Common Usage of St. John’s Wort

By Dr.Prater

A common herbal supplement in the treatment of depression and anxiety is St. John’s wort. Though supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, many people still use them in place of or in conjunction with mainstream treatments. An important issue for those using the supplements is whether they work. Some evidence exists for the use of St. John’s wort in treating depression and inflammation, but there are also some reasons to approach the use of the plant with caution.

St John’s wort is also known as goatweed and by the scientific name Hypericum perforatum L. As a member of the Hypericaceae family, the plant is listed as a noxious weed in nine U.S. states and is considered a livestock-poisoning plant. Hypericum is native to parts of Northern Africa, Asia, and Europe, been naturalized to the Pacific and Americas, and its extract is sold in the form of teas, capsules, and pills for human consumption. The plants have a distinctive yellow flower, which is considered the most advantageous portion of the plant.

The active chemicals in St John’s wort include hyperforin and hypericin. Supplements are often labeled by hypericin potency, but it is directly related to hyperforin content. Hypericin is a photosensitizing agent found to prevent viral replication in animal models and to inhibit inflammatory activity. In recent years, hyperforin was found to be the active ingredient conveying anti-depressant effects. It was also shown in a recent study to reduce angiogenesis (new blood vessel creation) in and the spread of the tumor Kaposi’s Sarcoma.

The potential effect of St. Johns wort in treating depression has been studied for decades, including a 1997 Swedish study that found mood elevation and reduced side effects compared to conventional pharmaceutical depression therapies. However, the exact mechanism of how Hypericum affects chemical pathways in the brain is unknown, though there does appear to be both anecdotal and clinical evidence that it works for treating mild depression (treating major depression with St. John’s wort is not recommended). Its effects on inflammation are more questionable and larger studies have been proposed to pursue the possibility.

The potential problems with St. John’s wort, and why it is not being pursued as conventional anti-depressant therapy, include photosensitivity and interactions with other drugs, including antibiotics and birth control. The offending component is hypericin, which causes increased sensitivity to UV light, and there are concerns that blindness is associated with high dosage and long-term use of the extract. This same molecule interferes with the actions of antibiotics and birth control treatments.

A common problem with herbal supplements that also exists with St John’s wort is a lack of regulation in the herbal industry. The companies making the pills and capsules sometimes lack quality control and cases of heavy metal poisoning have occurred due to negligence during manufacturing. Also, there is no external validation that the capsules contain what the company says they contain. Any herbal supplement purchase is taking the company on good faith. Consumers should be aware of the company that produced the supplements they are looking to purchase and to stop taking the supplement immediately if adverse effects occur. The common dosage for St John’s wort extract is 900 milligrams daily (usually 300 mg three times a day) of an extract labeled as 0.3% hypericin. Some supplements may deviate from the average formulation and, like any chemical, labels should be read and followed cautiously. Anyone taking regular doses of St John’s wort should avoid direct sunlight exposure.

The copyright of the article, "Common Usage of St. John’s Wort," in "Interesting Health Articles & Facts " is owned by Alicia M Prater, PhD. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing. 
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