DOSE:

2 tsp

oral

St. John's Wort

(extract)

BODY WEIGHT:

70 kg

St John's wort is growing wild everywhere in the area. I've collected some while flowering and did an alcohol extract using 40% drinkable alcohol, as described on a website about herbal remedies. I'm using it daily, taking 1 teaspoon of the extract in a glass of water in the morning and often one in the afternoon. St John's wort is said to be an antidepressant, and it is in a way but, to me, it's more like a stimulant.

I noticed the following interactions with other psychoactive products :
- Mulungu (Erythrina mulungu bark) is a calming herb which also has some antidepressant properties and slightly alleviates nicotine withdrawal. It allows to reduce anxiety while keeping the mind totally clear and not reducing physical energy. Taken the same day as St John's Wort, it seems to make the stimulating effect stronger, while Mulungu on its own isn't a stimulant. The effects of taking St John's Wort and Mulungu the same day remind me a little of those of Coca tea, but longer lasting. I think that taking large amounts of St John's Wort in conjonction with Mulungu in order to get strong coca -like effects is not a good idea and might not work as intended. The combination seems safe, but I have the feeling that high dosage could lead to uncomfortable side-effects while not increasing the good ones.

-Nicotine (2 mg gums, sublingual). I cannot be sure, but nicotine could reduce the St John's wort effects and Mulungu alkaloids could enhance them by counteracting nicotine at some brain sites. Previously, I was using nicotine at 4 mg dosage and St John's wort effects were sometimes less noticeable than expected.

- Virola peruviana is a tree bark used in South America to produce an entheogenic snuff. It is said to contain DMT related compounds. It is orally active as a tea and brings a nice mild inebriating and relaxing effect with some visual enhancement. When taken a day when St John's Wort has been used, effects of a tea made from 25 g of grinded bark seem to be unchanged, except that it brings mild depression, which is not usual. I wonder if it is related to alkaloids competing to bind to some sites in the brain (serotonine ?). It brings the feeling that Virola alkaloids are washing St John's Wort's ones. The mild depression lasts until St John's Wort is taken again.

- San Pedro (Trichocerus Pachanoi). San Pedro is a well known mescaline-containing cactus. Effects of orally ingested San Pedro begin 20 minutes after ingestion and grow for the next 3 hours. Having taken St John's Wort less than 6 hours before eating the cactus obviously slows the onset of the San Pedro. Very mild depression may occur during the second hour after cactus ingestion, which is not usual. The strength of the cactus experience might be slightly reduced, but it is not obvious. Onset delay is very noticeable. When the cactus finally takes over, it washes the mild depression away. Mild Depression (milder than with Virola) doesn't come back after San Pedro effects have subsided. The onset delay is frustrating. Taking St John's Wort everyday doesnt seem to intefere as long as I don't take some in the hours preceding cactus ingestion.

Exp Year: 2010	ExpID: 87542
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 45
Published: Dec 11, 2016	Views: 4,900
[ View PDF (to print) ] [ View LaTeX (for geeks) ] [ Swap Dark/Light ]
St. John's Wort (142) : Retrospective / Summary (11), Therapeutic Intent or Outcome (49), Combinations (3), Unknown Context (20)