medical, psychological, or nutritional counseling services on this site. The information on this Web site does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, and interactions. Liability for individual actions or omissions based upon the contents of this site is expressly disclaimed. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the U.S. FDA.
