St. John’s Wort is a perennial shrub that is found around the world. The yellow flowers from the shrub are dried, then used as the herbal treatment St. John’s Wort is best known for. In Europe St. John’s Wort has been used for hundreds of years to treat wounds of the psyche and body.
Americans only began using St. John’s Wort during the past couple of decades. In the United States St. John’s Wort is used primarily in the treatment of depression. In Germany, unlike America, St. John’s Wort is prescribed by physicians more often than drugs like Paxil or Zoloft because St. John’s Wort features much milder side effects.
Though numerous studies have been done on the effectiveness of St. John’s Wort in recent years, it is still not understood just how St. John’s Wort works. St. John’s Wort appears to raise the levels of serotonin in the human brain, a neurotransmitter that influences our feelings of well-being.
1) St. John’s Wort has shown to be effective in the treatment of mild to moderate depression.
2) PMS and fibromylagia symptoms can be effectively treated with St. John’s Wort.
3) St. John’s Wort appears to help ease the experience of chronic pain.
4) Applied topically, St. John’s Wort is an anti-bacterial helpful in the tending of scrapes, burns, cuts, and skin irritations.
5) As a cream St. John’s Wort is becoming an increasingly popular treatment for hemorrhoids.
6) In addition to being useful for depression, St. John’s Wort decreases symptoms of anxiety.
7) St. John’s Wort is being used in the treatment of seasonal affectve disorder, which is caused by a shortage of daylight during the winter months.
8) Those who have difficulty sleeping have found St. John’s Wort useful in increasing the amount of rest they can get at night.
9) Chronic fatigue syndrome can be lessened through the use of St. John’s Wort.
10) For those experiencing stress in general, St. John’s Wort can have a relaxing effect.
Although St. John’s Wort itself is regarded as a safe herbal treatment, taken with antidepressant medications like Prozac St. John’s Wort can bring on severe side effects. Despite being available over the counter, it should not be taken in combination with other medicines, or by itself, without first consulting a physician.
Another possible negative interaction can occur when St. John’s Wort is taken along with oral contraceptives. Because St. John’s Wort may decrease the effectiveness of this form of birth control, sound medical advice is needed before taking St. John’s Wort with an oral contraceptive.
Side effects specific to St. John’s Wort may include upset stomach, fatigue, and dizziness. Most individuals, however, experience no negative side effects.
Copyright © Dennis Becker, 2004.
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