St. John’s Wort

St. John’s wort is found in Europe and in the United States. It grows abundantly in southern Oregon and northern California. In ancient Greece, St. John’s wort was used for various ailments. Presently, St. John’s wort is used in Europe and the United States for depression.

The major compounds in St. John’s wort include hypericin and other dianthrones, flavonoids, xanthones, and hyperforin. While it was previously thought that the therapeutic actions of this herb were due to hypericin and the inhibition of the enzyme monoamine oxidase, current research has challenged this view, focusing on other constituents, such as hyperforin, and flavonoids. Test tube studies suggest that St. John’s wort extracts may promote antidepressant activity by inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This action is possibly due to the constituent hyperforin. St. John’s wort is able to promote anti-depressive activity by making more of these neurotransmitters available to the brain.

The standard recommendation is 450 mg to 900 mg per day of St. John’s wort standardized extract depending the severity of the condition. Results may be noted as early as two weeks. Length of use should always be monitored by a health care professional.