Copyright 2006 INTEGRITY HEATH SOLUTIONS
St. John's Wort is a popular over the counter herbal supplement, used primarily for depression. However, as herbal supplements go, this one has a great deal of precautions to be heeded before taking it.
First, do not use if pregnant or nursing.
Second, be aware of potential side effects, including nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, headaches, stiff neck and hair loss.
Third, St John's wort contains Hypercin, and many products mix adversely with hypercin, causing nausea and vomiting. DO NOT take the following if taking St John's wort: antidepressants, asthma medications, Coumadin, diet pills, decongestants, hay fever meds, pain meds among others; in fact, if you are on ANY prescription medication, consult your doctor and pharmacist before taking St John's Wort; it is IMPERATIVE that you check for any potential drug-herb interactions.
Potential drug interactions with St John's Wort may occur with anticonvulsants, antiretrovirals, benzodiazepines, digoxin, immune suppressant drugs, methadone, theophylline among others; thus the importance of checking carefully with your doctor and pharmacist cannot be overstated before taking St. John's Wort, if you are taking prescription medication.
Combining St John's Wort with prescription antidepressants can cause serotonin syndrome, a rare, but extremely serious medical condition. Onset of symptoms is sudden, and includes mental confusion, headache, agitation, excess sweating, shivering, fever, rapid heart beat, muscle twitching, tremor....the condition warrants IMMEDIATE medical attention- if you know of someone who takes antidepressants and also takes St John's Wort, please notify them to contact their doctor immediately and about the risks of serotonin syndrome. You may be the one person to provide them with this life-saving information. While serotonin syndrome is rare, it is potentially life-threatening; it speaks to the need of avoiding too much serotonin, as caused by the combination of St John's Wort and most prescription antidepressants.
DO NOT eat the following foods while taking St John's wort: coffee, salami,smoked or pickled foods, yogurt, any alcohol, chocolate.
Avoid exposure to the sun on St John's wort- it increases sun sensitivity.
Do NOT use St John's wort while taking Oral Contraceptives- St John's wort may diminish the effectiveness of the oral contraceptives
DO NOT use if any history of mania or hypomania
DO NOT use with any history of seizures- St John's wort may lower the seizure threshold.
In fact, new information on safety precautions and drug-herb interactions is being published all the time; it's a great idea to spend some time discussing potential precautions with your doctor and your pharmacist before embarking on a trial of St John's Wort or other over the counter supplements.
Summary: St John's Wort can be used safely when precautions for use are adhered to. Individuals using St. John's wort are strongly advised to adhere to safety precautions; in fact, it is in all of our best interests to read and study about all the supplements and prescription medications that we take.
------
Mary F. Zesiewicz, MD, serves as Chief Medical Officer of INTEGRITY HEALTH SOLUTIONS, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the transformation of health care through research, relief and education. To learn more, please visit:
http://www.drmaryz.org .
