Article Most Wanted: minor depression

St. John’s Wort Plant for Minor Depression, Muscle Aches and Fever Blisters

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<h1 class="chapter" id="c29">
<span class="medium"><em>Hypericum perforatum</em></span></h1>
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<span class="dropcaps"><b>articlemostwanted</b> - T</span>he sunny yellow 
flowers of St. John’s wort harbor a strange secret. Bruise the delicate 
petals and they seem to bleed. The blood-red liquid is an oil released 
from tiny, dark-colored glands scattered along the petal margins. In 
ancient times, a plant that “bled” was assumed to possess great powers. 
During the rise of Christianity, the herb came to be associated with 
John the Baptist (<em>wort</em> is the Old English word for “plant”). It
 was said to bloom on the saint’s birthday, June 24, and to bleed on 
August 29, the anniversary of his beheading. The earliest use of the 
name may date to the 6th century, when the Irish missionary St. Columba 
carried the herb with him into northern Scotland. The genus name, <em>Hypericum</em>,
 is from the Greek and means “over a picture or icon”—a reference to the
 custom of draping the herb over religious images to strengthen their 
powers in banishing demons. For many centuries, St. John’s wort was a 
symbol of protection against evil but also a prized medicinal herb, with
 the power to heal the body and to ease the troubled mind.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<strong>Therapeutic Uses</strong></h2>
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<em>Minor depression</em></div>
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<em>Muscle aches</em></div>
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<em>Fever blisters</em></div>
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Modern scientists are confirming what the ancients 
knew. In 2009, researchers evaluated 29 clinical trials conducted on St.
 John’s wort for mild to moderate depression and concluded that it is 
more effective than a placebo, as effective as standard prescription 
antidepressants, and associated with fewer adverse 
effects than prescription medications. St. John’s wort has gained global
 recognition as an effective treatment for minor depression, with 2007 
worldwide sales exceeding $100 million.</div>
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Antidepressant medications are also used to treat 
severe forms of premenstrual syndrome. A pilot trial using St. John’s 
wort for PMS at the University of Exeter in England reported that a 
majority of women experienced a 50 percent reduction in symptoms, 
including anxiety and depression.</div>
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St. John’s wort oil is highly regarded as a topical 
agent. When the flowering tops are infused in oil—olive oil is best—the 
oil turns ruby red after sitting in the sun for several weeks. It is 
massaged into the skin to relieve pain or made into an ointment for 
wounds, burns, and insect bites. Basic science and animal studies have 
confirmed that the oil eases inflammation of the skin and fights 
bacteria.</div>
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St. John’s wort is being investigated for use in viral
 infections. Hypericin, one of its active constituents, has been shown 
to be highly active against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and 
herpes simplex 1—the virus known to cause cold sores and fever blisters.</div>
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<strong>How to Use</strong></h2>
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<em>Tea:</em> Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 teaspoon herb. Steep 5 to 10 minutes. Strain. Drink 1 to 3 times per day.</div>
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<em>Tincture:</em> Use 2 to 3 droppersful in 1 cup hot water or lemon balm tea.</div>
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<em>Capsules/Tablets:</em> Most research has been 
done on products guaranteed to contain specific levels of key 
ingredients. To find a supplement, look for one standardized to 0.3 
percent hypericin or 3 to 5 percent hyperforin. The dose for these 
products is 900 to 1,500 mg per day.</div>
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<strong>Precautions</strong></h2>
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St. John’s wort appears to be safe. The main risk 
is the potential for interaction with prescription medications. Safety 
during pregnancy has not been established.</div>