St. John's wort Health Article

Generic name(s):

St. John's wort

Brand name(s):

What is the most important information I should know about St. John's wort?

Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. St. John's wort may increase the sensitivity of your skin to the sun. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable.

St. John's wort has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of St. John's wort may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.

What is St. John's wort?

The use of St. John's wort in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous.

St. John's wort is also known as Hypericum perforatum, klamath weed, John's wort, amber touch-and-heal, goatweed, rosin rose, and milleperituis.

St. John's wort has been used in the treatment of anxiety, mild to moderate depression, stomach upset, insomnia, fluid retention, and hemorrhoids. St. John's wort has also been used topically in the treatment of nerve and muscle pain, skin inflammation, skin wounds, and burns.

St. John's wort has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of St. John's wort may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were 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 have uses other than those listed in this medication guide.

Who should not take St. John's wort?

Before taking St. John's wort, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if you have any other medical conditions, allergies (especially to plants), or if you take other medicines or other herbal/health supplements. St. John's wort may not be recommended in some situations.

Do not take St. John's wort without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant. It is not known whether St. John's wort will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take St. John's wort without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. It is also not known whether St. John's wort will be harmful to a nursing infant. There is no information available regarding the use of St. John's wort by children. Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without first talking to the child's doctor.