St. John’s wort ( Millepertuis )
Benefits:
Recommended for the treatment of mild depression, anxiety, and/or sleep disorders.
Has a stimulant effect on the nervous system, due mainly to its active ingredient, xantone.
What is it used for?
- Mild to moderate (not severe) depression.
- Anxiety and agitation.
- Impaired concentration.
- Dysthymia (variability in mood).
- Nerve pain (neuralgia).
- Sleep disturbances.
A number of active ingredients are known to be present in the hypericum extract, the most important ones being hypericin, hyperforin, flavanols and xanthones. Hypericum extract is thought to work in a similar way to antidepressant medicines, by affecting levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin in the brain (however, the exact mechanism of action is not known).
Recent work, published in the British Medical Journal, has suggested that St John’s wort is as effective as imipramine in controlling symptoms of mild to moderate depression. Other research has also shown that this herb may be as effective as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in treating mild to moderate depression.
St John’s wort is sometimes used for other nervous complaints such as bedwetting and stuttering.
In each capsule : 100 mg
in Latin : Hypericum perforatum
Part used : flowering tip