Subject: Re: Substitute for Prozac?

From: [email-masked] (Camilla Cracchiolo)
Date: 1 Dec 1994 05:16:17 GMT

[email-masked] wrote:
: St. John's wort is an excellent herb for depression. I've
: achieved the best results from 15-20 drops of the extract taken
: under the tongue. It works quickly this way. When taking this
: herb, it's a good idea to reduce your exposure to the sun, as
: it may cause photosensitivity in some individuals. Aside from
: that, the benefits outway the side effects, and the effects
: occur quickly.
:                                          Joe

St. John's wort contains a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, which is one of 
the more risky antidepressants.  People on MAOIs should observe 
precautions as far as what they eat.  Foods containing the amino acid 
tyramine, and many different medications can cause a sudden and dramatic 
rise in blood pressure which can cause a stroke.  As far as I have been 
able to find out, this MAOI is an irreversible one.  However, even 
reversible MAOIs have some risk.

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             Camilla Cracchiolo   [email-masked]

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