St. John's wort

Generic name: St. John's Wort (SAINT JOHN'S WORT)

Usage of St. John's wort

St. John's wort is an herb also known as Amber, Barbe de Saint-Jean, Chasse-diable, Demon Chaser, Fuga Daemonum, Goatweed, Hardhay, Herbe à la Brûlure, Herbe à Mille Trous, Herbe Aux Fées, Herbe Aux Mille Vertus, Herbe Aux Piqûres, Herbe de Saint Éloi, Herbe de la Saint-Jean, Herbe du Charpentier, Herbe Percée, Hierba de San Juan, Hypereikon, Hyperici Herba, Hypericum perforatum, Klamath Weed, Millepertuis, Millepertuis Perforé, Rosin Rose, Saynt Johannes Wort, SJW, or Tipton Weed.

St. John's wort has been used in alternative medicine as a likely effective aid in treating mild to moderate depression and related symptoms such as anxiety or insomnia.

St. John's wort has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in treating somatization disorder (physical illness or symptoms without a known cause), or hot flashes caused by menopause. Topical forms of St. John's wort have been possibly effective in healing skin wounds, or treating skin irritation caused by psoriasis.

St. John's wort has also been used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), social anxiety, hepatitis C, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetic nerve pain, or burning mouth syndrome. However, research has shown that St. John's wort may not be effective in treating these conditions.

Other uses not proven with research have included anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), seasonal affective disorder (SAD), genital herpes or cold sores, sciatic nerve pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine headaches, weight loss, or smoking cessation.

It is not certain whether St. John's wort is effective in treating any medical condition. Medicinal use of this product has not been approved by the FDA. St. John's wort should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor.

St. John's wort is often sold as an herbal supplement. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

St. John's wort may also be used for purposes not listed in this product guide.

St. John's wort side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Although not all side effects are known, St. John's wort is thought to be likely safe when taken by an adult for up to 12 weeks, or by a child age 6-17 for up to 8 weeks. St. John's wort may be unsafe when taken in large doses.

Stop using St. John's wort and call your healthcare provider at once if you have:

severe skin rash or irritation;

severe sunburn (redness, burning, blistering) after being outdoors; or

(if you are also taking an antidepressant or narcotic pain medicine) -- agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast heart rate, overactive reflexes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, fainting.

Common side effects of St. John's wort may include:

sleep problems (insomnia), strange dreams;

feeling anxious, irritable, or restless;

dry mouth, upset stomach, diarrhea;

skin rash, tingly feeling;

headache, dizziness; or

tired feeling.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking St. John's wort

Many drugs can interact with St. John's wort, and serious drug interactions can occur when certain medicines are used at the same time. Do not take St. John's wort without medical advice if you regularly use other medicines, especially;

an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medicine;

asthma or allergy medicine;

cough or cold medicine;

cancer medicine (chemotherapy);

cholesterol medication;

erectile dysfunction medications;

heart or blood pressure medicine;

HIV or AIDS medications;

medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection;

medicine to treat any type of infection (including HIV, fungal infections, malaria, or tuberculosis);

medicine to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders;

medicine to treat a psychiatric disorder;

migraine headache medicine;

seizure medication;

a steroid; or

ulcer medicine, or stomach acid reducers to treat heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Ask a doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider if it is safe for you to use this product if you have:

severe depression, or bipolar disorder (manic depression);

schizophrenia or other mental illness;

Alzheimer's dementia; or

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, especially if you take methylphenidate (Ritalin).

St. John's wort may harm an unborn baby. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are pregnant.

St. John's wort can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using non hormonal birth control (condom, diaphragm with spermicide) to prevent pregnancy.

St. John's wort may affect fertility (your ability to have children). You should not use this product if you are trying to get pregnant.

St. John's wort may pass into breast milk and may cause unwanted effects in a nursing baby. Do not use this product without medical advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.

St. John's wort should not be given to a child younger than 6 years old. St. John's wort is thought to be possibly safe for children ages 6 to 17 years old when taken for up to 8 weeks.

Warnings

Many drugs can interact with St. John's wort, and serious drug interactions can occur when certain medicines are used at the same time. Do not take St. John's wort without medical advice if you regularly use other medicines.

Avoid exposure to sunlight while taking St. John's wort. This product can make you sunburn more easily.

What other drugs will affect St. John's wort

Many drugs can interact with St. John's wort, and some drugs should not be used together. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide. Tell your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with St. John's wort. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.