Herbal tea is a tasty, low-calorie drink that can be enjoyed while unwinding alone, socializing with friends and family, or celebrating special occasions. Yet, the plant carries a myriad of health and well-being benefits too. Studies have shown that thanks to its bioactive ingredients, tea can help refresh, hydrate, heat up or cool down the body, and improve mood.
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), is one of nature’s finest antiseptics, and deserving of its reputation as a calming and soothing herb. For centuries, the plant has been cultivated from the wild and used as an at-home remedy, for various ailments and conditions.
A Cure
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and vulnerary properties1,2, St. John’s herbal oil stimulates regeneration and healing, and is used as a remedy for minor cuts, scrapes, or burns; it also reduces the appearance of scars, old and new. Rubbing just a few drops of the oil into the skin using small, circular motions helps relieve the pain associated with injuries, gout, or nerves.
Traditionally, herbal tea has been taken as a home remedy for digestion disorders, anxiety, depression, and sleeping aid. It is believed that St. John’s Wort calms the brain and helps induce sleep by enhancing the inhibitory activities of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), via a mechanism similar to Valium, but without the potential for dependence.
When treating depression of mild to moderate severity, findings in several studies have presented remarkable results: St. John’s Wort was shown to be more effective than a placebo, and as effective as some standard antidepressants.3
In Germany, the plant is currently among the most prescribed antidepressants, both natural and synthetic.4
A possible explanation for its effectiveness may be its mechanisms of action – the herb increases the levels of key neurotransmitters in the brain (serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenalin) whilst simultaneously lowering levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.5 As with many synthetic antidepressants, it can take 6 to 8 weeks of continual use for the plant to take full effect in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Regarding the side effects of St. John’s Wort, known symptoms include headache, fatigue, photosensitivity, and dry mouth.
Drug Interactions
St. John’s Wort speeds up the elimination of other ingested medications, thus making their effects weaker. In treatments where single doses are important (such as digoxin, warfarin, birth control pills, oxycodone, cyclosporine, etc.), concurrent consumption can adversely affect your health.6
Furthermore, combining St. John’s Wort with other antidepressants can lead to serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by excessive levels of serotonin in the body. Always seek medical advice before adding St. Jon’s Wort to your diet and/or treatment.
If you just need something to lift your spirit, ease the symptoms of menopause, PMS, or mood swings, or just help you unwind after a stressful day, a cup of St. John’s tea may be the answer. You can drink up to 2 cups a day, alone or in combination with other herbs – such as a pinch of valerian – to improve its sedative effects. But, as with all herbal and medicinal remedies, mind the cumulative effect of the habitual tea drinking and don’t use it too often nor too much.
Note: It is very important not to treat depression on your own. If you are making any changes to your mental health routine, always seek advice from a medical professional.
By TAMARA GRLJA, MSc Medical Biochemistry
References:
1.Tedeschi, E. (2003). Anti-Inflammatory Actions of St. John’s Wort: Inhibition of Human Inducible Nitric-Oxide Synthase Expression by Down-Regulating Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription-1 (STAT-1 ) Activation. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 307(1), 254–261.
2. Schempp, C. M., Winghofer, B., Lüdtke, R., Simon-Haarhaus, B., Schöpf, E., & Simon, J. C. (2000). The topical application of St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) and of its metabolite hyperforin inhibits the allostimulatory capacity of epidermal cells. British Journal of Dermatology, 142(5), 979–984.
3. Linde, K., Berner, M. M., & Kriston, L. (2008). St John’s Wort for major depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
4. Fegert, J. M., Kölch, M., Zito, J. M., Glaeske, G., & Janhsen, K. (2006). Antidepressant Use in Children and Adolescents in Germany. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 16(1-2), 197–206. doi:10.1089/cap.2006.16.197
5. Butterweck, V. (2003). Mechanism of Action of St John’s Wort in Depression. CNS Drugs, 17(8), 539–562.
6. Mills, E., Montori, V. M., Wu, P., Gallicano, K., Clarke, M., & Guyatt, G. (2004). Interaction of St John’s wort with conventional drugs: a systematic review of clinical trials. BMJ, 329(7456), 27–30
7. 2010. Serotonin syndrome/toxicity – a reminder. Prescriber Update, 31(4): 30-31
157 Comments
Casa farmacГ©utica IQSA AcciГіn antieczemГЎtico Indicaciones eczema, micosis, en piel o mucosas ActГєa rГЎpido how long does lasix take to work
order levaquin 500mg for sale levofloxacin 250mg price
levofloxacin pills order levofloxacin generic
buy avodart 0.5mg pill avodart 0.5mg ca ondansetron drug
order avodart 0.5mg pill order ondansetron 8mg for sale buy ondansetron 8mg online
brand spironolactone 100mg order finasteride 1mg pill order diflucan without prescription
aldactone 25mg pills valtrex 1000mg generic generic fluconazole
acillin generic ampicillin price erythromycin 250mg without prescription
oral ampicillin 250mg cheap ampicillin order erythromycin 500mg pills
buy sildenafil 100mg pills tamoxifen 20mg uk buy robaxin 500mg for sale
order sildenafil 50mg cost methocarbamol 500mg robaxin usa
buy sildenafil 50mg sale generic estradiol 2mg cost estradiol
suhagra 100mg canada sildenafil 100mg price estrace without prescription
order lamictal pill vermox 100mg us retin gel generic
lamotrigine 50mg cheap mebendazole canada buy tretinoin generic
order generic tadalis order avana pills voltaren 50mg tablet
tadalafil order tadalafil online order voltaren over the counter
isotretinoin 40mg generic zithromax cheap order zithromax 500mg online
cheap accutane 10mg buy zithromax 250mg zithromax 250mg cheap
indomethacin canada order indocin 50mg generic amoxicillin 250mg over the counter
indocin 50mg pill cefixime 200mg us buy trimox 500mg generic
buy cialis 10mg for sale Cialis or viagra viagra brand
buy cialis pills overnight cialis buy viagra generic
buy anastrozole 1mg sale buy biaxin 500mg pill viagra 50mg us
purchase arimidex pills generic arimidex buy generic viagra 50mg
tadalafil comprimГ© acheter 20mg du tadalafil vrai sildenafil 100mg prix
deltasone price cost deltasone 20mg sildenafil 50mg without prescription
order prednisone 10mg online generic cialis no prescription order viagra 100mg
tadalafil kaufen ohne rezept viagra 100mg kaufen ohne rezept sildenafil 50mg kaufen ohne rezept
buy accutane 10mg stromectol 12mg uk stromectol generic name
order provigil 100mg for sale Cialis medication acetazolamide cheap
doxycycline generic vardenafil 20mg uk buy generic lasix 40mg
doxycycline 100mg sale order clomiphene 100mg online order lasix
buy ramipril 10mg without prescription clobetasol order generic azelastine 10ml
clonidine cost order minocycline 100mg generic spiriva brand
buy buspar 10mg without prescription buspirone 5mg generic buy ditropan 5mg sale
order buspar 10mg generic amiodarone 200mg generic oxybutynin for sale online
buy generic hytrin buy hytrin 1mg pill buy azulfidine 500mg pill
terazosin 1mg drug pioglitazone order online cost azulfidine 500mg
purchase alendronate for sale alendronate oral pepcid 40mg oral
order alendronate buy alendronate without prescription famotidine pills
generic olmesartan 10mg buy benicar 20mg for sale order diamox 250mg online cheap
olmesartan pills order calan 240mg for sale acetazolamide 250mg canada
order prograf 1mg online cheap buy ursodiol without prescription buy urso 300mg generic
buy tacrolimus 1mg generic requip 2mg canada cheap ursodiol
isosorbide medication buy micardis 80mg online telmisartan 80mg over the counter
order imdur 40mg generic buy lanoxin without prescription telmisartan medication
order bupropion 150 mg pill buy bupropion 150mg for sale cheap quetiapine 100mg
purchase zyban without prescription buy cetirizine generic quetiapine 100mg usa
molnupiravir over the counter omnicef brand prevacid 30mg us
buy molnupiravir 200 mg generic omnicef drug buy lansoprazole 15mg for sale
order zoloft 100mg sale purchase zoloft sale viagra sale
brand sertraline sildenafil 100mg over the counter buy sildenafil 100mg for sale
order salbutamol pills viagra 150mg for sale sildenafil 100mg
order salbutamol 100mcg online purchase sildenafil online cheap buy sildenafil generic
cheap cialis generic order viagra with paypal viagra 100mg oral
tadalafil sale viagra for sale on ebay viagra 100mg us
cialis 10mg amantadine 100mg pills purchase amantadine online cheap
cialis 20mg sale order cialis 20mg generic order symmetrel 100 mg online
buy revia generic letrozole 2.5mg price abilify sale
order dapsone online cheap adalat 30mg price perindopril 8mg for sale
order generic avlosulfon oral allegra 180mg buy perindopril without prescription
brand provera 5mg order medroxyprogesterone for sale buy cyproheptadine 4mg for sale
order medroxyprogesterone 5mg for sale praziquantel online buy periactin 4 mg price
modafinil brand stromectol 12mg generic fda ivermectin
modafinil cost modafinil 200mg brand ivermectin 6mg oral
order luvox 50mg generic buy glipizide without prescription buy glipizide 10mg online cheap
order fluvoxamine generic purchase nizoral online glucotrol us
isotretinoin 20mg pill order amoxicillin 500mg pill buy prednisone 10mg pills
order generic accutane 40mg buy prednisone 5mg sale deltasone 20mg brand
oral piracetam 800mg viagra 50 mg buy sildenafil 50mg sale
order azithromycin 250mg online cheap order neurontin generic cheap neurontin pills
buy azithromycin 250mg online order prednisolone 20mg for sale neurontin 800mg pill
tadalafil 10mg pill cialis online order cheap viagra pill
cialis on line tadalafil 40mg sale purchase sildenafil sale
brand lasix plaquenil 200mg without prescription plaquenil drug
oral lasix 100mg plaquenil sale buy hydroxychloroquine 400mg online
buy cialis sale tadalafil 20mg oral clomipramine 50mg
cialis 10mg canada cialis mail order usa buy clomipramine pills
cialis daily cost oral anafranil 50mg anafranil 25mg cheap
buy aralen pills order baricitinib 4mg sale purchase olumiant pill
buy aralen generic baricitinib generic brand olumiant 2mg
sporanox us tindamax 300mg cheap purchase tindamax for sale
itraconazole 100mg generic generic tinidazole 300mg buy tindamax online
order glucophage sale buy tadalafil 5mg without prescription tadalafil 5mg generic
zyprexa 10mg uk nebivolol price order valsartan 80mg without prescription
buy norvasc generic cialis 20mg over the counter cialis for sales
order amlodipine 5mg pills cialis generic real cialis pharmacy prescription
purchase clozapine without prescription clozapine pill order dexamethasone 0,5 mg sale
order clozaril online clozaril 100mg cheap buy decadron without prescription
viagra 50mg tablet order viagra without prescription buy lisinopril
order viagra 50mg pill sildenafil sale brand lisinopril 10mg
prilosec without prescription omeprazole 20mg us online slots real money usa
omeprazole 20mg brand hire essay writer vegas casino online
purchase zyvox generic play poker online casino real money
zyvox price online card games best online casino usa
purchase lopressor for sale vardenafil 20mg sale vardenafil 10mg drug
metoprolol price brand lopressor 100mg buy generic levitra 10mg
buy a research paper online online gambling sites online gambling
order vardenafil 20mg generic methylprednisolone order methylprednisolone 16 mg without prescription
order levitra 10mg pill levitra online buy buy methylprednisolone 16mg
essay edit sildenafil without a doctor’s prescription sildenafil overnight delivery
write college essays for money sildenafil 100mg pills for sale buy viagra 50mg sale
purchase clomiphene without prescription purchase albuterol generic casino free spins no deposit
clomid pills best slots to play online online casinos for real money
cialis for women tadalafil 40mg for sale buy sildenafil 50mg
cialis brand tadalafil 10mg cheap viagra 50mg tablet
buy aristocort sale aristocort us purchase clarinex generic
priligy price buy generic cytotec order levothyroxine generic
purchase cialis pills cheap sildenafil tablets viagra fast shipping
priligy 30mg tablet buy synthroid for sale buy synthroid 75mcg online cheap
cialis overnight shipping sildenafil sale sildenafil pills 50mg
buy xenical pill orlistat cheap acyclovir 400mg ca
orlistat online buy diltiazem medication zovirax 400mg price
order cialis without prescription generic clopidogrel 150mg clopidogrel online buy
cost allopurinol rosuvastatin 20mg cheap ezetimibe canada
order allopurinol generic purchase ezetimibe sale ezetimibe online
methotrexate uk warfarin order metoclopramide 10mg uk
generic methotrexate 2.5mg methotrexate 5mg ca reglan ca
domperidone medication flexeril order order cyclobenzaprine online
domperidone pills order flexeril 15mg pill cyclobenzaprine pills
cozaar usa topiramate 200mg oral topamax usa
generic cozaar 25mg nexium sale oral topamax
buy baclofen 10mg generic buy ketorolac generic toradol 10mg sale
order ozobax for sale tizanidine generic toradol 10mg oral
sumatriptan 50mg brand buy levofloxacin sale dutasteride online
imitrex cost buy sumatriptan 50mg for sale purchase avodart generic
buy colchicine 0.5mg sale online black jack slots casino
ranitidine pill buy mobic 7.5mg generic celecoxib 100mg cheap
hollywood casino online slots free slots casino games
tamsulosin medication buy flomax 0.4mg without prescription aldactone 100mg without prescription
cialis tadalafil 10mg cialis 5mg price order cipro online cheap
buy tadalafil 10mg online acillin generic order ciprofloxacin 500mg for sale
purchase zocor generic cost valtrex order propecia 1mg
order simvastatin for sale buy finasteride 5mg pills order proscar 5mg online
metronidazole sale clavulanate tablet bactrim 960mg generic
purchase flagyl without prescription brand augmentin 625mg sulfamethoxazole without prescription
buy fluconazole online cheap viagra cheap sildenafil viagra
buy keflex 500mg generic clindamycin pill order erythromycin pill
cephalexin for sale online order cephalexin 250mg online cheap erythromycin 500mg sale
buy tadalafil 5mg sale order tadalafil 5mg pills female viagra pill
viagra 200mg price cheap tadalafil pills cialis online canada
best poker online real money poker games online order tadalafil 5mg
trazodone over the counter aurogra 100mg cost aurogra cost
desyrel price buy aurogra generic purchase sildenafil pills
write my thesis help with writing a paper stromectol for lice
write research paper for me edit my paper ivermectine online
sildalis online buy order estradiol 1mg pills lamotrigine for sale
sildenafil citrate 50mg lamotrigine 200mg canada lamictal pill
prednisone 20mg tablet cheap amoxicillin tablets amoxil pills
cheap prednisone 5mg prednisone 5mg for sale order amoxil 250mg generic
sildenafil over counter buy viagra pill order tadalafil 20mg for sale
purchase viagra for sale viagra over the counter cialis tadalafil 20mg
hard rock casino online pfizer cialis brand name cialis
online blackjack game cialis 20mg cost brand cialis 5mg
zithromax canada oral zithromax 500mg neurontin pills
azithromycin uk buy prednisolone for sale neurontin usa