I first came across St John’s Wort, maybe fifteen years ago during a discussion with an old friend who suffers from chronic depression.  He mentioned that he had tried it some years previously and that, sadly, it had not worked for him.

I would always think about this conversation whenever I spotted St John’s Wort in a shop. This actually was quite often. It was some time later that I found out that St John’s Wort is often prescribed in Germany for depression.  So, in fact, there might be something in it!

The objective of this blog is to find out if any of our readers have used it and how effective it has been for you.

The current research suggests that may work for mild but not moderate or severe depression.  However the jury is out on this one.  But more interestingly it seems that side effects are much lower than with standard anti-depressants.

Okay this is where you guys come in.  It would be great if you could share your experiences with St John’s Wort in the comments box below.  Have you tried it?  How well did it work?  Would you recommend St John’s Wort to others?

IMPORTANT NOTE. If you are considering taking St John’s Wort it is vital that you consult your Doctor before doing so. The reason for this is that there are a number of other commonly used medications which when taken with St John’s Wort can cause serious adverse reactions.

By the way I am intrigued about the provenance of the word “wort”.  According to a fascinating article in the Natchez Naturalist Newsletter by Jim Conrad he explains that ““Wort” derives from the Old English “wyrt,” which simply meant “plant.” The word goes back even further, to the common ancestor of English and German, to the Germanic “wurtiz.” By the way, “wurtiz” evolved into the modern German word “Wurzel,” meaning “root.” “ You can read the full article here http://www.backyardnature.net/n/03/031221.htm.  If any of you know any more about the origin of the word d I’d love to hear more – so again please add anything you know in the comment box below.