The exact mechanism by which St. John's wort — and even conventional antidepressants — function is unclear and subject to much conjecture. The St. John's wort mechanism is believed to involve inhibition of Serotonin (5-HT) reuptake, much like the conventional SSRI antidepressants. The major active constituents in St John's wort are thought to be hyperforin and hypericin, although other biologically active constituents present, e.g. flavonoids and tannins, may also ...

See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - Pharmacology

St. John's wort: traditionally used as a muscle relaxant to relieve menstrual problems, as a mild tranquilizer and as a treatment for depression and insomnia.

(See also: St. John's wort, Herbal Therapy, Alternative Medicine, Body Mind and Soul)

Hypericum perforatum is a yellow-flowering, rhizomatous, perennial herb indigenous to Europe, which has been introduced to the Americas and grows wild in many meadows. The common name comes from the fact that it traditionally flowers by and is harvested on St John's day, 24 June. The genus name "hypericum" is derived from the Greek words hyper (above) and eikon (picture) in reference to the traditional use of the plant to ward off evil, by hanging plants over a picture in the house during St John's day. The species name "perforatum" refers to the small windows in the leaves, which can b ...

See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - The plant

Yarrow essential oil is a volatile oil including a chemical called proazulenes. The dark blue essential oil, extracted by steam distillation of the flowers, is generally used as an anti-inflammatory or in chest rubs for colds and influenza. Massage oil for inflamed joints, dilute 5-10 drops yarrow oil in 25ml infused St. John's wort oil. A chest rub can be made for chesty colds and influenza, combine with eucalyptus, peppermint, hyssop, or thyme oils, diluting a total of ...

Read more here: » Yarrow oil: Encyclopedia - Yarrow oil

Some important genera: Calophyllum Clusia Mammea - mammee apple Garcinia - gambooge, mangosteen Hypericum - St John's wort For the full list, see Taxonomy of the Clusiaceae. The Clusiaceae (alternatively Guttiferae, erected by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789) is a family of plants including about 50 genera and 1200 species of trees and shrubs, often with milky sap and fruits or capsules for seeds. According to the AGP I ...

Read more here: » Clusiaceae: Encyclopedia - Clusiaceae

An anxiolytic is any drug or therapy used in the treatment of anxiety. Different Antidepressants, Azapirones, benzodiazepines, and non-cardioselective beta-receptor blockers can be prescribed. For somatic symptoms propranolol and oxprenolol can be used. Many of the tri-/tetracyclic antidepressants currently marketed (e.g. Doxepin, Trimipramine, Amitriptyline, Clomipramine) show effective anxiolytic properties independent from their antidepressant activity. Venlafaxine is a relatively new drug (as of 2005) with dual action (reup ...

Read more here: » Anxiolytic: Encyclopedia - Anxiolytic

A prescribed dietary supplement supplies nutrients (usually vitamins or minerals) that are missing or not consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet. Dietary supplement - United States. In the United States, a dietary supplement is defined under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 as a product that meets each of the following criteria: It is intended to supplement the diet and bears or contains one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a vitam ...

Including:

• Dietary supplement - United States
• Dietary supplement - European Union
• Dietary supplement - Legal challenge

Read more here: » Dietary supplement: Encyclopedia - Dietary supplement

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a common herb found throughout North America and Eurasia. It has finely divided, almost feathery leaves, and tiny white or yellow flowers that form a flat-topped cluster. It grows in fields and urban waste places, flowering throughout the summer. Yarrows can be planted to combat soil erosion due to the plant's resistance to drought. The herb is purported to be a diaphoretic, astringent, tonic, stimulant and mild aromatic. It contains isovalerianic acid, salicylic acid ...

Including:

• Yarrow - Human uses
• Yarrow - Medicinal Uses
• Yarrow - Historical Uses and Folklore
• Yarrow - Caution

Read more here: » Yarrow: Encyclopedia - Yarrow

The Common Emerald (Hemithea aestivaria) is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species is found througout the Nearctic and Palearctic regions and the Near East. In the British Isles it is not found in Scotland but is a common species elsewhere. All wings are generally dark green with grey and white chequered fringes and narrow white fascia, two on the forewing, one on the hindwing. The green colouration tends not to fade over time as much as in other emeralds. The hindwings have a sharply angled termen giving the moth ...

Including:

• Common Emerald - Recorded food plants
• Common Emerald - External link

Read more here: » Common Emerald: Encyclopedia - Common Emerald

John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer or Yahya the Baptizer) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. According to the Gospel of Luke 1:36 (NRSV)[1], he was a relative of Jesus. That he was a prophet is asserted by the Synoptic Gospels and the Qur'an (see also prophets of Islam). He is also commonly referred to as John the Forerunner/Precursor because he was the forerunner of Christ (Tiphshut). Isaiah 40:3-5 is commonly read as a prophecy of John. Muslim ...

Including:

• John the Baptist - Josephus
• John the Baptist - Christian view
• John the Baptist - Islamic view
• John the Baptist - Mandaean view
• John the Baptist - Gnostic view
• John the Baptist - Unification church
• John the Baptist - Places and things named for John the Baptist

Read more here: » John the Baptist: Encyclopedia - John the Baptist

A contraceptive patch is a transdermal patch applied to the skin that releases synthetic estrogen and progestin hormones to prevent pregnancy. They are thought to have the same effectiveness as the contraceptive pill. Currently the only publicly available contraceptive patch is marketed under the brand name Ortho Evra. Use of this relatively new contraceptive is increasing rapidly, likely because it combines the high effectiveness of contraceptive pills with a more convenient and easy method of administration. Contraceptive patches ar ...

Including:

• Contraceptive patch - Method of use
• Contraceptive patch - Backup contraception
• Contraceptive patch - Mechanism of action
• Contraceptive patch - Interactions and Contraindications
• Contraceptive patch - Side effects
• Contraceptive patch - Lawsuit
• Contraceptive patch - Religion & the patch

Read more here: » Contraceptive patch: Encyclopedia - Contraceptive patch

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesised in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin is believed to play an important part of the biochemistry of depression, migraine, bipolar disorder and anxiety. It is also believed to be influential on sexuality and appetite. The name "serotonin" is something of a misnomer and reflects the circumstances of the compound's discovery. It was initially id ...

Including:

• Serotonin - Biochemistry
• Serotonin - Neurotransmission
• Serotonin - Pharmacology
• Serotonin - Modulating levels of 5-HT
• Serotonin - Antidepressants
• Serotonin - Antiemetics
• Serotonin - Deficiency
• Serotonin - Serotonin syndrome
• Serotonin - See Also

Read more here: » Serotonin: Encyclopedia - Serotonin

The dosage of St John's wort preparations vary greatly between formulations, due to variability in the plant source and preparation processes. The doses of St. John’s wort extract used in clinical trials generally range from 350 to 1800 mg daily (equivalent to 0.4 to 2.7 mg hypericin depending on the preparation). (Linde & Mulrow, 2003) The recommended dosage for various forms of St John's wort as recommended by the British Herbal Medicine Association Scientific Committee (1983) are as follows: dried herb: 2-4 g or ...

See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - Dose/Formulations

St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions. St John's wort has been shown to cause multiple drug interactions mainly through induction of the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP3A4, but also CYP2C9. This results in the increase metabolism of those drugs, resulting in decreased concentration and clinical effect. The principal constituent thought to be responsible is hyperforin which, unfortunately, is also believed to be the active constituent. S ...

See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - Drug interactions

St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions. St John's wort has been shown to cause multiple drug interactions mainly through induction of the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP3A4, but also CYP2C9. This results in the increased metabolism of those drugs, resulting in decreased concentration and clinical effect. The principal constituent thought to be responsible is hyperforin which, unfortunately, is also believed to be the active constituent. S ...

See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - Drug interactions

St John's wort is generally well tolerated, with an adverse effect profile similar to placebo. (Ernst et al., 1998). The most common adverse effects reported are gastrointestinal symptoms, dizziness, confusion and tiredness/sedation. (Barnes et al., 2002) St John's wort is also known to cause photosensitivity, which can lead to sunburns in situations that would not normally cause them, but the incidence is reported ...

See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - Adverse effects

St John's wort is generally well tolerated, with an adverse effect profile similar to placebo. (Ernst et al., 1998). The most common adverse effects reported are gastrointestinal symptoms, dizziness, confusion and tiredness/sedation. (Barnes et al., 2002) St John's wort is also known to cause photosensitivity. This can lead to visual sensitivity to light and to sunburns in situations that would not normally cause them, but the incidence is ...

See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - Adverse effects

The first recorded use of Hypericum for medicinal purposes dates back to ancient Greece, and it has been used ever since. The herb was also used by Native Americans internally as an abortifacient and externally as an anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antiseptic. The aerial parts of the plant can be cut and dried for later use in the form of herbal tea, which has long been enjoyed both for its pleasant (though somew ...

See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - Uses of the herb

Clinical studies of St John's wort preparations have mainly focused on the efficacy of the herb in clinical depression. There have been mixed results over the efficacy of St. John's wort in clinical depression. Some studies have found it to be effective in the treatment of mild to moderate depression, with fewer side effects than many conventional antidepressants, while others show no benefit over placebos. See also:

St John's wort, St John's wort - The plant, St John's wort - Uses of the herb, St John's wort - Clinical evidence, St John's wort - Evidence for efficacy, St John's wort - Evidence against efficacy, St John's wort - Pharmacology, St John's wort - Dose/Formulations, St John's wort - Adverse effects, St John's wort - Drug interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacokinetic interactions, St John's wort - Pharmacodynamic interactions

Read more here: » St John's wort: Encyclopedia II - St John's wort - Clinical evidence

The root known as High John the Conqueroo is (supposed to be) the root of Ipomoea jalapa, an Ipomoea species related to the morning glory and the sweet potato. The plant is known in some areas as bindweed or jalap root. It has a pleasant odour, but it is a strong laxative if taken internally. It is not used for this purpose in folk magic; it is instead used as one of the parts of a mojo bag. It is typically used in sexual spells of various sorts. It is likely that the root acquired its magical reputation because, when dried, it ...

See also:

John the Conqueror, John the Conqueror - Who is John the Conqueror?, John the Conqueror - What is John the Conquer root?, John the Conqueror - Other herbs related to the legend, John the Conqueror - Blues lyrics, John the Conqueror - External link

Read more here: » John the Conqueror: Encyclopedia II - John the Conqueror - What is John the Conquer root?