Healing Properties Of St John’s Wort
St John's Wort
Overview of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
St. John’s Wort has a history of being used as a medicine dating back to ancient Greece, where it was used for a range of illnesses, including various “nervous disorders.” It is also known as Tipton’s weed, chase-devil or Klamath weed. St. John’s Wort also has antibacterial and antiviral properties. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it has been applied to the skin to help heal wounds and burns. St. John’s Wort is one of the most commonly purchased herbal products in the United States. In recent years, St. John’ s Wort has been studied extensively as a treatment for depression. Most studies show that St. John’s Wort may help treat mild-to-moderate depression, and has fewer side effects than most other prescription antidepressants. But it interacts with a number of medications, so it should be taken only under the guidance of a health care provider.
Plant Description of St. John’s Wort
Hypericum perforatum is a yellow-flowering, stoloniferous or sarmentose, perennial herb, which has been introduced to many temperate areas of the world and grows wild in many meadows. St. John’s Wort is a shrubby perennial plant with extensive, creeping rhizomes. Its stems are erect, branched in the upper section, and can grow to 1 m high. The flowers have oval, elongated petals. Scientists believe it is native to Europe, parts of Asia and Africa, and the western United States. The plant gets its name because it is often in full bloom around June 24, the day traditionally celebrated as the birthday of John the Baptist. The species name perforatum refers to the presence of small oil glands in the leaves that look like windows, which can be seen when they are held against the light.
Both the flowers and leaves are used as medicine.
Chemistry of St. John’s Wort
Extracts of Hypericum perforatum L. (St John’s Wort) are now successfully competing for status as a standard antidepressant therapy. Because of this, great effort has been devoted to identifying the active antidepressant compounds in the extract. From a phytochemical point of view, St John’s Wort is one of the best-investigated medicinal plants. Researchers in Europe have studied it for decades. They discovered a combination of elements in the plant, foremost of which is “hypericin,” reacting with specific chemicals in the brain to temper emotional discomfort, lift depression, and calm the nerves. Working very much like the common synthetic prescription antidepressants (maprotiline hydrochloride and imipramine), natural extracts from St. John’s Wort have shown to relax and soothe the psyche with minimal side effects.
St. John’s Wort contains several chemicals, including hypericin, hyperforin and flavonoids. Researchers aren’t exactly sure how St. John’s Wort works. Some have suggested that the herb acts similar to an SSRI, making more of the brain chemicals serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine available. These neurotransmitters help improve one’s mood. The best-studied active components are hypericin and pseudohypericin, found in both the leaves and flowers. Researchers now think that these components may not be responsible for St. John’ s Wort’ s healing properties. Scientists are now studying St. John’s Wort’s essential oils and flavonoids.
Health Benefits of St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort for Depression
St John’s Wort is widely known as an herbal treatment for depression. In some countries, such as Germany, it is commonly prescribed for mild depression, especially in children and adolescents. There is good evidence that St. John’s Wort may reduce symptoms in people with mild-to-moderate but not severe (or major) depression. In many studies it seems to work as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a popular type of antidepressant that doctors often prescribe first to treat depression. They include fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), and sertraline (Zoloft). In addition, St. John’ s Wort doesn’t’ t seem to have one of the most common side effects of antidepressants, which is loss of sex drive.
Not all studies agree, however. In one study, St. John’s Wort was found to be no more effective than placebo for treating depression. But these studies should be weighed against the majority that have found St. John’ s Wort helps depression. For example, in the same study, Zoloft also failed to show any benefit in treating depression. Many other studies have compared St. John’s Wort to Prozac, Celexa, paroxetine (Paxil), and Zoloft, and found that the herb works as well as the drug. A report from the Cochrane Review states: The available evidence suggests that the Hypericum extracts tested in the included trials a) are superior to placebo in patients with major depression; b) are similarly effective as standard antidepressants; and c) have fewer side-effects than standard antidepressants.
An analysis of twenty-nine clinical trials with more than five thousand patients was conducted by Cochrane Collaboration. The review concluded that extracts of St John’s Wort were superior to placebo in patients with major depression. St John’s Wort had similar efficacy to standard antidepressants. The rate of side-effects was half that of newer SSRI antidepressants and one-fifth that of older tricyclic antidepressants.
St. John’s Wort for PMS
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS): An early study suggests that St. John’s Wort may help relieve physical and emotional symptoms of PMS in some women, including cramps, irritability, food cravings, and breast tenderness.
St. John’s Wort for Menopause
Menopause: Two studies suggest that St. John’s Wort, combined with black cohosh, helps improve mood and anxiety during menopause.
St. John’s Wort for Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Used alone, St. John’s Wort has improved mood in people with SAD, a type of depression that occurs during the winter months because of lack of sunlight. SAD is usually treated with light therapy, and there is some evidence that using St. John’s Wort together with phototherapy works even better.
St. John’s Wort for Eczema, wounds, minor burns, hemorrhoids
St. Johns Wort today has been found to be very beneficial in healing wounds and is especially good for dirty, septic wounds. St. Johns Wort has been used in case of putrid leg ulcers, that nothing else heals. Like the leach that was used not too many years ago for wound cleansing it does not destroy the healthy tissues and healthy cells but it cleans the dirt out of septic wounds. It helps reduce the inflammation in septic sores, in boils, in cellulite and lymhangitis. Applied topically (to the skin), it may also relieve symptoms associated with minor wounds and skin irritation. A balm, oil, or poultice made with St. John’s Wort flowers and leaves may help heal cuts, wounds, insect bites, boils, and bruises.
St. John’s Wort oil can be made by frying 1/2 cup of dried flowers and leaves of the herb in 2 tbsp of mustard oil. Leave the flowers and leaves in the oil and let the mixture cool down. Then add 1/3 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the prepared St. John’s Wort oil. Apply it 3-4 times on a wound throughout the day. The prepared oil can be stored in an air tight container in a cool and dark place for emergency use.
St. John’s Wort for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, social phobia
One early open-label study found that taking St. John’s Wort 450 mg two times a day for 12 weeks improved OCD symptoms. But two other studies found that St. John’ s Wort didn’t help OCD.
St. John’s Wort for Sinus Congestion and Chronic Coughing
St. John’s Wort has antibiotic and antiviral activity that may help relieve phlegm congestion, sinus infection, flu and bronchitis symptoms. Simply drinking one cup of St. John’s Wort tea after breakfast and dinner may help alleviate the throat and sinus problems.
St. John’s Wort for Parkinson’s Disease
It is believed that a dopamine dysfunction is one of the causes of Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. Some studies suggest that St. John’s Wort may raise the levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Studies also suggest that antioxidant activity of the herb may help with neural degeneration associated with the onset of Parkinson’s disease. However, further studies are required to prove the extent of effectiveness of the herb. However, simply drinking one cup of St. John’s Wort tea or one capsule of its extract regularly with a meal may inhibit the development of Parkinson’s disease in people at risk of developing it.
St. John’s Wort for Herpes Lesions
St. John’s is also effective in the treatment of herpes lesions. Compresses soaked in a strong tea, the infused oil or a tincture can be applied to active lesions.
St. John’s Wort for Flu
The anti-viral activity of St. John can also be used to treat flu viruses (but not cold viruses).
Other uses
Drinking a cup of St Johns tea before bedtime can help children and adults troubled by incontinence, and M. Grieve recommended it be used in all pulmonary complaints, bladder troubles, in suppression of the urine, dysentery, worms, and diarrhea.
The fresh flowers of St. Johns when infused in oil produce a beautiful and powerful red oil that is anti-inflammatory and analgesic. This therapeutic oil has so many uses that you can sum it up by saying if it hurts, soothe it with St. Johns Oil. Some of the skin care uses for this oil include healing burns and damaged skin. Use St. Johns Wort oil to calm the pain of sciatica, arthritis, fibromyalgia, muscle aches and breast tenderness.
A major constituent chemical, hyperforin, may be useful for treatment of alcoholism, although dosage, safety and efficacy have not been studied. Hyperforin has also displayed antibacterial properties against gram-positive bacteria, although dosage, safety and efficacy have not been studied. Herbal medicine has also employed lipophilic extracts from St John’s Wort as a topical remedy for wounds, abrasions, burns, and muscle pain. The positive effects that have been observed are generally attributed to hyperforin due to its possible antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.
Available Forms of St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort can be obtained in many forms: capsules, tablets, tinctures, teas, and oil-based skin lotions. Chopped or powdered forms of the dried herb are also available. Most products are standardized to contain 0.3% hypericin.
St. Johns Wort oil is used as an external skin treatment.
St. John’s Wort Dosage
Pediatric
Most studies on St. John’s Wort have been conducted in adults. However, one study (more than 100 children under age 12) indicated that St. John’s Wort may be a safe and effective way of treating mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression in children. Never give your child St. John’ s Wort without medical supervision. Children being treated with St. John’s Wort should be carefully monitored for side effects, such as allergic reactions or upset stomach. You should not try to treat depression in a child without a doctor’ s help, because depression can be a serious illness.
Adult
Dry herb (in capsules or tablets): The usual dose for mild depression and mood disorders is 300 mg (standardized to 0.3% hypericin extract), 3 times per day, with meals. St. John’s Wort is available in time-release capsules.
St. John’ s Wort is also available as a liquid extract or a tea. Ask your doctor to help you find the right dose.
It may take 3 – 4 weeks to feel any effects from St. John’s Wort.
To make St. John’s Wort tea take a teabag (or one tablespoon of the flowers) and add it to a cup of boiling water. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes and strain the tea, and then add honey as a natural sweetener, or sugar, for sweetness if desired.
Stopping to take St. John’ s Wort all at once, may cause unpleasant side effects. Gradually lower the dose before stopping.
Side effects of St. John’s Wort
St John’s Wort is generally well tolerated, with an adverse effect profile similar to placebo. The most common adverse effects reported are gastrointestinal symptoms, dizziness, confusion, tiredness and sedation. It also decreases the levels of estrogens, such as estradiol, by speeding up its metabolism, and should not be taken by women on contraceptive pills as it upregulates the P450 system in the liver.
Side effects from St. John’s Wort are generally mild and include stomach upset, hives or other skin rashes, fatigue, restlessness, headache, dry mouth, and feelings of dizziness or mental confusion. It has been reported that St. John’s Wort may interact with other drugs or its overdose may cause some side effects such as dry mouth, headache, restlessness, confusion, dizziness, upset stomach and sexual dysfunction. St. John’s Wort interacts with a large number of medications. In most cases, it makes the medication less effective. In other cases, however, St. John’s Wort may make the effects of a medication stronger. If you are being treated with any medications, you should not use St. John’s Wort without first talking to your doctor.
Since St. John’s Wort can interact with medications used during surgery, you should stop taking it at least 5 days or more before surgery. Make sure your doctor and surgeon know you are taking St. John’s Wort.
St John’s Wort may rarely cause photosensitivity. This can lead to visual sensitivity to light and to sunburns in situations that would not normally cause them. Related to this, recent studies concluded that the extract reacts with light, both visible and ultraviolet, to produce free radicals, molecules that can damage the cells of the body. These can react with vital proteins in the eye that, if damaged, precipitate out, causing cataracts. This finding is contradicted by the results of another recent study, which found that St John’s Wort inhibits free radical production in both cell-free and human vascular tissue, revealing antioxidant properties of the compound.
Women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding should not take St. John’ s Wort. Other potential concerns about St. John’ s Wort are that it may interfere with getting pregnant or make infertility worse; that it may make symptoms of ADD and ADHD worse, especially among people taking methylphenidate; that it may increase the risk of psychosis in people with schizophrenia; and that it may contribute to dementia in people with Alzheimer’ s. More study is needed, however.
Do not take St. John’s Wort if you have bipolar disorder. There is a concern that people with major depression taking St. John’ s Wort may be at a higher risk for mania.
Category: HERBS
