Herbal Remedy Articles
St. John's Wort – Discovering more about this versatile herb St. John’s Wort is a wild herb which produces bright yellow flowers. It has been used for centuries to treat a wide range of condition including mental disorders and nerve pain. St. John’s Wort is recognized worldwide for it ability to treat mild depression and anxiety. The reason being its ability to spur serotonin production combined with reducing the rate at which the brain absorbs serotonin. As you may know low levels of serotonin in the brain are thought to be one of the primary causes of depression. If you have St. John’s Wort growing nearby you will be able to see little red spots on the plant. These red spots contain the red oily substance hypericum which is the primary active ingredient giving St. John’s Wort its medicinal power. Germany is perhaps the European country which values the use of St. John’s Wort the most as this herb outsells most antidepressant medications. That said, it is also popular throughout Europe and has a substantial following in Asia and many North American countries including the United States and Canada. Conditions St. John’s Wort is used to alleviate in the practice of natural medicine are: anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, headache, shingles, sciatica, neuralgia, back pain, and cold sores. Additionally St. John’s Wort also has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties making it useful in the treatment of: the flu, chest infections, uncontrollable coughing, diarrhea, dysentery, gastroenteritis, and tuberculosis. For many years it was a widely held belief that St. John’s Wort caused sun sensitivity. Recent studies have proven this to be untrue and have gone a step further by suggesting it may even work to prevent sun sensitivity. Currently there is ongoing research to clarify as to whether St. John’s Wort has any benefit when used to treat cancer and HIV. While generally considered to be very safe St. John’s Wort it can cause an increase in heart rate and mild stomach pain and should always be taken as directed. Caution is the optimal word when using this herb with other medications. The reason is that it activates the liver’s cytochrome p450 detoxification pathway and will cause the body to metabolize drugs at a faster rate than normal, thus moving them out of your system before they have a chance to take effect. On the other hand this would prove to be a benefit if detoxification is your goal. |
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