St. John's Wort: an interesting name for an herb in my opinion and quite frankly the name doesn't do it justice for how amazing it is. I guess I'd rename her Queen Magnificent Mind if given the chance. Hypericum perforatum, St. John's Wort, was my June herb of the month and I'm so glad I picked it. My only mode of getting to know hypericum perforatum was through dried, loose leaf tea. I wanted to make St. John's Wort infused oil but the herbal medicine course I'm taking says to only make St. John's Wort infused oil with fresh leaves and flowers to extract the medicinal properties. Alas, I did not have access to either and just stuck with dried herb from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Week One
My first week drinking the tea I noticed it would stimulate energy within me and I felt like I had just drank caffeine. The bitterness of hypericum petrforarum was also heavily on my mind as I sipped cups in the morning, mid-day and evening.
Week Two
The stimulating effect wore off and I was pretty bummed about that. As a non-caffeine drinker I thought I'd found my alternative for a nice ZING in the morning. Instead, the stimulating effect got replaced with irritation and tenderness. I had moments of extreme irritation and wanting to isolate from my family, but also a sense of confidence and tender hearted-ness that seemed foreign to me. It became easier for me to set boundaries with my family members and ride out my irritation (which I think came from a new birth control I was starting).
Week Three
I'll admit I started my herb of the month journey a week late! So this third week was my last week submerging myself into St. John's Wort, and I feel like I only touched the tip of the iceberg here. This week there was a clear realization that I was perkier, chattier, more confident and more present. Life just seemed more pleasant. I picked back up my morning mindful practice, taking daily multi vitamins and exercising daily. Everything just seems so much more manageable especially when doing it for 5-20 minutes a day (although I do exercise for an hour a day).
I'd like to emphasize the confidence I felt in this third week. I was showing up as my authentic self no matter where I went which generally looks like a calm, quiet soul who listens more than they speak. Before taking St. John's Wort I've always struggled with this identity because it is not the norm in our society of always having to talk - especially in social settings. But now, I proudly walk in my truth and there's no doubt in my mind St. John's Wort helped with this.
Hypericin and hyperforin are the two main active constituents in hypericum perforatum. Hyperforin is believed to be the primary active constituent responsible for the antidepressant and anxiolytic properties of the extracts of St. John's wort. It acts as a reuptake inhibitor of monoamines, including serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and of GABA and glutamate. It appears to exert these effects by activating the transient receptor potential ion channel TRPC6. Activation of TRPC6 induces the entry of sodium and calcium into the cell which causes inhibition of monoamine reuptake. Hyperforin is also thought to be responsible for the induction of the cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 by binding to and activating the pregnane X receptor (PXR) (https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB01892). Because of the activation of CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 enzymes in the liver, this is why St. John's Wort cannot be taken with other pharmaceuticals. These enzymes will clear anything in the liver at a quicker rate than the pharmaceutical drug may be designed for. On the other hand, if you're looking for a good liver cleanse then St. John's Wort will be a great candidate!
Overall, St. John's Wort has helped me more than I bargained for. I went into this Herb of the Month completely blind to what St. John's Wort had to offer so I could have my own experience. After googling "what chemical is associated with confidence?" the result was serotonin and that lets me know that St. John's Wort works with those feel good chemicals in the brain for a brighter day and brighter life. A big thank you hypericum perforatum for helping me realize I am worthy and I am capable. I plan to continue drinking St. John's Wort daily (or as often as I can) for a mood stabilizer and do some DIY therapy on myself.
With love,
Amber
References
Hyperforin. https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB01892
Analysis of hyperforin (St. John’s wort) action at TRPC6 channel leads to the development of a new class of antidepressant drugs. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-022-01804-3
Cytochrome P450 enzymes in drug metabolism: Regulation of gene expression, enzyme activities, and impact of genetic variation. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163725813000065?via%3Dihub
Transient receptor potential channels: current perspectives on evolution, structure, function and nomenclature. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7482286/
Chapter 11: Medical Attributes of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92750/
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