Posted by cheryljazzar on 04/07/2009 · Leave a Comment
This is the third article in a five-part series on St. John’s Wort, an herb with antidepressant properties. Part 3, Safety Concerns Safety ConcernsTaken by itself, St. John’s wort has an excellent safety record, with a very low frequency of adverse reactions (Ernst, 2002; Humphrey, 2003; Muller, 2003). Approximately 2.4% of patients who take St. … Continue reading →
Posted by cheryljazzar on 04/05/2009 · Leave a Comment
The use of alternative treatments, including acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs, dietary supplements, massage and relaxation techniques, for depression is becoming increasingly widespread. However, few studies have examined these alternative treatments for depression occurring in the postpartum period.
Category Bio-identical Hormones, Bright Light Therapy, Herbal Medicines, Omega-3 Fatty Acids · Tagged with acupuncture, antidepressant, antidepressants, breastfeeding, breastmilk, dietary supplements, estrogen, fatty acids, herbs, homeopathy, massage, omega-3, progesterone, relaxation techniques, sleep, St. John's Wort
Posted by cheryljazzar on 09/12/2008 · Leave a Comment
St. John’s wort is another effective alternative to antidepressants that may be more acceptable for some women. Its standard use is for mild-to-moderate depression, but it has also been used for major depression. Some cautions are in order. Even though St. John’s wort is a “natural” alternative to medications, it too is a medication and should be treated as such. It should never be used with antidepressants.
Posted by cheryljazzar on 09/11/2008 · Leave a Comment
St. John’s wort is generally safe to take while breastfeeding (Dugoua et al., 2006; Hale, 2006; Humphrey, 2007). In a case study, Klier and colleagues (2002) examined
Posted by cheryljazzar on 09/10/2008 · Leave a Comment
Taken by itself, St. John’s wort has an excellent safety record, with a very low frequency of adverse reactions (Ernst, 2002; Humphrey, 2003; Muller, 2003). Approximately 2.4% of patients who take St. John’s wort develop side effects. The most common are mild stomach discomfort, allergic reactions, skin rashes, tiredness, and restlessness…
Category Guest Author Series- Kathleen Kendall-Tackett (St. John, Herbal Medicines · Tagged with adverse reactions, allergic reaction, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, bipolar disorder, birth control pills, cyclosporine, cyclosporins, digoxin, Irinotecan, listlessness, mania, photosensitivity, serotonin syndrome, side effects, skin rashes, St. John's Wort, stomach discomfort, tiredness, warfarin
Posted by cheryljazzar on 09/09/2008 · Leave a Comment
Researchers still do not understand the exact mechanism for St. John’s wort’s antidepressant effect. Linde et al. (1996) noted that hypericum extracts have at least 10 constituents that likely cause its pharmacological effects. St. John’swort is standardized by percentage of hypericin, one of the active constituents. Hypericin was once considered the primary antidepressant component. Researchers no longer believe that this is true…
Category Guest Author Series- Kathleen Kendall-Tackett (St. John, Herbal Medicines · Tagged with anti-oxidant, black cohosh, cytokines, Hamilton Depression Rating scale, herbs, Hypericum perforatum extract, imipramine, inflammation, kava, lavender, lemon balm, meta-analysis, paroxetine, placebo, rosemary, schisandra, sertraline, supplement, tricyclic antidepressant, U.S. Pharmacopeia
Posted by cheryljazzar on 09/08/2008 · Leave a Comment
A large body of evidence indicates that St. John’s wort effectively treats depression (Sarris, 2007; Werneke et al., 2006). Most of the earlier research has been done in Germany, where St. John’s wort is widely used and, indeed, is the preferred treatment for depression. Standard antidepressants are tried only after St. John’s wort has failed (Linde et al., 1996; Wurglies & Schubert-Zsilavecz, 2006). Evidence for St. John’s wort’s effectiveness can be found in both review articles and in results of randomized clinical trials.
Review articlesIn a meta-analysis of 23 randomized trials, Linde and colleagues (1996) found that hypericum extracts were superior to placebos and were as effective as antidepressants in treating depression.
