Drinking tea from St. John's grass overdose may be the trigger for psychosis

An Italian man showed signs of mental disorder - that is, losing contact with reality - after drinking an herbal tea made from St. John's wort (St. John's wort) - according to a recent report.

According to doctors, the condition of this man improved after receiving treatment for psychosis.

The doctors responsible for his treatment at the Modena AUSL hospital in Italy said: " St John's Grass ( Hypericum perforatum ) has been known for centuries because of its therapeutic properties. Used as an antidepressant for this grass has been recognized for its convincing evidence . However, "this over-the-counter , over-the- counter herb is raising suspicion in unsupervised clinical monitoring and management for individuals at risk of mental illness." .

Herbal tea of ​​St. John's grass.

Dr. Eugene Grudnikoff, South Oaks Hospital psychiatrist in Amityville, New York - who is not involved in the incident - said, although there is evidence that the herb can reduce millions. Short-term depression, but there is no evidence of its effectiveness in long-term treatment. There is also no evidence that the use of this tea can reduce the number of patients admitted to depression due to depression, suicidal thoughts or suicide or can bring a better quality of life to those who are sick. Depressed, Grudnikoff shared with Live Science.

In the case of Italy, the 25-year-old man was taken to a hospital by two friends after he had been acting oddly for the past few days. The man behaves as if he is under the influence of an illegal drug. The doctors examined and observed that he had a language problem, paranoid, as if believing that others could read his thoughts.

The man also told the doctors that he felt unwell and was going through "painful periods" , according to a report published May 15 in the Journal of Medical Case Reports.

However, the person's blood test results are normal and he does not have any mental problems. Doctors have diagnosed a man with a disease called Schizophreniform Disorder. Doctors prescribe anti-psychotic drugs. After two weeks of treatment, the condition improved and he was allowed to go home.

From about three months before the most recent admission, the man felt tired, exhausted, had a stomachache and had to quit his job. After the examination, the doctor diagnosed him with gastric wear and Helicobacter pylori infection - a bacterium that causes stomach ulcers.

But this person refuses to take the medication prescribed by the doctor for treatment. Instead, he decided to treat himself with tea made of St. John's grass. He drank four cups of tea every day until he was taken to the hospital because of a mental disorder.

Harvesting St. John's grass.

Doctors say it is impossible to ascertain whether St. John's grass tea is the cause of this man's mental illness. However, tea "may have played a decisive role in the onset of" disease symptoms. Previous research results have shown that some tea compounds can affect body systems that regulate human mood.

In addition, a number of other medical reports, including a report published in 2004 on the Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical & Experimental, have shown that this herb is an agent at risk of psychosis. gods and other mental symptoms.

Searching for the phrase "St. John wort" will see many documents that show that this grass is effective in treating depression but still has many doubts and recommendations about its safety, especially with caution about dosage. use. According to the Functional Food Magazine (healthplus.vn), St. John's grass is often prescribed with antidepressants. This grass may cause levels of serotonin in the brain (this chemical helps to fight depression) and may increase to an unsafe level so when using holy John grass you should consult your doctor. Also, you need to know exactly the amount of grass John you are putting into your body. Supplementing herbal holy grass John in the form of capsules or tablets helps you ensure the right dose is recommended. Do not drink tea or eat Saint John's flowers to treat depression because you cannot know how much herbs you are consuming.