Are there any medications that work the same way as St. John's Wort?

[daowa]

Hi, I have depression and am currently taking Buproprion. I have taken HTP-5 and SAM-e both and they both give me the same feeling as Buproprion, a little manic happiness, which is good. But I have taken St. John's Wort and that really hits the spot, it feels like it hits what is really lacking, a deeper content happiness. Thing is the supplement also makes me feel like garbage in a different way... I am wondering if there is a medication that works the same way as St. Johns Wort.

 

thanks!

[daowa]

bump!

[Xalatan]

Buproprion is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor, where as St. John's Wort may be a general monoamine reuptake inhibitor, so St. John's Wort raises the synaptic concentration of serotonin as well as NE and DA. The pharmacological difference may be serotonin hit, which may be the source of the deeper content happiness you are describing. St. John's wort works comparably to tricyclic antidepressants and SSRIs. Tricyclics are serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors so there is the serotonergic component, SSRIs are more selective to serotonin Reuptake. With buproprion I think the manic happiness you describe may more cocaine like in terms of the dopamine buzz.

[Endy0816]

Yeah, when I'm looking for myself I'll try and ID a specific quality/ingredient to focus on. I know assorted wakefulness promoters can cause temporary mania but not sure if that alone would help with depression any...

[Xalatan]

Wellbutrin is interesting because while it is used as an antidepressant, it's atypical in its dopaminergic action. Which is why it is also indicated for smoke cessation, to try and maintain a higher level of DA at the reward centre after the cigarettes are gone. It's still meant to alleviate depressive conditions but it's interesting you describe a qualitatively different feel to buproprion than more conventional serotonergic agents.

[daowa]

thank you!

[daowa]

bump

[Sirona]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, however, I was under the impression that St John's Wort was a homeopathic remedy; do you have evidence of it's effectiveness in treating depression?

[CharonY]

I don't think so. Traditional homeopathy depends on dilution, resulting in the active ingredient being mostly absent in the final medication. In contrast St John's Wort is used as an extract, with components still present. More accurately one could classify it as a herbal remedy if the components actually have therapeutic qualities. The main issue, however, seems to to be that the evidence is not terribly strong that it actually works reliably.

[John Cuthber]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, however, I was under the impression that St John's Wort was a homeopathic remedy; do you have evidence of it's effectiveness in treating depression?

Hang on.

 

St John's wort is dubious- but then- so are most of the licensed drugs for depression.

Homoeopathy is a joke in poor taste. It's just a means to exploit the vulnerable.

Are you muddling homoeopathy with herbalism?

[Sirona]

I don't think so. Traditional homeopathy depends on dilution, resulting in the active ingredient being mostly absent in the final medication. In contrast St John's Wort is used as an extract, with components still present. More accurately one could classify it as a herbal remedy if the components actually have therapeutic qualities. The main issue, however, seems to to be that the evidence is not terribly strong that it actually works reliably.

Thanks CharonY, herbal remedy was what I was looking for.