19601

Submitted by admin on Mon, 02/28/2022 - 06:55
Top Product Attributes

  • Common Name

    St John’s Wort

  • Botanical Name

    Hypericum perforatum

  • Part Used

    Herb

  • Clinical Summary

    Click here

  • Monograph

    Click here

  • Alcohol

    60%

  • Dose

    15 to 80mL weekly

Over the past 30 years St. John’s wort has become a poster herb for depression and mood disorders, especially seasonal affective disorder, as well as holding promise as a therapy for cancer, inflammation, bacterial and viral infections. Research suggests that St. John's wort may help relieve physical and emotional symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in some women including cramps, irritability, food cravings and breast tenderness.

Main Product Attributes
A guide to St John’s Wort and its properties

  • Traditional Use

    St John’s wort was traditionally used for damaged nerve endings.

  • Actions

    Anti-inflammatory, nervine tonic, antiviral, astringent, hepatic, antiproliferative, antispasmodic, relaxing nervine, nervous system trophorestorative, anxiolytic, antidepressant, vulnerary, alterative, anodyne

  • Indications

    •    Mild to moderate depression and to reduce the risk of relapse, anxiety, stress, burnout, exhaustion, chronic fatigue syndrome (where there is a viral infection with concomitant depressive symptoms), seasonal affective disorder, premenstrual syndrome, perimenopausal and menopausal women with psychological symptoms, anxiety and depression associated with irritable bowel syndrome
    •    Nerve pain, nerve entrapment in osteoarthritis, sciatica, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches
    •    Gastrointestinal conditions such as oesophagitis and peptic ulcers, liver stagnation
    •    Viruses including herpes viruses such as cold sores and shingles, Graves' disease (caused by virus)
    •    Topically to treat burns, injuries, allergic dermatitis, psoriasis, muscle pain, bacterial vaginosis

  • Energetics

    Neutral (can be warming and cooling), drying. Taste is slightly bitter, pungent, sweet.

  • Use in Pregnancy

    In practice St. John’s wort is not recommended in pregnancy

  • Contraindications & Cautions

    Some people, particularly fair skinned people, find that taking St. John’s wort (especially hypericin standardised extracts) causes photosensitivity although this is unlikely at therapeutic doses.

  • Drug Interactions

    St. John’s wort is infamous for its known effects on pharmaceutical drugs. It increases the metabolic pathways used by many prescribed drugs thus reducing blood levels of these drugs which may lead to loss of therapeutic effect and potentially render them ineffective. Please see the full monograph for a detailed list.

  • Dietary Information

    Vegan friendly. Gluten and dairy free

  • Substitutes

    Magnolia, Saffron, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Rhodiola, Oats, Seed, Oats Green, Rosemary