St. John’s Wort

St. John's Wort or Hypericum perforatum is a yellow-flowering herb native to Europe and Asia that has long been used in traditional medicine. The red, oily extract of the flowers is traditionally used in wound care. Today, the oil is being studied as a mild antidepressant and nervative. (It should be used with care because of many drug interactions.) The primary pharmacologically active constituent of St John's wort, hyperforin, is an arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor and COX-1 inhibitor in vitro.