Cinnamon Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 There is a very interesting piece in the Mail today about the benefits of ST JOHNS WORT & a study that has been done on the plant. I took it a couple of years ago & I believe it got me through a very tough time, & would recommend it to anyone who feels like they need a bit of extra help. From the loks of the result of the study,it has been used for many years & is very effective,which with it being natural,is fantastic news for us all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I believe it can be quite effective, but I must flag up a warning here. It is known to interact with a number of drugs with the potential for some rather nasty consequences depending on the drug in question. Such drugs include: anticancer agents (imatinib and irinotecan), anti-HIV agents (e.g. indinavir, lamivudine and nevirapine), anti-inflammatory agents (e.g. ibuprofen and fexofenadine), antimicrobial agents (e.g. erythromycin and voriconazole), cardiovascular drugs (e.g. digoxin, ivabradine, warfarin, verapamil, nifedipine and talinolol), central nervous system agents (e.g. amitriptyline, buspirone, phenytoin, methadone, midazolam, alprazolam, and sertraline), hypoglycaemic agents (e.g. tolbutamide and gliclazide), immuno-modulating agents (e.g. cyclosporine and tacrolimus), oral contraceptives , proton pump inhibitor (e.g. omeprazole), respiratory system agent (e.g. theophylline), statins (e.g. atorvastatin and pravastatin). It tends to reduce the effectiveness of the agents in question. It has also been found to induce mood swings in people with bipolar disorder (manic-depression). Therefore, if you are taking any other regular medications (including oral contraceptives) it is worth checking with your doctor before trying the herb. Sorry to put a damper on things, but I felt it important that people should know the potential risks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Someone close to me had a breakdown and attempted suicide many years ago. Reluctant to take drugs, he started taking St John's Wort regularly and swears by it. lalefm is right to point out the risks of drug interactions. It's a good idea to discuss with your GP if you plan to take anything that may interfere with any traditional medication you are taking. The only other hazard attached to it (that I am aware of) is that prolonged use can make your skin very sensitive to sunlight. I am a great believer in natural remedies, so let's hope the research helps to support that. Edited for typo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I would love to be able to use more herbal/homeopathic remedies but as lalefm quite rightly points out you must check with your GP first I am on Warfarin and this rules out most herbal or Homeopathic remedies even essential/massage oils are absorbed and can interact with prescribed medication Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 (edited) LALGFM - I echo your warning I have seen more than one lady who has fallen pregnant because of taking St Johns Wort & taking the pill - I have a great book called Alternative cures that really work by Hoffman & Fox (2006) published by Rodale, it gives very good researched based info & alerts about interactions & side effects and dwritten in a very easy to understand way. I use it a lot at work but if anyone is into complimentary remedies it is a really good referance book edited to correct typo Edited October 9, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 My thinking is that if a medicine works (herbal or otherwise) then it must have an active ingredient which changes the way your body works - chemicals, hormones, or whatever. I'm not sure I can see how naturally occuring chemicals are safer than man made chemicals. Herbal medicines are not subject to the same level of safety testing that conventional medicines are. Even though the ones which work must be doing something to how your body is functioning. Think of all the really powerful chemicals found in nature: digitallin is from fox-gloves, but no-one should ever consider taking the stuff without proper prescription (it's used in heart medicines). Becuase they are naturally occuring, the level of active ingredient may not be the same in each batch, even. It's good to see proper studies of long term use having been conducted like the St John's Wort above, but there are loads of other herbal medications which personally I wouldn't go near. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 I have just started a course at university called Medicinal plants where we learn all about the natural uses of plants and how they are the foundations for many of the drugs we use today - apparently 60% of chemotherapy drugs come from plants and there is a new drug being developed to combat aids which comes from a plant on Samoa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Rachel that sounds really interesting, you must keep us all posted... Like many others i agree that you should always check with your GP for potential interactions... garlic pills and non prescribed asprin can also be a culprit. SJW should also be stopped before any general anaesthetic for 2 weeks if possible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
