Hypericum officinalis

Herbal antidepressants - St John s Wort (Hypericum officinalis)... 

Opioid A recent study has shown activity of hypericum extracts at opioid receptors (Simmen et al. 1998). Extracts displace naloxone from p and x opioid receptors in the micromolar range (IC50 25 and 90 pg/ml, respectively). In contrast, extracts of the sedative herb Valeriana officinalis do not have this effect. This effect is due to unidentified constituents and not by the flavonoids quercetin or kaemferol. Opioids are known to have effects on emotion, so it is conceivable that activity of hypericum at p and k receptors contributes to its therapeutic effects (Gerra et al. 1998 Tejedor-Real et al. 1995 Walker and Zacny 1998). Although they are not conventional treatment for depression, opioids such as buprenorphine have been effective in treatment of refractory depression (Bodkin et a. 1995). However, for any further conclusions to be drawn, it would be necessary to further e uddate the opioid effects of hypericum to determine what functional effect, if any, hypericum has on the receptors. 

Several species of plant also contain compounds that have been shown to act as agonists on benzodiazepine receptors. These include Valeriana officinalis which contains hydroxypinoresinol, Matricaria recutita which contains 5,7,4 -trihydroxyflavone, Passiflora coeruleus which contains chrysin and Karmelitter Geist which contains amentoflavin. Hypericum perforatum (St John s Wort) also contains unknown compounds which have affinity for... 

Widespread Achillea millefolium, Chrysanthemum indicum (Asteraceae) [flower], Hypericum brasiliense (Hypericaceae) [leaf, flower], Buddleja officinalis (Loganiaceae) [flower] glycosides in Brassicaceae,... 

Despite the extensive traditional and current use of Hypericum in skin care and skin disorders targeted pharmacological studies related to these applications have rarely been performed. In a preliminary experimental study in human volunteers, equal quantities of hydroglycolic extracts from Calendula officinalis, Matricaria chamomilla, Anthemis nobilis, Tilia chordata, Centaurea cyanus and Hypericum perforatum were added at a 5 % level into the aqueous phase of 0.5 % hydrocortisone cream. When this preparation was applied to artificially induced skin abrasions, it was found that the plant extracts containing cream accelerated the healing time on an average of 16 % (3.4 days) versus the control [173). However, from this study no conclusions on the active ingredients and the mode of action can be drawn. 

Sensitive species are those, which are gradually eliminated from the polluted area, such as Capsella bursa-pastoris, Cardaria dvaba, Cichorium in-tybus, Dactylis glomerata, Stellaria media, Veronica hederifolia, Hypericum perforatum, Plantago major, Papaver rhoeas, Viola tricolor, Melilotus officinalis, Onopordum acanthium, Symphytum officinale. Ranunculus arven-... 

Coriandrum sativum L. Eleutherococcus Senticosus maxim Hypericum perforatum L. Prophylaxis Valeriana officinalis L. 

Laricifomes officinales (VilF Fr) Kotl. et Pouz or Pomes officinalis Hypericum perforatum L. Teucrium chamaedrys L. 

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