St. John’s Wort: Help for Depression & Anxiety?

When it comes to herbal products, one of the most popular in the United States is St. John’s wort, with its scientific name, Hypericum perforatum. The history of its use dates back to ancient Greek as it was believed to be effective for getting rid of evil spirits that supposedly invade a person’s body and cause different ailments.

According to studies, this plant that blooms yellow flowers contains numerous chemical compounds which includes hypericin and pseudohypericin as well as flavonoids and essential oils. St. John’s wort has been used in various studies as treatment for mild to moderate depression. How these chemical compounds work, however, has yet to be confirmed among suggested theories. Reports show that it is equally effective as tricyclic anti-depressants with less manifestation of side effects. Nevertheless, it is not without its side effects as it interacts with certain drugs.

St. John’s wort can also used for other depression-related conditions like alcoholism as studies on animals show that its helps in reducing cravings for alcohol. Improvements on mood for people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) had been reported when it is used along with light therapy. Results regarding providing relief for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms such as irritability, food cravings, cramps and tenderness of the breast had also been reported.

St. John’s wort has been used as treatment for anxiety and depression as it apparently improves the mood and reduces symptoms. It is important to note, however, that studies on treatments are limited to mild to moderate depression and may have adverse effects if taken with particular medications. Self-medication is therefore discouraged, particularly for treatment of severe depression.