What does St John’s Wort treat? (5 uses)

This article will discuss the benefits of Saint John’s Wort. It will mention the conditions it treats and explain the mechanisms by which it treats them. The article also discusses research studies on St. John’s Wort and its benefits.

Finally, the article also addresses the potential side effects and interactions of Saint John’s Wort.

What does St John’s Wort treat?

Saint John’s Wort is a popular medicinal herb that treats depressive symptoms, manages infections, and accelerates wound healing. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which add more benefits to its use [1,2,3].

Saint John’s Wort’s actions are mainly due to its active constituents, hypericin and hyperforin. First of all, they regulate the levels of certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, GABA, norepinephrine, and dopamine. 

These compounds also inhibit certain inflammatory mediators, such as interleukins, and pro-inflammatory enzymes like nitric oxide synthase and COX-2, leading to SJW’s anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, they stimulate collagen production and have antiviral and antibacterial effects.

However, Saint John’s Wort is also associated with multiple risks, especially drug interactions. Thus, if you’re considering using St. John’s Wort, you should consult with a doctor and tell them about your concurrent medications first.

How does St. John’s Wort enhance mental health?

Saint John’s Wort has shown effectiveness in managing both depression and anxiety.

Saint John’s Wart’s impact on depression

Hypericin and hyperforin, the main active constituents of Saint John’s Wort, inhibit the uptake of serotonin and other neurotransmitters into the neurons. As a result, more serotonin is available in the synapses, resulting in enhanced mood and fewer depressive symptoms [1].

Multiple clinical trials have investigated SJW’s effectiveness in treating depressive symptoms when taken for durations ranging from 4 to 12 weeks. There is a meta-analysis that reviews the findings of 27 of the trials comparing St. John’s Wort’s efficacy and safety to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors [2].

This meta-analysis found that St. John’s wort was equally effective as SSRIs in treating depression in all 27 trials, having similar response and remission rates. Moreover, patients taking SJW were less likely to stop their treatment due to side effects [2].

SJW is also effective for seasonal affective disorder, which is a type of depression that occurs when the seasons change. It is also helpful for premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Saint John’s Wort’s impact on anxiety

Saint John’s Wort’s hypericin and hyperforin are non-selective reuptake inhibitors; they inhibit the reuptake of serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and norepinephrine. The activity and function of GABA neurotransmitters play an important role in managing anxiety [1].

Since SJW inhibits the reuptake of GABA and serotonin, it increases their activities. This enhances mood, reduces worry, and reduces anxiousness or anxiety symptoms in general.

How does SJW help with bacterial infections?

First of all, hyperforin is effective in blocking the growth of gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, it enhances the actions of certain antibiotics on resistant bacteria. 

For instance, hyperforin inhibits the efflux pumps of Penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (PRSA) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). These efflux pumps are proteins that these organisms develop as a resistance strategy.

By inhibiting the actions of these efflux pumps, SJW prevents penicillin or methicillin antibiotics from being expelled outside the bacterial cells, allowing them to perform their anti-bacterial action and treat the infection [3].

It was also discovered that St. John’s Wort blocks quorum sensing in E. Coli, interfering with its ability to make biofilms and reducing its resistance to antibiotics. 

How does SJW help with viral infections?

Saint John’s Wort can help with viral infections through various mechanisms. To illustrate, hypericin interferes with the virus’s entry into the cells to be infected by disrupting some proteins in viral envelopes. This prevents their attachment to cell membranes and inhibits their penetration into the cell [3].

Moreover, hypericin disrupts the life cycles of viruses and disrupts the functions of proteins responsible for viral replication. For instance, it affects the HIV proteins p24 and p55, resulting in the inhibition of viral reverse transcriptase and blocking the replication of HIV [3].

Saint John’s wort is most commonly used for HIV infections, in addition to herpes and chicken pox.

How does SJW cause wound healing?

Since Saint John’s Wort has antimicrobial and anti-viral properties, applying it to a wound can help prevent wound infection and progression. Moreover, St. John’s Wort can also work as an anti-inflammatory, which is very helpful for wounds.

As for St. John’s Wort wound-healing mechanisms, studies have found that hyperforin increases the production of collagen and stimulates fibroblasts. This helps in replacing the damaged cells and closing the wounded area [4].

Scientists have formulated creams with St. John’s Wort oil extracts and studied the effects of applying them to wounds for 7 days. O/W creams. At the end of the 7-day treatment, they found that all skin properties were restored to baseline and microbial infections were inhibited [5].

What are the side effects of SJW?

While knowing the multiple benefits of Saint John’s Wort is important, it is also essential to be aware of its potential side effects. The table below demonstrates the possible side effects of SJW:

Saint John’s Wort has a good safety profile, and its common side effects are safe in nature. However, it is very important to be aware that it increases the activity of CYP3A4 enzymes and increases the breakdown of multiple drugs.

For example, SJW may decrease the actions of theophylline, digoxin, ivabradine, warfarin, oral contraceptives, protease inhibitors, and some anticancer drugs. Moreover, it decreases the potency of oral contraceptives, which may lead to unexpected pregnancies.

Furthermore, one rare yet very serious side effect is serotonin syndrome. This is a very dangerous and potentially life-threatening syndrome that most commonly occurs when combining serotonergic drugs. Thus, don’t even use SJW if you’re already taking antidepressants like sertraline or Celexa.

Understanding Saint John’s Wort benefits

Based on my research, I have concluded that Saint John’s Wort is effective in treating multiple conditions, including depression, anxiety, viral infections, bacterial infections, wounds, and inflammation. I found that its anti-depressive effects can be similar to those of SSRIs in some people.

Moreover, I believe that this herb is very useful in healing wounds, as it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial actions. It also helps in the regeneration of the skin in the wounded area by increasing collagen production and stimulating fibroblasts.

From my perspective, however, it is also important to consider Saint John’s Wort’s potential risks. I believe that people with pre-existing liver or kidney diseases or those who are already taking antidepressant medication should avoid taking this herb. 

Moreover, since Saint John’s Wort interacts with a lot of medications, I recommend consulting with a doctor before taking it for depression, anxiety, infections, or wounds.

References