St. John's Wort - Why I Recommend It

In Germany, in 1994 alone, St John's Weed was prescribed for 20 million of its citizens. In 2004, 66 million were treated with St. John's Wort. You can read all about it in the New York Times Special Editon. It accounted for more than 50 percent of the prescriptions prescribed to treat mild to moderate depression.

St.John's Wort is so effective it has been used to treat insomnia, SAD and PMS and recently it is being used as a possible drug for bipolar depressive episodes. (Herbalists have known a for a long time its effectiveness, now the clinical trials are catching up.)

Three recent clinical trials from 2005 and 2006^1,2,3 and a critical review of the literature (2006)⁴ have examined whether the herbal supplement is an effective treatment for depression. The data all indicate that St. John's Wort is indeed safe and effective for people who are mild to moderately depressed. The evidence on how it affects moderate-to-severe depression remains unclear.

Contrary to U.S. medical practice, St. John's Grass is already used extensively in Western Europe. Unfortunately, in America, few traditional (allopathic) doctors are knowledgeable about vitamins, minerals, nutrition or herbal remedies. Why not?

In Germany, for example, doctors often turn to traditional antidepressants only after a trial of St. John's Wort has not been successful.

Research shows that Hypericum perforatum contains constituents - including the anthraquinone derivatives:

• hypericic
• isohypericin
• pseudohypericin
• protohypericin

are believed to be responsible for the herb's ability to support the nervous system by minimizing the effects of minor and moderated depression.

In the 1996, the British Medical Journal published an overview of 23 clinical trials involving Hypericum perforatum . These trials involved 1,757 people and examined the antidepressant effects of St. John's Wort.

Eight trials compared the herb with traditional drug treatments, while 15 trials were placebo-controlled. Researches from the United States and Germany found that herbal extracts were significantly superior to placebos and equally effective as synthetic drugs. The effectiveness of the herb vs. the drugs was determined by measuring depression levels before and after treatment.

Traditional Use

Native Indians
St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a long living roadside weed. St. John's Weed has yellow flowers and is still plentiful in the Ozarks. It has been used for centuries to treat a variety of disorders. Native Americans dried this plant and used it as a meal.

They also used the fresh leaves for a soothing effect. It has long been popular for replenishing the nervous system, especially when the brain seems depleted or the nervous system is out of balance. Knowledge of its health-giving attributes predates Christianity.

Biblical Times
"Wort" comes from an old English word meaning plant or root, and in this case, the plant is named for St. John the Baptist. Its botanical name is derived from a Greek name, meaning "over an apparition."

In other words, the herb was thought to be obnoxious to evil spirits so that a whiff of it would drive them away. In actual practice it was used both internally and externally as a support for the immune and nervous systems.

In 350 B.C., the Greek physician and writer Hippocrates prescribed the herb's extracts for relief from such ailments as dysentery, tuberculosis, malaria, hemorrhage, jaundice, colds, insomnia and hysteria.

Today, St. John's Grass is used primarily to relieve the symptoms of depression, anxiety and sleep disorders, though as been used for SAD and PMS symptoms as well.

Modern Use
St. John's Wort, often called nature's Prozac, helps people deal with the common, contemporary plague known as depression. Researchers believe that the antidepressant effect of St. John's Grass is due to its inhibition of serotonin uptake by certain receptors in the brain-the same mechanism attributed to many widely prescribed antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft⁵ .

Chemical analysis and biological testing show that St. John's Grass possesses properties similar to Prozac and Zoloft-the two most widely used pharmaceutical drugs prescribed for depression.

Given growing scientific support for the herb and the fact that depression affects an estimated 11 million Americans, it's easy to see why St. John's Wort is attracting a lot of media attention and a lot of advocates.

In one year alone, St. John's Wort was featured in Newsweek magazine (December 6,1999 edition), the Los Angeles Times and ABC's 20/20. St John's Wort has also appeared in a feature article of the New York Times, parent of the Globe. The Globe study indicated seven leading brands of St. John's Wort, exceed the levels of seratonin and dopamine reuptake inhibitors present in a "test reference product."

Preparation of St. John's Grass
When I prepare St. John's Wort for personal use I use the leaves. It is an astringent, diuretic, nervine, and sedative that effects the stomach, bladder, blood, liver and nerves. To prepare St. John's Wort, I do what is called an infusion: I steep the leaves 5-15 minutes which makes a tea. A person can take as little as one tsp. or one cup daily. This is an easy way to add Klamath weed to your diet.

If you make a tincture use only 10-20 drops as needed. To make a tincture, stuff a jar as tightly as you can with the leaves and cover with vodka. Let it sit for a week or so. Drain and store in a brown or green jar. Cap.

Purposes: Internally, St. John's Wort purifies the blood and is used for diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, boils, suppressed urine, as well as uterine and afterbirth pains.

It is good for bed-wetting, hysteria, coughs, irregular menstruation, uterine disorders, muscle pains and bruises, tenderness and pain in the spine.

It is a good expectorant for bronchial and lung problems. The herb should be taken close to meals.

Purposes: Externally,Steep the yellow flowers in olive oil for 2 weeks and then apply. The extracted oil of St. John's Grass can be applied to bruises, wounds, and other skin problems, hard tumors, ulcers, burns, and swollen breasts. Reference the Natural Remedies Encyclopedia by Vance Ferrell.

Special Precautions

Although St. John's Wort is overall considered safe, it can cause undesirable interactions with other herbs, other supplements or prescription medicine, including theophylline and digoxin. The U.S.A. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that St. John's Weed not be used with any type of antiretroviral medication used to treat HIV or AIDS.

It is also recommended while using St. John's Wort your refrain from using products that contain ma huang or taking certain prescription antidepressants which can lead to undesirable side effects, warns Dr. Alvin B. Segelman, Vice President of Health Sciences at Nature Sunshine.

"These antidepressant prescription drugs include, but are not limited to, Elavil, Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil," he said. "Persons taking products containing ma huang (ephedra), as well as any products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, should not take St. John's Wort at the same time."

The truth is, many people have successfully switched from prescription antidepressants to natural supplements like Nature Sunshine's Product St. John's Wort Concentrate. It is important to consult your health care provider.

Those that make the switch note improvements in overall mood and sleep within three to five weeks. How does this compare with regular psychiatric drugs?

Generally a psychiatric drug, like Prozac takes a minimum of four to eight weeks for "benefits" to start appearing. With Hypericum you don't suffer serious side effects. Though St. John's Wort may cause fatigue and sensitivity to light. When compared to the side effects of Prozac, I choose St. John's Wort every time.

SIDE NOTE:St. John's wort also is very useful in promoting a great night's sleep.

Further Research and Verification

For further verification of the scientific effectiveness of St. John's Wort consider reading the

• Harvard Medical School's Buyer's Guide to Herbs and Supplements.
  It provides its readers with an understanding of dietary supplements, offers ways to interpret label claims, and supplies details about 52 herbs and supplements. Included in the Guide are the possible side effects and interactions, safety precautions, and dosage information.

  Best of all, each herb or supplement is given an herbal report card rating its effectiveness in treating various maladies according to the Buyers Guide to Herbs and Supplements check it out. (This will open a new window.)

• The Supplement Quality Editor (This opens a new window.)


• Report from the University of Maryland Medical Center (This will open a new window.)

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Footnotes:
1. Fava M, et al. A double-blind, randomized trial of St John’s wort, fluoxetine, and placebo in major depressive disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2005;25:441-447

2. Kasper S, et al. Superior efficacy of St. John’s wort extract WS 5570 compared to placebo in patients with major depression: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial. BioMed Central Medicine 2006; 4:14.

3. Szegedi A, et al. Acute treatment of moderate to severe depression with hypericum extract WS 5570 (St John's wort): randomized controlled double blind non-inferiority trial versus paroxetine. British Medical Journal 2005;330:503. Epub 2005 Feb 11.

4. Clement K, et al. St. John's wort and the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a systematic review. Holistic Nurse Practitioner 2006;20:197-203.

5. Butterweck V. Mechanism of Action of St. John's Wort in Depression: What is Known? CNS Drugs 2003; 17:539-62.



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Bon Voyage,

Dr. Cares™

Catherine Sinclair, PhD., uses the trade name Dr. Cares™ . She is a licensed pastoral counselor. The information contained in this website is not to be taken as a substitute for professional advice from your qualified medical "practitioner."

The author of this website is not an M.D. and therefore must post this required FDA disclaimer. None of the statements, self testing, nor recommended alternatives to overcoming bipolar symptoms have been evaluated by the FDA. Therefore, the tested and proven experiences, testimonies, supplements and alternative and natural therapies are for informational purposes only and does not purport to prescribe, diagnose or cure any mental or physical condition.

Though, as a licensed counselor, she does advise her clients to be informed and involved in the recovery of their physical,spiritual and mental health. The above information has transformed many lives and the same can happen for you, but you alone are responsible for the decisions you make concerning all aspects of your health.

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