Abstract
Hypericum perforatum, generally recognized as St. John’s Wort (SJW), has been used as an alternative form of medicine for centuries in various traditions and cultures all over the world. Traditional uses for this herb include broad wound healing, gastrointestinal issues and pathologies, pain, and bronchitis, among other ailments. However, it has garnered the most attention today as a treatment for mental disorders, namely depression and bipolar disorder. Supplements of SJW are easily and widely accessible due to their commercial popularity. Though a multitude of therapeutic benefits has been reported, the efficacy of SJW remains to be documented clinically. Many studies have found it to have substantial adverse and toxic effects, and at times, potentially fatal drug interactions. The current chapter provides a brief history of H. perforatum, a summary of its active constituents, current and potential therapeutic uses, adverse drug effects, and drug interactions that should be taken into consideration when prophylactically and/or therapeutically using SJW with prescribed medications.
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Abbreviations
- AAPH:
-
2,2′-Azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride
- AD:
-
Alzheimer’s disease
- AIDS:
-
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
- AUC:
-
Area under the curve
- Aβ:
-
Amyloid-β
- CDC:
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- CYP2C9:
-
Cytochrome P450 Family 2 Subfamily C Member 9
- CYP2E1:
-
Cytochrome P450 Family 2 Subfamily E Member 1
- CYP3A4:
-
Cytochrome P450 3A4
- DPPH:
-
1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
- GABA:
-
Gamma-aminobutyric acid
- HIV:
-
Human immunodeficiency virus
- LC–MS:
-
Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry
- LDL:
-
Low-density lipoprotein
- l-DOPA:
-
l-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine
- MAO:
-
Monoamine oxidase
- MDR1:
-
Multidrug-resistant gene
- MPA:
-
Medical products agency
- NSAIDs:
-
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- PD:
-
Parkinson’s disease
- PMA:
-
Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate
- SJW:
-
St. John’s Wort
- SN:
-
Substantia nigra
- SSRI:
-
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
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Fujihashi, A. et al. (2021). St. John’s Wort: A Therapeutic Herb to Be Cautioned for Its Potential Neurotoxic Effects and Major Drug Interactions. In: Agrawal, D.C., Dhanasekaran, M. (eds) Medicinal Herbs and Fungi. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4141-8_15
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