* Forwarded (from: HERBS-N-SUCH)
* Originally from Alex Vasauskas (1:17/75) to TAMMY MCCANN.
* Original dated: Sat Oct 18, 08:19
TAMMY MCCANN wrote in a message to ALL:
 TM> Can ST. John's Wort be grown?  If it can, is there a way I could
 TM> either  obtain either seeds or a plant for here in the house?
You can get the seeds (and a catalog) from:
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Foss Hill Rd.
Albion, ME  04910-9731
(207) 437-4301
www.johnnyseeds.com
 TM> Please tell me more about dosage and what this is good for.
From:  http://www.kcweb.com/herb/herbmain.htm
Herbal Information Center - St. John's Wort
St. John's wort is a bushy perennial plant with numerous yellow
flowers. It is native to many parts of the world including Europe
and the United States. It is a wild growing plant in northern
California, southern Oregon and Colorado. 
The plant has been used as an herbal remedy since the Middle Ages.
Many believed it to have magical powers to protect one from evil.
Early Christian mystics named the plant after John the Baptist and
is traditionally collected on St. John's Day, June 25, soaked in
olive oil for days to produce a blood red anointing oil known as
the "blood of Christ." 
It has a 2,400-year history of safe and effective usage in many
folk and herbal remedies. Historically used as a nerve tonic, St.
John's wort is now widely used as a mild antidepressant. It is a
potent antiviral and antibacterial that is being investigated as
a treatment for AIDS.
One of the best herbs for mood elevation is St. John's wort.
Several controlled studies have shown positive results in treating
patients with mild to moderate depression. Improvement was shown with
symptoms of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, anxiety, headache
and exhaustion with no reported side effects. 
Its action is based on the ability of the active ingredient,
hypericin to inhibit the breakdown of neurotransmitters in the brain.
The herb also inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO) and works as a
serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI); both are actions similar to drugs
prescribed for depression. In Germany, nearly half of depression,
anxiety, and sleep disorders are treated with hypericin. St. John's
wort should not be taken with any other antidepressants, it is not
effective for severe depression, and no one should stop taking any
prescribed medications for depression without proper medical care. 
St. John's wort has been administered in the treatment of many
illnesses. The most well known action of St. John's wort is in
repairing nerve damage and reducing pain and inflammation. The herb
has been used to relieve menstrual cramping, sciatica, and arthritis.
It has a favorable action on the secretion of bile and thus soothes
the digestive system. 
The blossoms have been used in folk medicine to relieve ulcers,
gastritis, diarrhea and nausea. St. John's wort can also be effective
in the treatment of incontinence and bed-wetting in children.
Externally it is used on cuts as a disinfectant and to relieve
inflammation and promote healing. The oil can be applied to sprains,
bruises and varicose veins. Folk medicine has also has used it as a
treatment for cancer. 
The active constituents in the herb (there are over 50) include
hypericin and pseudohypericin, flavonoids, tannins and procyanidins.
The tannins are responsible for the astringent effect for wound
healing. Hypericin increases capillary blood flow and is a strong
MAO inhibitor. 
There are many studies documenting the clinical effects of hypericum
as an antidepressant treatment similar to several synthetic
antidepressants, but with a minimum of side effects. Hypericin has
been demonstrated to increase theta waves in the brain. Theta waves
normally occur during sleep and have been associated with deep
meditation, serene pleasure and heightened creative activity. St.
John's wort effectually may improve perception and clarify thinking
processes. 
There have been incidences of photosensitization as a side effect in
animals. Anyone who is hypersensitive to sunlight or is taking other
photosensitizing drugs should be cautious.
Parts Used:
Herb tops and flowers. Used as a tea, extract, oil and in
tablet form.
Common Use:
St. John's wort has been used traditionally as an herbal treatment
for anxiety and depression. It is an effective astringent that
promotes wound healing and has antiviral properties that can counter
herpes simplex, flu viruses and is being investigated as a treatment
for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 
Note:
If you are pregnant or lactating or taking anti-depressants like
Prozac, check with your physician before taking St. John's wort.
Area : HERBS-N-SUCH
Date : Sun Aug 03
From : David Wilson
To   : All
Subj : St.John's Wort
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
St.John's wort (hypericum perforatum)
 
"This herb got its name because the plant flowers on St.John's day,
June 24.  (Wort is Old English for "plant".)  Its star-shaped yellow
flowers, which turn red when bruised, are beautiful enough to make
anyone with the blues feel happier.  But this herb also has a long
history of folk use for treating anxiety and depression.  Modern
science has shown that generations of folk herbalists were right.
 
Clinical studies show that treatment with just one of the active
compounds in this herb, hypericin, results in significant improvement
in anxiety, depression and feelings of worthlessness.  Some studies
show that it's a more powerful antidepressant than some
pharmaceutical drugs such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and imiprimine
(Tofranil). What's more, it has fewer side effects.  Some researchers
say that it has no side effects at all.
 
Studies also show that St.John's wort improves sleep quality, often
a major problem for people who are seriously depressed.  In one
study, German researchers gave St.John's wort to 105 people with
moderate depression. Compared with a similar group not receiving
the herb, they slept better and exhibited less sadness,
helplessness, hopelessness, exhaustion and headache. They also
reported no side effects.
 
While some researchers attribute the benefits of the herb to its
MAO inhibitors, other studies downplay this activity.  Jerry
Cott, Ph.D., director of the Polytherapeutic Medication
Development Program of the National Institute of Mental Health
in Bethesda, Maryland, tells me that even though Hypericum is a
leading antidepressant, it has much less MAO inhibitor activity
than we had previously believed.
 
Commission E, the body of scientific experts that advises the
German government on the safety and effectiveness of herbs, heaps
praise on St.John's wort as a treatment for depression.  If you'd
like to try it I'd suggest a tea made by steeping one to two
teaspoons of dried herb in a cup of boiling water for ten
minutes.  St.John's wort appears to be most effective if you take
one to two cups of tea a day for four to six weeks, according to
Varro Tyler, Ph.D., dean and professor emeritus of pharmacognosy
(natural product pharmacy) at Purdue University in West Lafayette,
Indiana.  Dr Tyler says that different chemical compounds in
St.John's wort work together to relieve mild depression in several
different ways.  The advantage of this combined action is fewer
side effects, because the total response in not due to a single
strong action.
 
Do not take St.John's wort if you're pregnant.  and avoid intense
sun exposure while using it, since this herb can make the skin
more sensitive to sunlight."
 
The above is excerpted from "The Green Pharmacy" James A. Duke,
Ph.D., St. Martin's Press.
 
Dr. Duke also makes references to St.John's wort as treatment for
a variety of skin irritations, bruises, burns, H.Simplex I,
hypothyroidism, Parkinson's Disease and scabies. 
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