Combinations - Saint John's Wort and ecstasy

[Shayne]

Hi Everyone,

As you can see I'm new to the forum. I'm just wondering if anyone, who has been on Saint John's Wort(SJW) for a significant period, has combined it with MDNA? If so I'd love to hear what your experiences were. Did the ecstasy have any effect?

I've been on SJW for three months now, and recently took ecstasy. However, I found that the SJW totally decreased the effects of the ecstasy.

Thanks!

[Jatelka]

SJW has SSRI-like effects (and, SWIM believes, MAOI-like effects). As with any SSRI, combining it with MDMA seems to result in a diminuition of the MDMA effects (or a complete failure). Erowid has some useful info, including some trip reports which describe typical MAOI sounding adverse effects to this combo: Including headache, nausea and palpitations. As with all drugs which affect the serotonin system a wash-out period of some months is recommended before taking MDMA.

There is a risk of serotonin syndrome if using SJW and MDMA together.

[taylorowns1337]

SWIM ate about 3 1/2 ecstacy tabs the other night, and about 2 days later, still feeling pretty drained from the rolls, ate 600 mg of st. john worts before school. SWIM started to feel a little weird, like he was rolling somewhat. Looking around really fast, racing thoughts, a slight tweaking feeling. He never felt that way when taking SJW. It lasted about 3 hours or so. SWIM also has been taking st. johns wort frequently as well. SWIM has never taken SJW and MDMA at the same time though. wonder how that'll work out...?

[~lostgurl~]

When SWIM was a total newbie to all drug use she combined Saint John's Wort with Ecstasy. Her mum had sent her the SJW to help with her depression, and after reading the label her and her friends decided this would more than likely heighten the ecstasy experience. Boy were they wrong. The night was quite different to her previous experiences with ecstasy, there was no feeling of it coming on and no peak but it was still an enjoyable night.

The following day she had the worst ecstasy comedown ever, she couldn't sleep and couldn't stop crying and just had a feeling that something wasn't right with her mind or body which just freaked her out more. One of her friends took much more SJW than SWIM and he had similar effects during the night but the next day he had severe headaches and an overwhelming feeling of impending doom. These symptoms lasted 2-3 days. Mixing these 2 substances is definitely something one should avoid.

SWIM feels that it was the MAOI affect of the SJW that caused the side effects rather than the serotonin, as she has taken ecstasy in the past while also taking prescription SSRI antidepressants and the effects were very different. The effects that SWIM experienced mixing ecstasy with SSRI's was different in that the ecstasy buzz was either not felt at all or the effects were negative (slow motor skills, raised temperature, nausea, fuzzy head/thoughts)

SWIM is certain that mixing SJW and ecstasy is a dangerous combination with the potential for serious repercussions and she says this combination is not something one should experiment with at all and should avoided at all costs.

[malsat]

In addition, St. Johns wort induces several of the cyp450 isozymes and inhibits p-glycoprotein to some extent. The would likely lead to greater conversion of MDMA to MDA. The p-gp inhibition might lead to less MDMA entering the brain but could increase the amount of meth or other adulterants entering. Also since you don't know exactly what you're getting in a pill, you really don't want to be messing with cyp450 and p-gp; it'd be pretty dangerous.