St Johns Wort

St John’s wort is the common name for a plant known as Hypericum. The use of St John’s wort as a medicinal treatment dates back several millennia to the times of the ancient Greeks and possibly even further back. The Greeks used St John’s wort as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent, and it was sometime drunk as a tea with the notion that it promoted a general feeling of calm and well-being. It has also been various employed down the ages as a pain suppressant and treatment for arthritis and ulcers, as well as menstrual pains and diarrhea.

Today, St John’s wort is most often deployed as a treatment for mental illnesses including anxiety and depression. Indeed, many doctors prescribe it as a healthy herbal alternative to more standard depression drugs such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates, particularly useful for the treatment of children and also in cases where cost-effective treatment is a necessity. St John’s wort is available over the counter in a variety of forms, including pills and capsules, tinctures, and as a traditional tea drink.

Recent research has also shown that agents in St John’s wort called hyperforins can help decrease alcohol intake, making it somewhat effective as a supplementary treatment for alcoholism and related conditions.

In terms of treating mental illness, clinical trial show St John’s wort to be effective as a treatment for mild to moderate depression. Additionally, it has less reported side effects than traditional drug treatments for mental illness, and so is preferred in many cases. Double blind trials showed the effectiveness of St John’s wort on a similar level to popular antidepressant drugs, and much greater than the control group. It is also the case that St. John’s wort is effective for a greater percentage of people than antidepressant drugs usually are. These results have been reproduced in many similar trials and are accepted to be accurate, which is why St John’s wort is recognized as a useful, potent and legitimate depression treatment.

The mechanism behind the effectiveness of St John’s wort as an antidepressant is still under investigation. Scientists believe that it has something to do with chemicals in the plant inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the brain, effectively making St John’s wort a natural SSRI. The components thought to be responsible for this action primarily are hypericin and hyperforin, but St John’s wort also contains significant levels of tannins and flavinoids, both antioxidants, which may cause complimentary beneficial effects in terms of combating free-radicals that may otherwise damage the tissue of cells.

Hyperforin, the most revealing of the two, has been proven to inhibit GABA, noradernaline and dopamine reuptake, which leads scientists to believe that it may also inhibit the reuptake of serotinin, effectively depressing the central nervous system. Additionally, hyperforin is a potent antibiotic and antiseptic, and this may contribute to a more general feeling of well-being that in turn leads to an improvement in mental health. Due to its antiseptic quality, preparations of St John’s wort have proven effective in treating various bronchial disorders and build-up of mucous in the throat and sinuses. It can also be used topically to treat bacterial infections such as in the case of boils.

Some people swear by St John’s wort as a treatment for lower back pain, and this may stem from its function as an antidepressant and therefore its ability to ‘numb’ the nervous system. The exact mechanism behind such an action remains unclear.

Bell’s Palsy sufferers have also claimed its effectiveness in relieving their symptoms when applied topically to the affected area (in this case the face).

St John’s wort has something of a reputation for being a ‘blood tonic’, with claims that it can improve the blood flow and help prevent blood vessels from becoming constricted, though if this is indeed the case, there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend it as a treatment for those prone to cardiovascular problems.

Preparations of St John’s wort vary considerably, and studies have so far been unable to identify an optimal dosage, so it is difficult to make product recommendations. Generally, you should be looking for around two to four grams of either dried herbs or liquid extract, which is best taken three times a day. St John’s wort is available over the counter without a prescription in most places, and it is perfectly safe for most people to try it either as a general health supplement or as a treatment for mild symptoms of depression, though ideally any prolonged feeling of sickness, being ‘run-down’ or depressed should be discussed with a medical professional. It will typically take around a month before any beneficial effects may be expected.

There are few reported side-effects of St John’s wort, and most people are very receptive to preparations of it. However, some may experience side-effects after taking St John’s wort, including confusion, dizziness and stomach upset. In rare cases, it can cause hyper photosensitivity, which can be particularly dangerous for people who live or work in areas of strong sunlight and should be addressed immediately.

As with any antidepressant treatment, it may be necessary to reduce the dosage gradually when coming off a course of St John’s wort, to avoid relapses and symptoms of withdrawal. It may also cause mania in depressive patients, as with most antidepressant therapies.