St John's Wort
St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a flowering shrub in the family Hypericeae native to Europe. Its name stems from the blooming of the fowers on the birthday of the biblical St. John the Baptist. The flowers and leaves contain active ingredients like hyperforin. It can be used in the form of supplement in teas, tablets or preparations that can be applied on the skin. It is often used to treat depression and menopause symptoms.
According to a publication sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health in 2014, it is widely prescribed in Europe for treating cases of depression. Several different doses have been used in treating different types of patients. The toxicity and side effects of hypericum seem to be significantly less than those of standard tricyclic antidepressant medications, and thus hypericum may be more acceptable to patients.
Also, an evidence published by Hypericum Depression Trial Study Group in Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002 shows that St John's wort is effective for depression, though not conclusive.
On the other hand, it is important to note that Hypericum has been associated with some side effects, and should be handled with care. It should not be taken alongside other antidepressants to avoid life threatening effects on the brain. It can hike serotonin levels when combined with some antidepressants.
These gathered evidences tend to confirm that St John's wort supplement heals the brain of depression, if used appropriately. Though, there is a lingering argument by some researchers against the veracity of this claim.
Festus C. Anaba, B Med. Sci. Physiology
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