Side Effects

St. John's Wort is the herb with the best evidence of efficacy in mild to moderate depression. This herb has been used for literally thousands of years to treat depression and may be a good starting point for patients looking for more natural medications.

Now that you have learned about St. John's Wort, continue to the next section to learn about SAMe.

St. John's Wort is generally well tolerated. The main side effects include:

  • Gastrointestinal (GI) distress

  • Anxiety

  • Headache

  • Mania in patients with prone to bipolar disorder

  • Caution should be used in patients also taking serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs)

(Frank Mayfield, Hypericum pyramidatum GREAT ST. JOHN'S WORT, flickr. CC: BY-SA 2.0. Obtained on June 21, 2009.)