Question:
Are psychiatric drugs the only alternative for
depression and anxiety? Can I take St. John's Wort?
Answer:
Anyone using St. John's Wort or considering using it should remember that while
it is natural, it is still a drug. It's a mild MAOI and should used following
the same precautions you would with any other MAOI. Taken in extremely large
quanities it can lead to phototoxicity (an adverse reaction to sunlight) and
potentially could cause serotonin syndrome which is basically a serotonin
overdose. I know of no documented cases of either occurring in humans, but
there are cases of sheep grazing on fields of St. John's Wort that have
experienced phototoxicity. Any substance, natural or manmade, has the
potential to be toxic in a large enough quantity.
