St. John's Wort Purchase & Information

Alternative Names

Amber, Amber Touch-and-Heal, Barbe de Saint-Jean, Chasse-diable, Demon Chaser, Fuga Daemonum, Goatweed, Hardhay, Herbe à la Brûlure, Herbe à Mille Trous, Herbe Aux Fées, Herbe Aux Mille Vertus, Herbe Aux Piqûres, Herbe de Saint Éloi, Herbe de la Saint-Jean, Herbe du Charpentier, Herbe Percée, Hierba de San Juan, Hypereikon, Hyperici Herba, Hypericum, Klamath Weed, Millepertuis, Millepertuis Perforé, Rosin Rose, Saynt Johannes Wort, SJW, Tipton Weed CAUTION: Please refer to separate listing for Succinate

Scientific Name

Hypericum perforatum

Why Do People Use St. John's Wort?

There are various application by the oral consumption of St. John's wort such as for dysthymia, depression, heart palpitations, anxiety, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood disturbances associated with menopause, seasonal affective disorder SAD and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is also used orally for vitiligo, cancer, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, as a diuretic, weight loss, for gastric indigestion and for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is also used orally for secondary symptoms referred to depression such as loss of appetite, fatigue, anxiety and insomnia. Topically - Oily products of St. John's wort are used for treating abrasions and bruises, first degree burns, inflammation and muscle pain, bug bites, wound healing, vitiligo, hemorrhoids and neuralgia. In Manufacturing Practices - The extracts of St. John's wort free of hypericin are used in the manufacturing of alcoholic beverages.

Is It Safe To Use?

Likely Safe - Oral and appropriate usage of St. John's wort considered safe to use. Its extracts also reported safe to use for up to 8 weeks. According to some clinical reports which suggests that St. John's wort can be safely used for up to a year. Possibly Unsafe - Oral dosage with large amount considered unsafe to use. Its extract can also leads to severe phototoxic skin reactions. Daily usage of 2-4 grams St. John's wort extract (5-10 mg hypericin) daily may enhance the potential risks of photosensitivity. However to rate the topical safety St. John's wort, there is unreliable and scarce information available so health advisors not recommend it. Possibly Safe for Children - For children up to 6-17 years considered safe to use when taken orally and appropriately (short term-up to eight weeks). Possibly Unsafe in Pregnancy - Pregnant females should avoid oral consumption of St. John's wort. Initial confirmation confirms that St. John's wort may be safe for pregnant women but on other hand animal model research has shown completely finding. According to other clinical experiments, St. John's wort constituents may have teratogenic effects. Till further findings, St. John's wort should be avoided during pregnancy. Possibly Unsafe in Lactation - Orally taken St. John's wort for nursing infants of mothers can adversely affect as drowsiness, colic, and lethargy.

How Effective Is St. John's Wort?

St. John's wort likely effective in following condition: • Depression • Menopausal symptoms • Somatization disorder • Wound healing • Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) • Hepatitis C • HIV/AIDS • Polyneuropathy There is insufficient evidences available about effectiveness of St. John's wort: • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) • Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) • Smoking cessation There are more conformation are required to to rate St. John's wort for other conditions or diseases.

How St. John's Wort Works?

The most effective part of St. John's wort are the leaves and most importantly flower. Some of the active constituent are melatonin have been isolated. Two constituents that act as effective part are hyperforin and hypericin. Despite the fact that hypericin was once thought to be the part of St. John's wort primarily responsible for its action it is now comprehended that adhyperforin, hyperforin and number of other mixes are the most import effective constituents. Both adhyperforin and hyperforin seem to modulate the impacts of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, and may repress reuptake of these neurotransmitters. St. John's wort also appears to act as a serotonergic 5-HT4 and 5-HT3 receptor opponent and down-direct beta-adrenergic and serotonergic 5-HT2 and 5-HT1 receptors when utilized chronically in animlas. These impacts on neurotransmission seem to cause cortisol incitement in a dosage subordinate way. Hyperforin may also restrains synaptosomal uptake of L-glutamate and gamma-butyric acid (GABA). Some in vitro studies report restraint (rather than induction) of number of CYP450 enzymes by St. John's wort. This happens when high convergances of St. John's wort or its constituents applied to hepatic cell cultures. It doesn't seem, by all accounts, to be clinically significant. Hyperforin may have activity against cancer cells. It seems to inhibit the growth of various cancer cell types by impelling apoptosis. It is not confirm whether these impacts will have clinical applicability. Various factors may impact product variability of St. John's wort. The constituents of St. John's wort appear to have regional and seasonal varieties. The hypericin and hyperforin constituents seem subtle to light, obscure capsules or amber container don't appear to totally safe from light debasement. These constituents may also delicate to storage humidity and temperature. Clinical experiment suggests that hypericin is teratogenic in rodent fetuses. The impact of St. John's wort and hypericin on the human fetus is obscure.

What Are The Side Effects /Adverse Reactions of St. John's Wort?

Generally St. John's wort is have no side effect. However some of nominal side effects may cause by oral consumption of St. John's wort are vivid dreams, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, agitation, headache, diarrhea, gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort, dry mouth, fatigue, and dizziness. Some other adverse effect due to St. John's wort are paresthesia, skin rash and hypoglycemia. Insomnia can often be lessened by reducing the dose or taking St. John's wort in the morning. According to clinical researches the frequency of adverse effects in patients treated with St. John's wort is same as placebo and less than conventional antidepressants. In other cases, St. John's wort has been related with a syndrome consisting of high level of tachycardia, confusion, anxiety, hypertension and nausea. These symptoms may happen within 2-3 weeks after it is started particularly in those patients with no other predisposing causes. This disorder has been diagnosed as the serotonin syndrome. In one report, the symptoms start after ingesting foods consisting of tyramine including red wine and aged cheese. Cardiovascular collapse following stimulation of anesthesia has been confirmed in an otherwise healthy individuals who had been orally using St. John's wort for 6 months. In another case, generalized convulsions may happen in a teenager after taking an excessive usage of around 15 gm of St. John's wort.

How St. John's Wort Interacts With Other Herbs and Supplements?

Following are some supplements & herbs which may show results after interacting St. John's Wort: • Cardiac Glycoside-Containing Herbs • Supplements & Herbs Containing Serotonergic Properties. • Red Yeast • Tryptophan

How St. John's Wort Interacts With Drugs?

St. John’s Wort may interact with following drugs: • 5-Ht1 Agonists ("Triptans”) • Alprazolam (Xanax) • Aminolevulinic Acid • Amitriptyline (Elavil) • Antidepressant • Barbiturates • Clopidogrel (Plavix) • Contraceptive Drugs • Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) • Various Cytochrome Substrates • Dextromethorphan (Robitussin DM and Others) • Digoxin (Lanoxin) • Fenfluramine (Pondimin) • Imatinib (Gleevec) • Irinotecan (Camptosar) • Meperidine (Demerol) • Mephenytoin (Mesantoin) • Methylphenidate (Daytrana, Concerta, Ritalin, Metadate) • Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (Maois) • Narcotic Drugs • Nefazodone (Serzone) • Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTI) • Nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl) • Paroxetine (Paxil) • Pentazocine (Talwin) • P-Glycoprotein Substrates • Phenobarbital (Luminal) • Phenprocoumon • Phenytoin (Dilantin) • Photosensitizing Drugs • Procainamide • Protease Inhibitors (PIs) • Reserpine • Sertraline (Zoloft) • Simvastatin (Zocor) • Tacrolimus (Protopic, Prograf) • Theophylline • Tramadol (Ultram) • Warfarin (Coumadin)

How St. John's Wort Interacts With Foods?

There is no known interaction between St. John’s wort and various food items.

How St. John's Wort Interacts With Lab Tests?

St. John’s Wort may interfere the results with following lab tests: • International Normalized Ratio (INR) or Prothrombin Time (PT) • Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

How St. John's Wort Interacts With Diseases and Conditions?

St. John’s Wort may interact with following diseases or conditions: • Alzheimer's Disease • Anesthesia • Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) • Bipolar Disorder • Depression • Infertility • Surgery

What Should Be the Dose/Administration of St. John's Wort?

ORAL To treat obsessive-cmpulsive disorder (OCD) according to an authentic study, extract of St. John's wort containing 0.3% hypericin content should be taken two time daily with dosage 450 mg. To treat premenstrual syndrome (PMS), some studies recommends extract of St. John's wort containing 0.3% hypericin should be taken daily with dosage 300 mg. For symptoms of somatic referred to depression, 300 mg of hypericin extract should ingested thrice every day. For issues related to somatization, particular extract of (LI 160, Lichtwer Pharma) should be used 600 mg daily. Patient should advised to avoid sudden abrupt discontinuation of St. John's wort because of potential risk of adverse effects. TOPICAL There is no topical dosage of St. John’s wort.

Comments

St. John's wort is a local plant grown in Europe but also grown in Canada and US in the dry ground of meadows, roadsides and woods. On other hand same has not been found in Australia and long considered a weed St. John's wort is now produces 20 percent of the world's supply.

General Certificate of Analysis (COA)

Specification sheet links below are a standard copy of the COA less the batch or lot number and manufactures dates. Specification sheet can be dated and should only be considered as a general information. Please contact and request an up to date COA if needed for specific updated information before placing order by filling out the contact form with product name and SKU number. If ordering quantities of twenty five kilos or more contact for availability.