St. John's Wort: Benefits and Complications Overview

St. John's Wort can cause significant gastrointestinal and allergic reactions, requiring careful consideration before use.

### The Importance of St. John's Wort
St. John's Wort is a widely used herbal medicine with a history dating back to **ancient Greece**. The plant blooms around the time of the feast of **Saint John the Baptist**, which inspired its name. It is commonly used to treat **depression, menopausal syndrome, and ADHD**, with studies showing its **effectiveness in depression treatment**.

### Major Study on Drug Monitoring in Geriatric Patients
Dr. H. Work's study, published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, involved over **3,000 patients** and focused on **drug monitoring and side effects**. The main complications identified were **gastrointestinal issues**, **allergic reactions**, **fatigue**, **dizziness**, **sleep disturbances**, **palpitations**, and **weakness**. A second study, published in JAMA, conducted a **meta-analysis** on the same topic.

### Common Side Effects of the Drug
The drug studied by Dr. Gaster was found to be **very safe**, with **no complications mentioned**. Common side effects include gastrointestinal symptoms like **diarrhea, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite**. Other potential side effects are **allergic reactions, anxiety, dizziness, and euphoric symptoms**.

### Symptoms and Risks of a Certain Condition
Common symptoms reported include **sleep disturbances**, **palpitations**, **weakness**, **trauma**, **light sensitivity**, **burning eyes**, and **urinary issues**. The main concerns are **gastrointestinal symptoms** and **allergic reactions**. Pregnant or lactating individuals are advised **not to take the medication** due to a **lack of studies on its effects**.

### Understanding St. John's Wort: Benefits and Complications
* 🌿 Welcome to researchemday.com, where Dr. Premier Chariot, the chief medical officer and associate professor, discusses the important herbal medicine, **St. John's Wort**.
* 📚 This presentation focuses on the **toxic effects of St. John's Wort**, emphasizing the need to **understand potential complications associated with herbal medicine**, despite common misconceptions about their **safety**.
* 🔍 Extensive literature research has been conducted to highlight relevant scientific studies, ensuring that the information presented is based on **pure scientific evidence** rather than anecdotal sources.
* 🌼 St. John's Wort, a flowering plant historically used for medicinal purposes since ancient Greek times, is commonly utilized for treating **depression, menopausal syndrome, and ADHD**.
* 📊 A significant study published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology involving over **3,000 patients** revealed **gastrointestinal issues, allergic reactions, fatigue, and dizziness** as potential side effects.
* ⚖ Contrarily, a meta-analysis published in JAMA indicated that **St. John's Wort is generally safe with few complications**, which was surprising given the earlier findings.
* ⚠ However, it is crucial for both patients and physicians to recognize the common side effects, especially **gastrointestinal symptoms and allergic reactions**, and to avoid its use during pregnancy due to **insufficient studies on its safety**.
* 🙏 Thank you for joining this presentation, and stay tuned for more **informative discussions on herbal medicines**.

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Toxic effects of St Johns Wort -scientific studies Dr Pramil, MD, MS, FACP

Toxic effects of St Johns Wort -scientific studies Dr Pramil, MD, MS, FACP