| Perforate st. john's wort (1) is a perennial herb and as such something of an exception in this family full of trees and shrubs. It is common on dry banks, in grassland, forest clearings and by waysides from lowland to mountain elevations. The stems, with two narrow longitudinal ridges, grow to eighty centimetres in height. The leaves have numerous translucent glandular dots which look like tiny punctures when held up to the light. |
Ruth Winter, M.S.
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 No known toxicity in cosmetics. st. john's wort • See Saint John's Wort.
STONEROOT • Horse Balm. Used for its constituents of resin, saponin, and tannic acid (see all). An erect, smooth perennial; a strong scented herb of eastern North America with pointed leaves. It produces a chocolate-colored powder with a peculiar odor and bitter astringent taste. Soluble in alcohol. No known toxicity. STORAX • Styrax. Sweet Oriental Gum. Used in perfumes. It is the resin obtained from the bark of an Asiatic tree. Grayish brown, fragrant semiliquid, containing styrene and cinnamic acid (see both). |
| The FDA issued a notice in 1992 that st. john's wort has not been shown to be safe and effective as claimed in OTC digestive aid products. That does not mean, however, that it cannot be used for other purposes.
SALAD OIL • Any edible vegetable oil. Dermatologists advise rubbing salad oils or fats on the skin, particularly on babies and older persons. Vegetable oils are used in commercial baby preparations, cleansers, emollient creams, face powders, hair-grooming preparations, hypoallergenic cosmetics, lipsticks, nail creams, shampoos, shaving creams, and wave sets. Nontoxic. |
Earl Mindell and Hester Mundis
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 JOHN'S WORT
Called nature's Prozac, st. john's wort has been around for centuries to heal wounds. It contains hypericin, a natural mood booster that also has germicidal and anti-inflammatory properties. It is available over the counter as dried leaves, flowers, tinctures, extract, oil, ointment, capsules, and prepared tea. It is not recommended for long-term use without the supervision of an herbalist or other medicalprofessional. It may cause sensitivity to light and could seriously exacerbate sunburn. |
James A. Howenstine, MD
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 St. John's Wort is widely available in health food stores and can be obtained from Natural Health Team 800-416-2806.
A second natural agent for treating depression is the herbal extract 5-hydroxytyptophan which is the direct precursor of serotonin. The dose is 100 mg three times daily.
SAME (s-adenyl-methionine) is another natural antidepressant. SAME is found in every cell in the body. This substance is a natural metabolite produced from the essential amino acid methionine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). SAME is a precursor for glutathione, Coenzyme A, and taurine. |
Frantisek Stary
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 A further unpleasant side-effect of medicinal plants is the disease known as fagopyrism or hypericism caused by the use of Buckwheat or st. john's wort. The disease manifests itself only in the case of simultaneous exposure to the sun in the form of skin damage or even tissue mortification. From the several aforesaid examples it is obvious that medicinal plants and drugs from natural substances can be highly dangerous or even lethal if they are not administered in suitable doses and for the prescribed period or length of time. |
James A. Duke, Ph.D.
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 You probably know that st. john's wort is an effective herbal treatment for depression. But you may not be aware that evening primrose contains a mood-elevating compound called tryptophan. A similar compound, phenylalanine, is found in sunflower.
Of course, just looking at the lovely blooms of all three plants can make me feel better. That they contain mood-boosting substances is a bonus.
Benign Prostate Enlargement: Stop the Swelling without Surgery
As far as prostate problems go, I'm pleased to report that herbs have kept mine in check—much to my doctors' surprise. |
| For relief, I use commercial preparations of st. john's wort, standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin. I suggest following the package directions for proper dosage. saw palmetto (serenoa repens). I'm betting my prostate gland that saw palmetto prevents benign prostate enlargement just as effectively as pharmaceuticals. I've been taking the herb on and off for years, especially when I'm away from home and I'm not eating very health-
Make the Most of Your Spice Rack
I am a strong believer in food as preventive medicine. I am also a strong believer in tasty food. |
| Earlier I described st. john's wort as an effective preventive and treatment for stress and anxiety. The herb is also a natural SSRI. Many studies have concluded that for kids these days? The battery-powered ones often contain microchips that make a real racket. I'd advise not buying them for your children or grandchildren. They're bad for youngsters' ears, not to mention your own.
Personal computers can also make a racket if they're equipped a certain way. You might be familiar with one of the special attachments that's marketed for video games, a sound effects device called Sound Blaster. |
| Harvest st. john's wort when the plants are in full bud and open flower. Cut off the top 10 to 12 inches of each plant on a sunny morning, after the dew has dried. Tie the plants into small bundles and hang them in a dark, warm area to dry. Remove and discard the stems before using. for yourself. I suggest starting with a hop tea. Use Vi teaspoon of the herb per cup of freshly boiled water and steep for 10 minutes. Strain before drinking. If the tea doesn't produce the desired level of relaxation, increase the amount of herb next time around.
Hop is a vigorous, weedy vine. |
| In studies of st. john's wort, the usual dosage is 300 milligrams of a standardized extract containing 0.3 percent hypericin, three times a day. Of course, if you buy a commercial preparation of either herb, you should take it according to the label instructions.
Tips for an Anti-PMS Lifestyle
Whichever herbs you choose, you may also want to adopt the following lifestyle strategies. They, too, can help prevent premenstrual symptoms.
Eat as the cavewomen did. |
| Like chamomile and calendula, st. john's wort is anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. It, too, may help relieve the discomfort of sunburn. You can apply the herb as a compress, following the directions above.
And let's not forget echinacea. An immune system stimulant, echinacea helps the body repair skin that's been damaged by the sun. It also contains several compounds—with names like caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, cichoric acid, cynarin, echinacoside, and rutin—that protect collagen. You can buy a commercial echinacea extract or tincture and use it according to the label directions. |
Dr. Mary Dan Eades
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 Germany's Commission E, the board of scientists that advises the German government about herbal treatment, promotes st. john's wort as an anti-inflammatory external treatment for first-degree bums. Studies show it speeds up healing time and reduces scarring. Tinctures are readily available in the United States; salves are nearly impossible to find. Either one works well.
Dosages may vary, depending on duration and severity of symptoms. Follow package directions, or consult a qualified herbal practitioner.
What makes it worse?
• I know of no nutrient that specifically makes a bum worse. |
James A. Howenstine, MD
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| St. John's Wort.
The SSRI antidepressants (Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac), the tricyclic antidepressants (Elavil, Tofranil) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (Nardil, Parnate) all have some serious side effects. If you are taking any of the above, SJW should be used only after talking with your physician.
Having fewer side effects than a placebo and the absence of serious side effects after many years of use by millions of people means that SJW is a remarkably safe treatment.
The dose recommended is 300 mg twice daily of standardized herb containing .3% hypericin. St. |
Dr. Julian Whitaker
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| Alice was also given Ginkgo biloba, phosphatidyl serine, daily vitamin B12 injections, and extra vitamin E, as well as st. john's wort to address her depression. She was also taking targeted therapies for her other medical problems. Her physician examined her medications, determined that two of them might be causing some of her symptoms and recommended a plan to reduce or eliminate the likely offenders. James' treatment program was simpler. Because his testosterone level was low for his age, he was started on supplemental testosterone along with a multinutrient program. |
Gary Null
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 Meruelo comments that St. John's wort's "antiviral activity is remarkable both in its mechanism... and the potency of one administration of a relatively small dose of the compounds." phytochemicals Before moving on to the lifestyle components that form part of Dr. Calapi's program, I want to call your attention to a new area of research in supplementation that I believe will have a lot to offer toward helping AIDS patients in years to come. This is the area of phytochemicals. |
Joseph Glenmullen, M.D.
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 Unfortunately, when the British Medical Journal's coverage of st. john's wort received widespread publicity in the fall of 1996, De Smet and Nolen's criticisms were also reported by journalists who were unaware that the same limitations also apply to studies of synthetic drugs.
Questions have been raised about the consistency of the milligram dosages found in herbal products, since there are no standards for their manufacture comparable to those for prescription drugs. |
| Although herbs like st. john's wort have been used for centuries and appear to be safe, they are perhaps best used short-term, for up to a year, in combination with other natural alternatives. With the tendency to become dependent on pills in our culture, we need to be careful not to do the same thing with herbs that we have done with prescription medication, relying on them indefinitely. Nor should one rely on herbs exclusively, since, like synthetic drugs, they are not cures but merely suppress symptoms.
No one knows the exact mechanism by which St. |
| In fact, st. john's wort contains more than a dozen physiologically active agents. Herbalists point out that the idea of a single active ingredient that can be extracted from a plant is a tenet of Western, allopathic medicine and is anathema to holistic clinical practice. In holistic medicine, the synergistic, balanced effects of multiple components of a natural plant product are considered crucial to its beneficial effects.
Couples Therapy
By mid-March, three months into treatment, Lydia was feeling considerably better than when she first came to see me. |
| As with st. john's wort, most of the clinical research on herbal antianxiety agents has been carried out in Germany. Clinical studies have demonstrated kava's efficacy in treating anxiety disorders. These studies are similar to those used to win approval of synthetic antianxiety agents and sleeping pills. One of the largest and most recent was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 101 patients with a variety of conditions, including agoraphobia, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder. Conducted by H. P. |
| In Germany, st. john's wort is the most commonly used antidepressant.
For more severe depression, there are creative ways of combining short-term drug use with other treatment modalities with the goal of removing the medication after six months to a year. Evaluating when one might be ready to go off medication is an important priority. This should be reassessed at least once a year. I explain the relationship between medications, when they are indicated, and psychotherapy. |
| Studies have shown that st. john's wort is as effective as prescription drugs for mild to moderate depression. Similarly, clinical studies have compared the herbs kava and valerian favorably with Valium-type sedatives for the treatment of anxiety.5
In order to understand the overall benefits and disadvantages of Prozac-type medications versus those of the alternatives, one first needs to put these medications in perspective. Why are these drugs called "antidepressants" when they are prescribed for so many other conditions? How are new drugs developed and approved? |
Stanley W. Jacob, M.D., Ronald M. Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D.
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 Now, MSM has the potential to join the growing array of natural substances such as melatonin and st. john's wort that can be used by a broad number of people to reduce common health problems.
MSM in Nature
In its natural state MSM is an inconspicuous sulfur molecule found in the atmosphere, in plants, animals, and the human body. Chemically, it consists of two hydrocarbon units (groups of hydrogen and carbon atoms) attached to a unit with one sulfur and two oxygen atoms. The molecule is one-third sulfur by weight. |
Lesley Tierra
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 Vervaine and st. john's wort may be worn to keep away evil influences of all kinds. The familiar rose is said to increase feelings of love and devotion for both the wearer and those with whom s/he comes into association. Asafoetida, camphor or garlic protects the body from colds or other "bugs," called invading pathogens in Western medicine, or "evils" by the Chinese.
The uses for talismans are many, and the pouches chosen will reflect the desired outcome. The plant may be directly carried or strung and worn around the neck. |
Berkeley Holistic Health Center and Shepherd Bliss
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| Teas to avoid: Golden seal, yarrow, valerian, tansy, cotton-root, cohosh or squawgrass, motherwort, couchgrass, rue, pennyroyal, vervaine, and st. john's wort. These teas can stimulate uterine contractions, and thus precipitate miscarriage. Also avoid potassium permanganate, found in many non-prescription drugs and ergot (rye fungus), found in moldy breads and some prescription drugs.
Eat your usual amount of food, but make sure it's good food. The problem of gaining too much weight in pregnancy results from eating candy and "junk food. |
Dr. Gary Null
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 A study compared the antidepressive and anxiety-relieving effects of a valerian root and st. john's wort extract to those of amitriptyline. Results showed the herbal extract to be as effective as the amitriptyline, prompting the authors to argue for the use of phy-tomedicines (plant-derived medicines) in the treatment of depression and mood disorders.
K. O. Hiller and V. |
Carol Simontacchi
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 Nature has provided wonderful tools to help us deal with depression and other mental disorders. st. john's wort has been shown to relieve mild to moderare depression, using just 900 milligrams daily. The form should preferably contain .3% hypericin, considered to be the active ingredient. Kava kava is particularly helpful in relieving anxiety, especially when combined with California poppy. Other calming herbs are valerian, hops, and chamomile. |
David Heber, M.D., Ph.D.
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 Since the 1700s herbalists have been using st. john's wort for this purpose, but its medicinal use for wound healing, as a diuretic, and for nerve compression such as sciatica dates back to the time of Galen and Hippocrates in ancient Greece. There are over four hundred species of this plant distributed worldwide. In the United States, this plant is especially abundant in northern California and southern Oregon, from which it derives its common U.S. name, Klamath weed.
There is still controversy on the mechanism of action of this herb. |
Kenny Ausubel
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 German physicians now prescribe st. john's wort at least seven to one over these synthetic drugs. U.S. sales netted about $400 million in 1997, though still a distant second to Eli Lilly's Prozac sales of $2.5 billion in 1996.8 The NIH has now started research on this plant.9
Black cohosh, studied in clinical trials in Germany for over forty years, has shown effectiveness for menopausal and premenstrual symptoms.10 The herb was an old standard of the Eclectics, who used it for female reproductive complaints. |
Zorba Paster, M.D. and Susan Meltsner
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 If you're taking drugs prescribed for you by another doctor, over-the-counter medication, pills left over from a prescription written for your sister, even herbal preparations such as st. john's wort or ginkgo biloba, be sure to share this information with the physician who's treating you.
• Consider medical alert jewelry if you are allergic to certain classes of medicine—sulfa or penicillin-type drugs.
• Educate yourself, especially if you will be using a relatively new product. Find out what side effects to look for. Utilize the drug-information sheets every pharmacy should give. |
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