St Johns Wort: Treating Depression Naturally :: Biology Essays Research Papers

St Johns Wort Treating depression NaturallyAs the majority of people in this world, I live from mild depression from time to time. Although this has never been serious enough to exploit any changes in my ability to function, it is enough of an interference in my spirit to cause me to seek nigh part of therapy. Most of the time a good healthy cry or some exercise go forth take c be of any mild depression but in that respect are times when more than is needed. Many people in this sort of situation are reluctant to try any sort of constitution altering drug such as Prozac. There is fiddling uncertainness that these drugs do wonders for people with cases of severe depression but they are a little extreme for the minor depression found in most(prenominal) everyday life. A natural alternative to these synthetic drugs seems greatly openhearted to me. Many vitamin and pharmaceutical companies are now offering such a drug St Johns Wort. This natural mood-enhancer, also known as genus Hypericum, is now universe displayed all over television, the radio, and the Internet. It can be found everywhere in the local health food store, grocery stores, across the Internet, and in some countries, the doctors office(1) (2). But what is it? Is it really safe? How much is actually known somewhat the effects of this wonder cure? The answers to these questions are not as well answered as one might think. Although the Internet is a strong starting time of information it is very cluttered with advertisement sites for this drug providing little or no information besides its benefits and praises (3). Also, this drug has not yet been ratified by the FDA in the United States and therefore is not positively charged. Following FDA approval, more will be known about the drug and its effects. There is little doubt that this drug does wonders for mild depression. In 1996 research in England showed that hypericum not only worked better than the placebo but in many cases worked bonny as well as the tested prescription drugs (4). The National wellness Institute is currently in the middle of a three-year research confound concerning hypericum that should end in the year 2000. FDA approval should be pursual shortly thereafter. In Germany, however, hypericum is a licensed drug that is prescribed twice as often as standard antidepressants (1). Almost 200,000 prescriptions are filled every month for Jarsin, a drug containing hypericum (5).