There are two active substances in the St.John’s Wort (Herba Hyperici) extract: hypericin and hyperforin, the latter being recently identified as the most important.

The effect of hypericum extract was tested on the electroencephalogram (EEG) of 40 depressive patients after 4 weeks of treatment (34). The results have been interpreted as predominantly relaxing effects (increase in theta activity, decrease in alpha activity and no change in beta activity).

In another EEG study a reduction in the alpha and an increase in the theta and beta frequencies as well as a diminished latency in visual and acoustically evoked potentials was shown. Four weeks' treatment resulted in an increase of deep-sleep phases.

The brain waves are described as follows: 13-26 cycles per second (cps) is beta, 8-12 cps is alpha, 6-8 is theta, and 3-5 is delta. The beta waves are most prominent when you are awake and doing focused activities, the alpha waves in relaxation with eyes closed, and the delta waves in deep sleep. The theta waves occur during sleep as well but have also been associated with deep meditation, serene pleasure and heightened creativity.

A peak pharmacodynamic efficacy was observed between 4 and 8 hours post administration. These results were confirmed on day 8 of the trial. The extract containing 5.0% hyperforin showed a marked tendency to produce higher increases in qEEG baseline power performances than the one containing 0.5% hyperforin. These higher baseline outputs on day 8 were seen at the delta, theta, and alpha-1 frequency values. There was a significant increase in qEEG power performance in the delta and beta-1 frequency values exclusively for the extract containing 5.0% hyperforin. The theta and alpha-1 frequency values showed a noticeable tendency more emphasized on day 8 than on day 1.

Intake of hypericum changed mechanisms of the visual system associated with the production of melatonin:

• Before medication only pulses of 2,500 lux, but not pulses of 300 lux , suppressed melatonin plasma levels.
• After medication light pulses of 300 lux also had a significant effect
• The nocturnal secretion of melatonin increased significantly after medication.
• After three weeks of medication, nocturnal stress stimulation (awakening and sitting) led to a significantly smaller increase in plasma cortisol.

As a personal note, after only 2 days of taking SJW extract, I noticed that I can remember my dreams and they were quite vivid. That proves the increase of theta waves, associated vith the vivid dreams and deep meditation.

 

Petre

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