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Date: | Mon, 5 Jan 1998 12:33:18 EST |
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A summary of recent research into St. John's Wort can be found in Herbalgram
#40 Summer 1997 ( available as back issue from American Botanical Council
www.herbalgram.org - a non-profit educational organization). The therapeutics
section of this monograph was written by Jerry Cott, an NIH pharmacologist
doing research on SJW.
While the earlier German Commission E monograph states that SJW should be
avoided in lactation ( at the time the herb was thought to be a MAOI,
otherwise reasons for contraindication for lactation unclear), the current
monograph does not list lactation as a contraindication. It notes "Slight in
vitro uterotonic effects have been reported in animal models", the author
suggesting caution in pregnancy. Based on work done in the mid-90's as well
as clinical experience, this monograph suggests that SJW is not much of an
MAOI and that a wide range of neurotransmitters are affected by a number of
chemical constituents in the herb ( hypericin's role now considered unclear).
So, no documented evidence of adverse effects with lactation though previous
post by a Lactnetter described how she developed a strong letdown after a few
days of taking a standard dose of SJW ( 300 mg. of 0.3% hypericin 3X/day).
Baby colicky/restless ( hope I recall correctly). Sounded a bit like the
adverse rx with Prozac noted for the mom with newborn (see Tom Hale's book).
Question is - is the baby reacting to the medicine or to an alteration in the
lactation brought on in the mother by the medicine?
Has anyone seen this or any other lactation-related effect in SJW?
Sheila Humphrey B.Sc(Botany) RN IBCLC
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