St. Johns wort?

Source NIMH

1. What is St. Johns wort?

St. Johns wort, whose botanical name is Hypericum perforatum, is a plant with yellow flowers that commonly grows in the wild. In the United States, it is sold in pill and liquid forms in health food stores and pharmacies as a nutritional supplement. It is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and cannot be prescribed by doctors in the United States.

2.Are there side effects involved in taking St. Johns wort?

Dry mouth, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, increased sensitivity of sunlight, fatigue, and confusion. But these problems were usually mild.

3.What are the active ingredients in St. Johns wort?

It is not known which components of the herb are active. The extract from St. Johns wort contains polycyclic phenols, hypericin and pseudo hypericin, the presumed active components, in addition to flavinoids (hyperoside, quercitin, isoquercitrin, rutin), kaempferol, luteolin, biapigenin, and hyperforin.

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