St. Johnswort Herb Traditional Herbal Extract 2 fl oz: K
Herbal extracts are a highly effective way to administer herbs. They are very concentrated, they work faster than teas and are four to eight times stronger than capsules. Extracts are easily digestible and quickly assimilated into the system. St. John's Wort is the most popular anti-depressant in Germany, where one brand alone outsells Prozac seven to one. In 1996, the British Medical Journal summarized the results of over 20 studies on the herb which compared it to placebos and anti-depressant drugs. St. John's Wort not only outdid the placebos, it showed similar results to the drugs, but with fewer side effects. St. John's Wort contains the compound Hypericin which has been used as an anti-depressant since 1942. The tranquilizing quality of this compound increases blood flow to stressed tissue. This sedative effect relieves pain, anxiety and nervous tension. Among the uses for St. John's Wort are a variety of conditions such as chronic fatigue and mental burnout. Some research also suggests that St. John's Wort may reduce the growth of tumors. St. John's Wort was recommended by Hippocrates for 'nervous unrest.' It has a 2400-year recorded history of folk use for anxiety, sleep disturbances, and worry. The 1997 Commission E on Phytotherapy and Herbal Substances of the German Federal Institute for Drugs recommends St. John's Wort herb for 'Internal: Psychovegetative disturbances, depressive moods, anxiety and/or nervous unrest. Oily hypericum preparations for dyspeptic complaints. External: Oily hypericum preparations for treatment and post-therapy of acute and contused injuries, myalgia and first-degree burns.' 'Side Effects: Photosensitization is possible, especially in fair-skinned individuals.' 'Average daily dosage for internal use: 2 - 4 g of drug or 0.2 - 1 mg of total hypericin in other forms of drug application. Mode of Administration: Chopped herb, herb powder, liquid and solid preparations for internal use. Liquid and semi-solid preparations for external use. Preparations made with fatty oils for external and internal use.' 'Actions: A mild antidepressant action of the herb and its preparations has been observed and reported by numerous physicians.' The European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP) and the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia concur with the German Commission E. St. John's wort is official in the national pharmacopeias of Czechoslovakia, France, Poland, Romania, and Russia. St. John's Wort is now the number one antidepressant, natural or synthetic, prescribed by German physicians. Modern medical research has shown that Hypericum can be as effective as prescription antidepressants for mild to moderate depression. However, unlike prescription antidepressants, Hypericum's side effects are few and mild. In two clinical studies, Hypericum demonstrated anti-anxiety effects comparable to those of Valium (diazepam). Yet Hypericum is not addictive and does not impair cognitive functions. Hypericin, one of St. J