Natural antidepressants are often used in medical practice to treat minor depressive disorders. Compared to other drugs with similar effects, they rarely cause side effects and addiction.
Pharmaceutical products containing St. John's wort
Pharmacists also know the beneficial properties of this herb. Today, pharmacy chains offer a wide range of medications containing St. John's wort. These include drugs such as Negrustin, Gelarium, Hypericin and others.
Doctors claim that these drugs have unique properties because they are quite safe and also show high effectiveness. At the same time, they do not have a wide variety of side effects that can be found with typical antidepressants. What is very important is that medications based on St. John’s wort are approved for use by pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Foods regulate mood
There is no universal product that contains all the vitamins and substances necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Therefore, eating under stress should not be the same every day. For good health, the diet includes:
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- B vitamins;
- iodine;
- vitamins A and E;
- chromium, zinc;
- iron;
- vitamin D;
- Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids;
- glycine, cystine;
- antioxidants (selenium, vitamin C).
Anti-depression products should contain all of these substances.
Side effects
Despite the fact that St. John's wort is highly safe to use due to the fact that it is a herbal component, there is a slight likelihood of developing some side effects. The most common are the following:
It should be noted that this remedy should not be used with certain other medications, namely:
Also, drugs based on St. John's wort can change the effectiveness of other drugs. The effect of contraceptives, as well as some medications used in the treatment of hypertension, in particular antiplatelet agents, is reduced. St. John's wort should not be prescribed for the treatment of severe depression due to its low effectiveness.
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St. John's wort for depression: a natural antidepressant
St. John's wort is a famous medicinal plant, which our ancestors spoke of as a cure for 99 ailments. Since ancient times it has been used as a remedy. Hippocrates, Galen, Avicenna mentioned St. John's wort in their works. The plant extract of St. John's wort is successfully used for acute catarrh of the respiratory tract, purulent wounds, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and liver. St. John's wort is an excellent antidepressant; it is included in herbal preparations that are used for colds and headaches. This medicinal plant is effective in cases of moderate and mild depressive disorders.
The use of St. John's wort for depression
Every year, depression affects the health of millions of people around the world. At the first signs of illness, you should begin treatment by contacting a specialist. Modern medicine, along with drug treatment, successfully uses folk remedies. St. John's wort was first used by the herbalist Nichols Culpeper back in 1652. Later, St. John's wort began to be used in combination with pharmaceutical antidepressants. In the 70s, the effectiveness of St. John's wort was confirmed by specialists from Germany. Since then, St. John's wort has been very popular in Europe and the USA. It is prescribed in cases where complex medications cannot be taken for some reason:
Useful properties of St. John's wort
In folk medicine, St. John's wort is used. It contains many chemical compounds that can alleviate the condition during nervous disorders. They prevent the neurotransmitter from being reabsorbed by brain cells. St. John's wort contains hyperforin and hypericin, they affect the functioning of the central nervous system.
Scientists believe that for moderate depression, St. John's wort is in no way inferior to standard antidepressants, but for clinical depression it will be of little use. Russian doctors use St. John's wort as an alternative remedy for mild depression. Although some psychiatry experts believe that the properties of St. John's wort are somewhat exaggerated.
All parts of St. John's wort contain essential oil, flavonoids, dyes, tannins, and organic acids. The plant is rich in vitamins, ascorbic and nicotinic acids, and carotene. St. John's wort has a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect
Features of taking St. John's wort for depression
St. John's wort should not be treated as a completely safe medicinal plant. This remedy can only be used after a doctor's permission. He will be able to select the optimal dosage for the treatment of depression of different categories. If the dosage is observed, St. John's wort will have a positive effect on the entire body and help restore strength. Treatment of depression is carried out with the help of infusion, decoction, tea based on St. John's wort. The daily dose of infusion should not be more than 300 ml.
Natural antidepressants
During the period of autumn blues, frequent changes in weather and an abundance of stressful situations, the choice of means that regulate mood and emotions is especially relevant for many.
In this article we will talk about natural antidepressants that help cope with emotional disturbances, improve mood and protect the body in stressful situations.
What herbs for depression should you pay attention to, what remedies can serve as natural antidepressants?
Of course, it should be understood that serious and long-term depression requires special attention and serious treatment.
In addition, the causes of depression can be very different, and therefore the choice of natural means of preventing it should be approached individually and carefully.
We will consider only the most popular natural remedies, known for their positive effects on the emotional sphere.
Herbs - antidepressants
Some medicinal herbs are natural antidepressants and gently help cope with stress and depression.
St. John's wort , due to its hepericin content, is a good natural antidepressant, improves mood, relieves fatigue, and helps protect the body during prolonged stress and seasonal weather changes. Both herb and St. John's wort oil .
Mint is known for its calming properties. It reduces nervous arousal, makes it easier to fall asleep and improves sleep, has a mild analgesic effect, reflexively dilates blood vessels in the brain, and relieves headaches.
Melissa officinalis is one of the most popular herbal antidepressants and is included in many anti-stress medications. Used for neuroses and loss of strength.
Oregano relieves nervous excitement, helps with neuroses and insomnia, eliminates fears, irritability, hot temper, pacifies anger, and promotes rapid restoration of strength.
Rosehip is a widely known plant with a rich vitamin composition. In particular, rose hips contain a lot of vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps strengthen the immune system.
Rosehip is a mild antidepressant that helps restore vitality, improve mood and cope with seasonal mood swings.
It has a tonic effect, stimulates tissue renewal and increases the body's resistance to environmental influences.
Hawthorn has sedative properties and reduces the excitability of the nervous system. In addition, the plant increases blood supply, dilates blood vessels in the brain and normalizes heart rate. hawthorn fruits and flowers with leaves have these properties .
Meadowsweet (meadowsweet) has a wide spectrum of effects, including sedative properties. Meadowsweet protects the body from stress and helps cope with increased emotional stress and nervous tension. In addition, meadowsweet strengthens blood vessels, has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, detoxifying, and restorative effects.
Sweet clover helps reduce the excitability of the nervous system. The plant is used for insomnia, migraines, neurasthenia and cardiospasms.
Motherwort has a calming effect, slows down the rate and increases the strength of heart contractions, relieves headaches, and strengthens sleep. It is used for vegetative-vascular dystonia, increased nervous excitability, and stress.
Valerian officinalis is traditionally used to relieve nervous excitement, as well as for insomnia, neuroses, migraines, and emotional stress.
Chamomile is widely known for its calming properties. Chamomile is successfully used for increased excitability, neuroses, insomnia, and hysteria.
Thyme (creeping thyme, Bogorodskaya herb) harmonizes the emotional background, increases vitality, and has a weak hypnotic effect. Thyme herb and flowers help with insomnia, fatigue and nervous exhaustion. In addition, the plant has an expectorant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Hop cones are used in folk medicine for nervous fatigue, mild depression and neuroses. Hop cones are often included in soothing teas and infusions.
Juniper is also used as an herbal antidepressant. Both the fruits and shoots of juniper calm and strengthen the nervous system, help relieve stress and have a general strengthening effect on the body.
Source: https://www.lavkasamara.ru/news/natural-antidepressants/
St. John's wort in traditional medicine recipes
St. John's wort for depression can be prepared in different ways. The treatment should be carried out in courses, that is, drink a decoction or tea for 2-3 weeks, then take a week's break, then continue treatment again.
St. John's wort tea
To prepare tea you need to take 2 tsp. St. John's wort and 200 ml of boiling water. It is enough to leave the mixture for about 10 minutes to get a useful medicine. The drink should be drunk freshly brewed in the evening and in the morning. Herbal treatment is a long process; to improve the condition, you will need to take tea regularly for 2-3 months. The first improvement will occur in a month.
St. John's wort decoction
2 tbsp. l. St. John's wort pour 300 ml of water. Heat the mixture in a water bath for 25 minutes. Then cool slightly and add boiled water to restore volume. The decoction helps get rid of anxiety, but after three months of treatment. St. John's wort should be taken after meals, 1/3 of a glass three times a day.
St. John's wort infusion
10 g of dried raw materials need to be poured with 250 ml of boiling water. To obtain a healing drink, the mixture is infused for 30 minutes. The infusion is taken 1 tbsp. spoon up to six times a day strictly after meals.
This infusion helps with depression, as well as headaches, diseases of the bladder, liver, pain in the intestines and stomach. St. John's wort is a hemostatic and anthelmintic agent.
St. John's wort tincture
The tincture is prepared with alcohol. 15 g of dried St. John's wort is poured into 0.5 liters of vodka. Infuse for two weeks in the dark. The resulting tincture is taken 30 drops, diluted with water, three times a day.
Valerian
The very name of this plant translated from Latin means “to be healthy.” Indeed, valerian has long been widely used as a medicine.
It has not yet been established exactly which of the chemical compounds contained in the rhizomes of valerian gives a therapeutic effect (most likely this is a special complex of alkaloids and essential oils), but even in Ancient Greece, in medieval Europe and in Rus' this plant was used for a variety of nervous disorders. disorders, including epilepsy.
In combination with other drugs, valerian is used in the treatment of certain heart diseases, gastrointestinal spasms, neurodermatitis, asthma and migraines, and thyroid diseases.
Valerian is used in the form of tinctures, infusions, decoctions, extracts and powders. To prepare your own medicinal decoction, take 10 g of valerian rhizome, pour 200 ml of boiling water over it and boil for half an hour, then remove from the stove and leave for at least another 2 hours. Cool, strain and take 2 tsp. three times a day before meals.
Valerian seeds (store-bought or collected from the wild) can be sown from early spring until mid-July. They are scattered into grooves in loose, moist soil without embedding and lightly sprinkled with damp humus. When the seedlings are strong enough, it is worth thinning the crops, making sure that there is at least 10 cm between rows, and no more than 20 cm between plants in a row. Caring for the plant is the most common - watering and weeding.
Contraindications and side effects of St. John's wort
It is not recommended to take drugs with St. John's wort simultaneously with warfarin, other antidepressants, or drugs prescribed for HIV infection. St. John's wort may reduce the effectiveness of contraceptives and heart medications.
If the dosage is violated, as well as in case of individual intolerance, the following symptoms may be observed:
The benefits of St. John's wort to combat depression
Treatment of depression with St. John's wort has been practiced for more than 3 thousand years, as the plant helps reduce anxiety and corrects sleep disorders. The plant contains a large number of chemical elements that alleviate the body's condition during periods of depressive disorders. This is explained by the fact that St. John's wort contains compounds that prevent brain cells from absorbing serotonin, which is responsible for a good mood.
This medicinal plant is called an antidepressant because it contains hyperforin and hypericin, which have a positive effect on normalizing the functioning of the central nervous system. Thanks to this, St. John's wort is very effective in combating stress, sometimes even better than some medications. But the plant helps to cope only with mild and moderate depression, and in the treatment of the clinical form of the disease it will be useless.
In order for St. John's wort preparations to help with stress and nervous disorders, they must be taken correctly. If a person takes a small dose of the drug, it will not improve the mood and will not restore vigor to the patient. It can also cope with chronic fatigue, which often causes prolonged depression. The effect of plant-based drugs appears after 2 weeks of regular use. You can completely overcome depression after 1-1.5 months of therapy. Therefore, experts often prescribe taking St. John's wort 30-60 days before the start of spring or autumn. After all, it is during this period that patients most often experience seasonal depression.
Treatment of the disease with one or another drug from the plant should be done very carefully. The doctor should prescribe the dosage during a face-to-face consultation. Usually it is recommended to take medications 3 times a day, doing this before meals. If you deal with depression correctly, you can cope with the disorder without serious consequences.
How to use St. John's wort as an antidepressant?
St. John's wort is considered a safe drug, but should not be taken in large quantities.
Even experienced doctors are hesitant to clearly name the permissible rate of use of this drug for depression. However, scientific experts have determined the daily dose of this drug for psycho-emotional disorders.
St. John's wort plant extract is recommended to be used 300 grams in the morning, at lunch and before bed.
This norm was established based on the content of hypericin in the extract. Its content per 300 grams is 0.3%. This dose helps maintain a state of satisfaction and peace in the human body.
Watch a video about using St. John's wort as an antidepressant.
Treatment with St. John's wort at home
Traditional medicine offers quite a variety of ways to eliminate the symptoms of stress and anxiety at home based on the dried flowers and inflorescences of this herb. Here are the most popular ones:
- Anti-depression tea. Two tablespoons of dried St. John's wort flowers are poured into two glasses of water and left to brew for 15 minutes to half an hour. This brewed St. John's wort is drunk as tea twice a day. In the morning and before bed.
To achieve a therapeutic effect, this drink must be drunk for at least three months. The first signs of the disease’s retreat are visible in the third week of regular use of the herbal infusion.
- A joyful tincture. This is a tincture based on alcohol and St. John's wort. Store it in a dark place and take a tablespoon several times a day. The alcohol should be diluted with water to 400. The same solution is also suitable for rinsing the mouth to remove unpleasant odor.
Anti-anxiety and stress medications based on St. John's wort
Since ancient times, St. John's wort has been recognized as the best medicinal herb that can fight the signs of anxiety. That is why many pharmacists use it as a basis for such antidepressants as:
- Gelarium.
- Negrustin.
- Deprim.
- Hypericin.
Read about folk remedies for nerves and stress. And also about treating depression with music.
These are natural drugs that do not have harmful side effects on the human body, unlike synthetic drugs. In addition, these drugs are approved for people with weakened immune systems and elderly people. They do not have a hypnotic effect, therefore they are approved for use in work related to hazardous industries and while driving.
Folk and medicinal remedies to combat stress
To treat depression, drink teas, tinctures and decoctions made from flowers or leaves. The most common drug is a healthy drink made from St. John's wort. To prepare it you should take 2 tsp. dry raw materials and brew 200 ml of boiled water. The drug must be infused for 10-12 minutes. It is recommended to take the tea freshly brewed. Frequency of use: 2 times a day (morning and evening). The course of therapy for depression is 3 months.
You can also drink St. John's wort in the form of an infusion. To prepare the drug, you need to brew 10 g of dried raw materials with 250 ml of boiling water. Leave the medicine for 30 minutes, then take 1 tbsp up to 7 times a day. l. This should only be done at the end of the meal. The second name is a healing mixture, because it not only helps to cope with depression, but can also cure cystitis, intestinal pain, diseases of the bladder, liver and genital organs.
You can improve your mood by using a drug prepared from 500 ml of alcohol and 12-15 g of dried St. John's wort leaves. The raw materials must be filled with vodka and left for 14 days in a dark room. After the specified time, you need to strain the tincture and use 3 times a day, 30 drops. A prerequisite is to take the medicine with warm boiled water.
St. John's wort preparations for depression are sometimes purchased at the pharmacy. For example, to get rid of sleep disturbances caused by psychological disorders, medicinal plant powder is used. Take 2-5 g of the product per day, distributing it into 3-4 doses. If you treat the disorder with this method every day for a month, you can improve sleep and cope with a nervous state.
There is another way to take St. John's wort for depression. To do this, you need to prepare a special decoction. 4 tsp. dry flowers of the plant, pour 300 ml of water and place in a steam bath. Boil for 20-25 minutes, after which 250 ml of water must be added to the product again. It is recommended to take the medicine 1/3 cup at the end of the meal. To completely get rid of the feeling of anxiety, it is necessary to carry out a course of therapy for 3 months.
A preparation made from St. John's wort and mint helps to overcome depression. You need to take 2 tbsp. l. dry raw materials, pour it into a thermos and pour boiling water over it. Infuse the product for 3-4 hours, and then drink it with honey instead of regular tea.
If it is not possible to prepare your own medications, you can purchase them at the pharmacy. There are many antidepressants based on St. John's wort that are popular among consumers. The most common:
These drugs have a unique combination of effectiveness and safety and do not have side effects. Such products are approved for use by pregnant women, the elderly and patients with weakened immune systems.
Hawthorn
This plant has also been used in medicine since the 16th century - although initially, hawthorn was used only as an astringent for intestinal disorders. And only in the XIX-XX centuries. The fruits and flowers of this representative of the Rosaceae family began to be used as a medicine for diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
Indeed, due to the presence of essential oils and a large number of active flavonoids, hawthorn extract can normalize the activity of the nervous system and increase cerebral circulation. It has a sedative effect - helps with nervous disorders and insomnia, relieves anxiety and fear, and reduces emotional excitability.
Hawthorn should not be used if there is cardiac arrhythmia or hypotension, because drugs based on it increase contractions of the myocardium (the muscular middle layer of the heart), but reduce its excitability.
At home, you can prepare an alcohol tincture from the medicinal raw material of hawthorn. For this, 3 tbsp. pour dried fruits with 100 ml of alcohol and leave in a warm place for at least 10 days. Take the finished product diluted half an hour before meals, 1 tsp.
Hawthorn can be propagated both by seed and vegetative methods, although it is more likely to be a difficult crop to propagate. Therefore, its grafting onto quince and rowan, which are much easier to grow, is more common. In any case, it prefers very sunny places with heavy but fertile soils and good drainage.
Are there any side effects?
When treating depression with St. John's wort, side effects can sometimes occur. This happens in extremely rare cases and is associated with individual intolerance to the plant or an allergy to it. Most often, such patients experience severe dizziness and diarrhea.
In some cases, the following may occur:
If you increase the dose of medication, this may lead to increased sensitivity to sunlight. During therapy with St. John's wort, you should not use other antidepressants and drugs for the treatment of HIV infection. If a woman is taking birth control pills, their effect may be reduced when taking products based on this plant.
If a person is depressed, they should immediately seek psychological help. This condition cannot go away on its own, and a qualified specialist will be able to prescribe effective treatment and the names of medications that need to be taken.
mypsihologiya.ru
St. John's wort is a medicinal plant that is widely used to treat depression, anxiety, hypochondria, and sleep disorders. St. John's wort extract is an effective and safe alternative to “chemical” antidepressants. An oil is also made from this plant, which is applied to the skin to speed up the healing of wounds and burns. Traditional medicine is trying to use St. John's wort to treat gastritis, male impotence and many other diseases. But this is practically useless, although it has an anti-inflammatory effect and fights bacteria and viruses.
Insomnia in the modern world is a real epidemic. There may be several circumstances that affect sleep physiology: poor lifestyle, stress, alcohol and caffeine abuse, constant change of time zones, shift work schedule.
The consequences of insomnia can be varied and serious. Disturbances in the natural rhythm of life of the human body cause problems in almost all departments, systems and organs.
A completely new drug, Sonilyux, is successfully used to treat sleep disorders and prevent neuroses and eliminate migraines in patients.
St. John's wort helps with depression, speeds up wound healing
St. John's wort extract helps with mild to moderate depression. It acts slowly, but causes fewer side effects than popular antidepressant medications. At the same time, St. John's wort cannot be considered a harmless remedy just because it is of natural origin. Side effects from taking it are possible, and they are listed below. There is also a risk of negative interactions with other medications. Do not use herbal remedies to treat severe depression. If the symptoms are truly severe, and even more so if you have thoughts of suicide, consult a doctor immediately.
Antidepressants of plant origin: St. John's wort preparations are the best choice
Many people prefer to use herbal antidepressants when developing depressive conditions, as they believe that they are safer.
These drugs include products containing St. John's wort. It is imperative to take into account that these drugs have not only certain indications, but also contraindications. Some people may develop side effects. St. John's wort preparations can enhance or weaken the effects of many drugs when used simultaneously. How do St. John's wort preparations work?
St. John's wort preparations are one of the groups of drugs that are used in the treatment of depressive disorders. These include:
- Negrustin;
- Gelarium Hypericum;
- Herbion Hypericum;
- Deprim and Deprim Forte;
- Doppelhertz Neurotonic;
- Life 600 and Life 900;
- Neuroplant.
Antidepressants of plant origin contain several active components. This:
- Hypericin and pseudohypericin;
- Hyperforin;
- Flavonoids: hyperoside, querticin, amentoflavone, isoquerticin, rutin;
- Xanthones;
- Essential oils;
- Tannins;
- Derivatives of caffeic acid.
Hypericin is the main active ingredient of St. John's wort preparations. It improves the functional state of the central and autonomic nervous system.
It was previously assumed that hypericin inhibits the activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A). But as a result of the studies, it was found that this substance has almost no effect on MAO-A. Other active components of St. John's wort preparations can inhibit MAO-A, but to achieve this effect it is necessary to greatly exceed the recommended therapeutic dosages of the drugs. Hypericin prevents the reuptake of serotonin by the membranes of nerve cells, and also affects the metabolism of melatonin, and due to this, its antidepressant effect develops.
Flavonoids bind to benzodiazepine receptors, as a result of which St. John's wort preparations have a calming effect on humans. Flavonoids also have anti-inflammatory properties.
Hyperforin is active against strains of Staphylococcus aureus that are resistant to penicillins. This substance also inhibits the growth of bacteria such as Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus agalactiae.
Antidepressants of plant origin: indications and contraindications
Natural antidepressants that contain St. John's wort are used for certain indications. They can be used for:
- Somatogenic and reactive depressive states of mild and moderate severity. Somatogenic depression Depression - little more than a bad mood - develops against the background of various diseases of the internal organs or with organic lesions of the brain. Reactive depression is a response of the human body to any stressful situation;
- Sleep disordersDreams: how to understand our dreams;
- Worry and anxiety;
- Psychovegetative disorders: rapid heartbeat, feeling of lack of air, headaches, dizziness, pain in the heart and abdomen, increased sweating, nausea, urinary and bowel movement disorders.
In some situations these remedies cannot be used. They are contraindicated for:
- Individual intolerance to any of the components of the drug;
- Severe depression;
- Previously occurring photosensitivity reactions when taking products containing St. John's wort.
There is no evidence that St. John's wort preparations have an adverse effect on the fetus during pregnancy. Therefore, such medications can be used only after consulting a doctor and if the benefit to the mother outweighs the possible risk to the child.
Side effects and overdose
Adverse reactions when using products that contain St. John's wort rarely occur. The following side effects are possible:
- From the digestive system: constipation, nausea, vomiting;
- From the nervous system: anxiety and feeling of fatigue;
- Photosensitivity reaction (increased sensitivity to sunlight and ultraviolet rays) in the form of skin lesions: burns or rashes. This most often occurs in people with fair skin or in patients with HIV;
- Allergic reactions in the form of itching of the skin Itching - what does it mean? and rashes.
There have been no cases of overdose of St. John's wort. If these drugs are taken in excess, side effects may develop or intensify. After an overdose of products containing St. John's wort, direct exposure of unprotected skin to direct sunlight or ultraviolet radiation must be avoided for two weeks.
Use in combination with other drugs
With the simultaneous use of drugs containing St. John's wort and antidepressants from the group of MAO inhibitors, the effects of the latter may be enhanced and a hypertensive crisis may develop. When prescribing St. John's wort together with digoxin, the effectiveness of the latter decreases, and after discontinuation of natural antidepressants, the toxicity of digoxin increases.
When St. John's wort is prescribed simultaneously with antidepressants from the group of selective serotonin neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitors (paroxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline), the effects of these drugs are likely to increase. It is also possible to develop such a dangerous complication as serotonin syndrome. In this case, confusion occurs, trembling of the limbs or torso, sweating increases, and the skin turns red. Strong emotional arousal develops, which is accompanied by feelings of fear and anxiety. The person becomes overly fussy and has a feeling of lack of thoughts.
When using St. John's wort St. John's wort: use - a medicine for 99 diseases together with oral contraceptives that contain a combination of levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol, the likelihood of acyclic bleeding increases. St. John's wort reduces the concentration of theophylline in the blood in those people who regularly take this drug. Also, such herbal antidepressants help to weaken the effects or reduce the duration of action:
- Anticoagulants from the coumarin series (warfarin and phenprocoumon);
- Immunosuppressants (tacrolimus and cyclosporine);
- Protease inhibitors, which are used in the treatment of HIV;
- Amitriptyline;
- Midazolam.
St. John's wort preparations can only be used for moderate and mild depression. In more severe conditions, the help of a specialist and the prescription of antidepressants from other groups are necessary. It is also necessary to consult a doctor if a person’s condition does not improve while taking herbal remedies.
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St. John's wort: instructions for use
St. John's wort is a medicinal plant that can be taken for mild to moderate depression, as well as anxiety, hypochondria, and sleep disorders. I make an extract from the leaves and flowers of this plant, which is packaged in tablets and capsules. For the treatment of depression and related diseases, only commercial medicines and supplements containing standardized St. John's wort extract are suitable. A standardized extract is one that is guaranteed to contain the exact dose of active ingredients, in particular 0.3% hypericin.
St. John's wort is used to make oil at home, which is applied to the skin to treat wounds, bruises, abrasions, burns, insect bites and hemorrhoids. This treatment helps many patients. But homemade infusion, oil and tea from St. John's wort are not suitable for treating depression because they do not provide an exact dose of the active ingredients. If the patient does not take enough, then this remedy will not improve his mood and will not give him vigor. And if there is an overdose, the risk of side effects increases. If you want to take St. John's wort for depression, then you need to buy and use a pharmaceutical medicine or a high-quality supplement from the USA. Supplements are several times cheaper, and the effect from them will be no worse than from drugs.
In laboratory conditions, St. John's wort extract suppresses the proliferation of herpes, influenza and mononucleosis viruses, as well as many dangerous bacteria. Unfortunately, studies have not yet been conducted to determine effective dosages of this drug for the treatment of viral infections. Chronic fatigue in people is often caused by the activity of viruses in the body. St. John's wort fights viruses and is an antidepressant. Therefore, over time, it may become a recognized treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome.
In one study, St. John's wort, along with the plant black cohosh, helped women with menopausal symptoms. However, the effect turned out to be so weak that it did not arouse the interest of either patients or pharmacists. Traditional medicine is trying to use St. John's wort to treat gastritis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as vitiligo and male impotence. This is quackery and superstition. St. John's wort will not help here.
Depression, anxiety, insomnia
St. John's wort helps with mild to moderate depression. This has been proven by numerous studies that have given positive results. The herbal remedy works no worse than “chemical” antidepressants, causing side effects several times less often. People who take tablets or capsules containing St. John's wort extract improve the exchange of neurotransmitters, the main of which is serotonin. Thanks to this, the symptoms of depression weaken or disappear completely. St. John's wort preparations act slowly. The effect will appear, at best, after 2-3 weeks of daily use, and usually the condition in 80% of patients improves after 4-5 weeks. St. John's wort does not help at all with depression and anxiety in about 20% of patients. The statistics for “chemical” antidepressants are even worse.
Until the late 1990s, scientists believed that the main substance in St. John's wort, which improves serotonin metabolism, was hypericin. Later it was found that hyperforin and flavonoids are more important than hypericin. If a patient's anxiety or hypochondria is caused by a deficiency of serotonin and other neurotransmitters, then St. John's wort can help, as with depression. We emphasize that the effectiveness has been proven only for the standardized St. John's wort extract, which contains 0.3% hypericin. Home remedies made from this plant are practically useless for treating depression and anxiety. As for insomnia, the herbal antidepressant prolongs the rapid phase of sleep, improves its quality, but does not help fall asleep faster.
St. John's wort extract helps with mild to moderate depression, but it acts slowly, and this is its big drawback. There are natural remedies that improve your mood and increase the will to live quickly, within a few minutes or hours after taking it. Find out what 5-HTP is. It is a leader in natural supplements for depression, addiction and sleep disorders. If you feel really bad, and even more so, have thoughts of suicide, then you should immediately consult a doctor. Supplements are not enough here.
Seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal affective disorder is symptoms of depression caused by a lack of sunlight. They occur mainly in the autumn-winter period, in cloudy weather. The main treatment method is light therapy. You can add St. John's wort tablets or capsules to it. It is advisable to start taking this remedy in advance - 3-4 weeks before the onset of the autumn-winter period.
Insomnia can occur primarily due to stress. It can be either single or consist of a whole chain of stressful situations.
If sleep is disturbed, a person runs the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and disrupting the proper functioning of the immune system. Memory loss can also be a negative consequence of sleep disturbance.
However, due to the unique composition of native extracts from medicinal plants and components of living nature, the drug Sonilyuks normalizes the functioning of not only the nervous system, but also the entire organism as a whole.
In 1994, the results of a study on the effectiveness of St. John's wort in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder were published in an English-language journal of psychiatry. Patients took 900 mg of a standardized extract (0.3% hypericin) per day for 4 weeks. They were also given light therapy as usual. Patients who were treated with the plant extract showed better results than those who were only exposed to bright light.
Treatment of alcoholism
For many people, alcoholism, junk food abuse, gambling addiction, and perhaps even drug addiction are caused by the same physiological cause as depression. This reason is a disrupted exchange of serotonin and other neurotransmitters. In such cases, St. John's wort preparations can theoretically help.
Unfortunately, there have been no human studies of the effectiveness of St. John's wort in the treatment of alcoholism. Scientists have created a breed of alcoholic laboratory rats. These rats were fed a plant extract and it reduced their alcohol intake. The results of the study were published in the English-language journal “Alcohol and Alcoholism” No. 5/1999.
St. John's wort is worth trying, as well as 5-HTP as a complementary therapy to overcome alcohol addiction. This may increase the chances of success, and the risk of side effects is small compared to other methods. Check out this article on liver detoxification. Don't count on St. John's wort extract as a primary treatment for alcoholism.
St. John's wort during pregnancy
St. John's wort can be prescribed for depression to women during pregnancy, as well as after childbirth, if the doctor decides that the expected benefit outweighs the possible risk. The likelihood of side effects from taking a plant extract in tablets or capsules is several times lower than from “chemical” antidepressants. Do not take alcohol tinctures or other home remedies made from St. John's wort. Of course, it is advisable to use psychotherapy to lift the mood and relieve anxiety in a pregnant woman, without resorting to medications.
St. John's wort extract did not have a negative effect on the course of pregnancy in laboratory rats and other animals. In 1998, the medical journal JAMA published an article describing two cases in which pregnant women took St. John's wort. Both pregnancies ended successfully - the babies were born on time, normal, without abnormalities. Based on the available evidence, St. John's wort cannot be considered safe during pregnancy. But the danger from it is less than from “chemical” antidepressants.
At least 3 studies have confirmed that St. John's wort is advisable to prescribe to children and adolescents if they need to take antidepressants. A standardized extract of this plant was used in dosages of 150-1800 mg per day. He helped about 80% of patients. Side effects were rare and not severe. One of the articles containing this information was published in 2003 in the professional journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Frequently asked questions and their answers
Does St. John's wort help against gastritis, stomach ulcers, and duodenal ulcers?
These diseases are not an indication for the use of St. John's wort either in Russian-speaking countries or abroad. No studies confirm that this plant can help with gastrointestinal problems. Why doctors prescribe it is difficult to say. Find an intelligent gastroenterologist and be treated by him. The first remedy is to chew your food slowly and thoroughly, and never eat in a hurry.
Is it possible to cure thrush with St. John's wort?
It is unlikely that St. John's wort will help against thrush, no matter in what form you use it. To get this problem under control, you need to switch to a low-carbohydrate diet and strictly avoid any fermented foods and vinegar. Take Candida Clear supplement internally, which contains caprylic acid, oregano oil and other ingredients.
Why can’t you treat depression with homemade tincture or St. John’s wort tea, but instead need a ready-made drug?
The finished preparations contain St. John's wort extract, in which the exact dose of active substances is hypericin 0.3%. The effectiveness of standardized St. John's wort extract for depression has been proven in numerous rigorous studies. When taking a home remedy, you will not receive the exact dose of the active ingredient. If you take too little, it will not work. If you overdose, the risk of side effects will increase. St. John's wort home remedies can only be used topically to heal wounds and burns on the skin. And for oral administration, you need to purchase a factory-made medicine or a high-quality supplement.
After reading the article, you learned objective information about how St. John's wort can be useful. It has been proven that this herbal remedy makes sense to take for depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Unfortunately, herbal remedies for mental problems act slowly - the effect will not appear earlier than after 2-3 weeks of daily use, and usually after 4 weeks. Many people are switching from “chemical” antidepressants to St. John’s wort and other natural remedies. Don't do this on your own! Discuss with your healthcare provider.
If you are worried about a depressed state in the autumn-winter period, then you can start taking St. John's wort in advance, at least 3-4 weeks in advance. For many people, alcoholism and junk food abuse are caused by the same physiological reasons that lead to depression. Such patients can benefit from natural remedies that solve the problem of serotonin deficiency. Also use psychotherapy and auto-training (meditation).
For depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and addiction treatment, only manufactured medicines or St. John's wort supplements are suitable. Because they contain a precise dose of active substances. Homemade tincture of St. John's wort can be used topically for disinfection, healing of wounds and burns. This plant does not help against stomach diseases, vitiligo, impotence and many other problems for which traditional medicine tries to use it.
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It is considered a fairly popular plant species. With its help you can cure various ailments. We note that the drug has been actively used since antiquity. Galen, Hippocrates, and Avicenna spoke about him long ago. St. John's wort will help cure diseases of the biliary tract, liver, stomach, intestines, and colds. It also relieves headaches and eliminates bad breath. And we recently found out that it is an excellent antidepressant. How to use St. John's wort correctly? How beneficial is it for the nervous system?
Drinking herbs and the effect on the sense of smell
Anti-depression products don't always have to be in the form of food. The best example of the veracity of such a statement is herbal infusions. What opportunities does Mother Nature open to us? If a person is stressed, then oregano, lemon balm, hops, St. John's wort, as well as valerian leaves and root are used.
In conditions where the moment has been missed and apathy and depression have developed, the approach needs to be changed. In such cases, it is useful to brew teas from rose hips, St. John's wort, strawberry leaves, raspberries, currants, mint and oregano. In this case, you need to let the drink brew for two hours. This soothing tea will help you relax. Combining St. John's wort with valerian is also effective. It is worth consuming them for at least one week, completely replacing regular tea. This way you can feel a noticeable improvement in your emotional state.
An infusion of mint and hop cones is also interesting. It acts similar to synthetic tranquilizers. But it does not cause such effects and is completely safe for human health. To prepare it, mix mint and hop cones in equal proportions and steam the mixture with a glass of boiling water. Wait half an hour, strain and ready to eat. You can optionally add a spoonful of honey or a slice of lemon.
To normalize sleep and relieve neuropsychic tension, you can make a herbal pillow. For it you need to prepare the following collection: lemon balm, oregano, lavender, hop cones. All these herbs fill a pad made of linen or cotton fabric. The finished product is placed at the head under the pillow.
As you can see, it is not necessary to rely exclusively on natural antidepressants in products. You can also pay attention to aromatic essential oils. Ylang-ylang will allow you to relax and relieve tension, cedar and lavender help cope with fears and anxiety. So there are natural antidepressants in foods, herbs and many other places. The main thing is to search and approach the solution of assigned tasks wisely.
Use for depression
For about 4 thousand years, the plant has been used to get rid of anxiety and correct sleep disorders. It was actively used in. European doctors considered St. John's wort the best psychotropic drug.
According to the latest medical research, St. John's wort contains useful chemical elements, which can help improve the condition of depressive disorder.
Due to the fact that St. John's wort contains hyperforin and hypericin, it is possible to normalize the functioning of the nervous system. Researchers conducted a series of experiments during which they found that St. John's wort is as effective as antidepressants, but it has a moderate, mild effect on the body. It is worth noting that the plant is unlikely to help with severe depression.
Some Russian doctors recommend using St. John's wort as an alternative remedy. It will replace those prescribed by prescription. A separate group of experts believe that St. John's wort is not an effective medicine.
Recommended anti-stress diet
Since the list of substances for treating depression is wide, you don’t have to limit yourself to strict diets. Sample antidepressant diet:
- Breakfast should contain cereals, cheeses, and yoghurts.
- A proper lunch includes a lot of fiber (porridge, vegetables, fruits) and proteins with fats (poultry, eggs, fish).
- Dinner should be rich in proteins - cottage cheese, fish, white meat.
- Snacks include nuts, fruits, dried fruits.
- Before going to bed, it is recommended to drink a cup of tea with mint, lemon balm or motherwort.
This is a sample menu to which you need to add greens, seafood and other dishes. The main thing is variety, the absence of smoked meats and large quantities of strong coffee and tea.
There are many factors that provoke the onset of depression. It will be much easier for a person with a proper diet and a strong nervous system to cope with stress. Therefore, healthy eating is the path to health and longevity.
Healing recipes
To get rid of an unpleasant depressive state, you need to take decoctions and tinctures that are prepared with St. John's wort from the leaves and dried inflorescence.
Recipe No. 1
The drink is prepared quite simply: take St. John's wort (2 teaspoons) + boiling water (250 ml).
It is very important to drink tea fresh in the morning and evening. Before using, the infusion must become concentrated. To achieve the desired effect, tea is drunk for about three months.
Recipe No. 2
To prepare an infusion with St. John's wort, you need to take a dry plant (10 grams) + boiling water (a glass). The plant is poured with boiling water and infused for at least 20 minutes. Drink the infusion as often as possible a day, one tablespoon at a time, take it after meals. The recipe for this drug helps not only to get rid of depressive disorder, but also pain in the intestines and stomach, and also treats cystitis, rheumatism, and removes kidney stones. The infusion is considered one of the best hemostatic and anthelmintic agents.
Recipe No. 3
It’s not so easy to lift your mood; you can try a healing tincture with St. John’s wort: dried plant (20 grams) + vodka (500 ml). Be sure to wait until the mixture sits until it becomes concentrated. Drink the tincture in a dosage of no more than 30 drops at a time, take with plenty of water.
Additionally, the product can be used as a mouth rinse. It will quickly eliminate the unpleasant odor. Just before use, take 30 drops of the medicine, dilute it with water (100 ml).
Recipe No. 4
Take dry St. John's wort (2 tablespoons) + water (300 ml). Everything is filled with water and heated for about 30 minutes. When you take the product, be sure to bring it to the initial volume by diluting it with boiling water. Already 3 months after taking the decoction, you will feel much calmer.
Recipe No. 5
Disturbs sleep. St. John's wort powder will help get rid of it; you can buy it at a pharmacy kiosk. You need to take it 2 grams per day. The effect will be noticeable a month after use.
