St John's wort

Saint John’s wort

Fringe medicine
An essence which, in the pseudoscience of flower essence therapy, is said to provide a sense of consciousness, self-awareness and inner strength. 

Herbal medicine
A perennial herb containing flavonoids, glycosides, mucilage, tannins and volatile oil, which is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, expectorant and sedative; it has been used internally for arthritis, bed-wetting, bronchitis, colds, mental disorders (anxiety, depression, insomnia, nervousness), menstrual cramps, neuralgia, rheumatic pain and sciatica, and topically for burns, cuts and wounds. It was used transiently as a herbal therapy for AIDS.
 
Toxicity
St John’s wort has been deemed unsafe by the FDA, given its phototoxicity; it causes hypertension, headaches, nausea, and vomiting; it may interact with amphetamines, amino acids (tryptophan, tyrosine), anti-asthmatic inhalants, beer, wine, chocolate, coffee, fava beans, cold and hay fever medication, narcotics, nasal decongestants and smoked or pickled foods.

Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

St John's wort

Hypericum perforatum Herbal medicine A perennial herb that contains flavonoids, glycosides, mucilage, tannins, volatile oil; it is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, expectorant, sedative; as an antidepressant, it is overrated, proving ineffective in double-blinded placebo-controlled trials Toxicology SJW may interfere with OCs, anti-HIV agents, transplant drugs, anti-depressants; it causes HTN, headaches, N&V; it may also interact with amphetamines, amino acids–tryptophan, tyrosine, antiasthmatic inhalants, beer, wine, chocolate, coffee, fava beans, cold and hay fever agents, narcotics, nasal decongestants, smoked or pickled foods. See Herbal medicine.

McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.