St. Johnswort is an herb that may someday offer a measure to relief to those suffering from depression. Its key ingredient is hypericin which seems to act much as antidepressants do on the brain. Like all drugs, hypericin has side effects. Sensitivity to sunlight and mild gas trointestinal disturbances are the most common.
Today St. Johnswort has becomes Germany’s leading antidepressant, outselling even Prozac.
The major concern about the herb is the lack of precise studies on its effectiveness or the consequences of its long term use. For this reason, the drug cannot yet be safely recommended for treatment of depression. If you are already on antidepressants, dont add St. Johnswort to your regimen or abandon the prescribed drug in its favor. When combined with other serotonin enhancing drugs, the herb may result in serotonin overload. St. Johnswort may provide some relief from very mild depression but it is always wise to talk with your doctor first before taking it. If your doctor gives you the okay to take St. Johnswort, look for brands containing 300 milligrams of the raw herb, standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin.
may be usefull guys