Question 1

True or false: St. John’s Wort is completely safe to take with prescription antidepressants for a stronger effect.

Accepted Answer

False. Combining them can cause serotonin syndrome, a dangerous condition with symptoms like agitation and rapid heart rate.

Question 2

True or false: St. John’s Wort can make birth control pills less effective by speeding up liver metabolism.

Accepted Answer

True. It induces liver enzymes, reducing hormone levels in contraceptives, which can lead to unintended pregnancy.

Question 3

True or false: All species of Hypericum, the genus of St. John’s Wort, have medicinal properties.

Accepted Answer

False. Only a few species, like Hypericum perforatum, are used medicinally; many others are toxic or ineffective.

Question 4

True or false: St. John's Wort gets its name from its traditional harvest date on St. John's Day, June 24, when it blooms.

Accepted Answer

True. It was historically gathered around the feast of St. John the Baptist, and the red oil resembles his blood.

Question 5

True or false: St. John's Wort is native only to North America and was introduced to Europe by early settlers.

Accepted Answer

False. St. John's Wort is native to Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa, and was brought to North America by colonists.

Question 6

True or false: St. John's Wort contains hyperforin, a compound that inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Accepted Answer

True. Hyperforin is believed to be the main active constituent responsible for the antidepressant effects of St. John's Wort, primarily through reuptake inhibition of these neurotransmitters.

Question 7

True or false: St. John’s Wort was used in ancient Greece by Hippocrates to treat snake bites.

Accepted Answer

False. Hippocrates used it for various ailments, but snake bite treatment is a medieval myth; ancient Greeks mainly used it for wounds.

Question 8

True or false: St. John’s Wort can cause severe photosensitivity in livestock that eat too much of it.

Accepted Answer

True. Hypericin in the plant makes skin ultra-sensitive to sunlight, leading to sunburn and blisters in animals.

St. John's Wort Trivia Questions