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Herbs at a Glance
St. John's Wort

Keywords: hypericum herb, klamath weed, goat weed, depression, anxiety

St. John's wort

© Steven Foster

On this page:

Introduction

This fact sheet provides basic information about the herbA plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and roots. St. John's wort—common names, uses, potential side effects, and resources for more information. St. John's wort is a plant with yellow flowers whose medicinal uses were first recorded in ancient Greece. The name St. John's wort apparently refers to John the Baptist, as the plant blooms around the time of the feast of St. John the Baptist in late June.

Common Names—St. John's wort, hypericum, Klamath weed, goat weed

Latin NameHypericum perforatum

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What It Is Used For

How It Is Used

The flowering tops of St. John's wort are used to prepare teas and tablets containing concentrated extracts.

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What the Science Says

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Side Effects and Cautions

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Sources

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For More Information

NCCAM Clearinghouse

The NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information on CAM and NCCAM, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.

Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-888-644-6226
TTY (for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers): 1-866-464-3615
Web site: nccam.nih.gov
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CAM on PubMed
Web site: nccam.nih.gov/camonpubmed/

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Web site: ods.od.nih.gov

NIH National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus
St. John's Wort Listing: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-stjohnswort.html

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This publication is not copyrighted and is in the public domain. Duplication is encouraged.

NCCAM has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your primary health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. The mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCAM.

NCCAM Publication No. D269
Created July 2005
Updated March 2008

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