I was reading up on the different anti-depressants out
there. I came upon an atypical antidepressant; something not categorized with
SSRI’s, MAOI’s, or Tryciclic antidepressants. This antidepressant is called St.
Johns wort, and it is an herb. It is, however, marketed as a nutritional
supplement instead of a drug; which means that the USDA cannot and does not
regulate it. Also, the purity of this “magical herb” varies from bottle to
bottle, like others would as well.
An advantage of this is that it is less expensive than
antidepressant drugs, also that it is available without a prescription; this
may be advantageous or disadvantageous. It can be attained easily but can also
be misused, and its effectiveness appears to be about the same as a typical
antidepressant. It, however, has potentially dangerous side effects, as it
increases the effectiveness of a liver enzyme that breaks down plant toxins.
This may sound like a good thing, but it may also break down most medicines.
Therefore, taking this can decrease the effectiveness of other drugs such as,
AIDS drugs, cancer drugs, and other antidepressant drugs. This also decreases
the effects of contraceptive medicines.
There is some scientific evidence that St. John’s wort may
be helpful in treating minor depression, but the benefit seems similar to that
of antidepressants. However, two large studies showed that the herb was no more
effective than a placebo treating major depression of moderate severity. St.
John’s wort is often taken in liquid or pill form, but may also be used as a
tea. The most common dose in these studies has been 300 mg, three times a day.
For a long time, investigators thought a chemical in St. John’s wort called
hypericin was responsible for its effects, but more recent information suggests
another chemical called hyperforin may play a larger role. Hypericin and
hyperforin act on chemical messengers in the nervous system that regulate mood.
This “medicine” is possibly unsafe when taken by mouth in
large doses, and might cause severe reactions to sun exposure. There are a lot
of special precautions and warnings, and it also decreases the effects of some
other medicines. There is a long list of the different medications you cannot
take along with St. John’s wort. It could be good to take if you think it might
help, however you should always consult with your doctor before taking any
medicine.
This video explains something that I actually forgot. It has
additive effects that cause serotonin syndrome. Even if she is a bit monotone,
she explains it perfectly!
When i read about this over-the-counter "herbal" antidepressant I'll admit I was a bit skeptical. How could something that possibly does the same thing as prescribed/ monitored medication be so easily available without a prescription. After thinking about it I do agree with you. There are both positives and negatives to St. John worts. As you mentioned it isn't as expensive as other antidepressant drugs so it may cater better on limited incomes who suffer with depression. I read in the text book for my physiological psychology class that many people tend to throw around the word "depression" to describe how they feel when they are sad. Its a term that most people don't truly understand. Depression is characterized by trouble of sleeping, contemplating suicide, feeling worthless, & not being able to imagine one self ever being happy again. Since people FREQUENTLY tend to say "Oh i'm depressed" when in fact they are not, they may just take this medication without taking time to consult a physician.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that this medication had addictive effects that can cause serotonin syndrome.
On a side note, you mentioned two studies that came up with the results that the herb was no more effective than a placebo for major depression. This somewhat confused me, but also got me thinking. How can it show benefits but also show being just a useful as a placebo? Something to think about huh?
All in all a great informative blog!
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ReplyDeleteVery interesting post! One of the things that always seems to be popular are the home and herbal remedies. I know of a lot of people who would jump at the chance to use something like this without really understanding what it's side effects are.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think it is better to just consult your doctor and go with whatever he/she recommends, yes I know it might be more expensive but this way at least you aren't self medicating and running the risk of illnesses such as serotonin syndrome.