Medicinal Properties and uses of St Johns Wort

The first mention of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) was in ancient Greece. It is believed to have been named after John the Baptist. It has been used for centuries to treat people with mental illness and nerve pain. St. John's Wort is a mood elevator, and also said to be anti-viral and anti-bacterial. It is used by many to repair nerve damage, and to reduce pain and inflammation of arthritis, cramps, and sciatica. It is said to be good for healing ulcers, gastritis, diarrhea, and nausea. St. John's Wort oil or cream is used on cuts, bruises, burns, hemmroids, sprains, muscle and nerve pain, and varicose veins. It is sometimes taken internally to cure incontinence in adults and bed wetting in children. German doctors would rather prescribe St. John,s Wort over more traditional medications due to less side effects. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health said that St. John's Wort is helpful for anxiety, mild to moderate depression, and sleep disorders. Studies have shown that St. John's Wort may help people with minor depression with fewer side effects than traditional medications. St. John's Wort does have a few side effects, but are usually mild. The ones that occur most often are dry mouth, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, more sensitive to sunshine, and fatigue. Some of the Mayo Clinic's studies have shown that St. John's Wort works as well as tricyclic anti-depressant drugs or as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor anti- depressants on mild to moderate major depression. It also proved to have fewer side effects. Some cases of people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder have shown improvement. There are some very promising, early test results for treating people suffering from seasonal affective disorder with St. John's Wort. Some trials indicate that St. John's Wort helps with somatoform disorders and nerve pain. There has also been positive results treating moderate atopic dermatitis with hypericum cream. A study with more than one-hundred children showed that ear drops made from St. John's wort, garlic, calendula, and mullein worked as well as conventional ear drops for painful ear infections. Always consult your doctor and your pharmacist before taking St. John's Wort. It can cause serious side effects if mixed with certain medications, herbs, or alcohol. Even things like birth control pills, antibiotics, and over the counter medications can be dangerous if mixed with St. John's Wort. Not everyone can safely take St. John's Wort. Women trying to conceive, pregnant, or breast feeding are advised not to use it. Anyone that has had an organ transplant need to avoid St. John's Wort because it can cause your body to reject your new organ. It can also elevate the thyroid hormone. St. John's Wort can also make some conditions worse, like Alzheimer's, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. More testing needs to be done.

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