NOW Foods St. John's Wort 300mg 250 Veg Capsules

What this is

NOW Foods St. John's Wort 300 mg is a botanical dietary supplement in a vegetarian capsule, sold here as a bottle of 250 veg capsules. Each capsule delivers 300 mg of St. John's wort extract taken from the herb of Hypericum perforatum and standardized to a minimum of 0.3% hypericin. NOW files it under its own Botanicals/Herbs line, and the bottle carries the Non-GMO Project Verified mark, a triangle-K kosher symbol and a "Vegetarian/Vegan" designation on the front panel.

The 250-capsule bottle is the standing-supply format rather than the try-it size. The label's suggested usage is one capsule three times daily, so 250 capsules works out to roughly 83 days at that full rate — a useful thing to know before you compare it against the smaller bottles in our Herbs & Botanicals range.

What's inside the capsule

The formula is deliberately short: one active botanical and three excipients, with nothing added for color or flavor. Here is what the panel actually names, and what each part is doing.

• St. John's Wort Extract (Hypericum perforatum), herb — 300 mg. St. John's wort is a yellow-flowered perennial that grows wild across Europe, western Asia and much of North America. The panel specifies the herb as the plant part used, meaning the above-ground flowering tops rather than the root, and it is supplied here as a concentrated extract rather than as raw milled powder. NOW's own side panel notes that the plant "has a long history of traditional use by herbalists dating back more than 2000 years." The NIH offers general background on how botanical supplements are prepared and labeled in its botanical dietary supplements fact sheet, and NCCIH maintains a plain-language Herbs at a Glance reference.
• Hypromellose — the capsule shell itself, made from cellulose. This is what makes the product vegetarian and vegan rather than gelatin-based.
• Stearic Acid (vegetable source) — a fatty acid used as a flow agent, so the powder moves evenly through the encapsulating machinery and each capsule fills to the same weight.
• Silicon Dioxide — an anti-caking agent that keeps the extract from clumping in the capsule.

That is the complete list. The panel adds one honest note about appearance: "Natural color variation may occur in this product." Plant extracts are not dye-corrected batch to batch, so the powder tone can shift slightly between bottles without anything being wrong.

What "min. 0.3% hypericin" means on this label

It is a floor, not a target. Hypericin is one of the marker compounds chemists use to measure a St. John's wort extract, and the panel's wording — min. 0.3% Hypericin — states the least this extract is standardized to contain, not an average and not a ceiling. The front of the bottle abbreviates it to "0.3% Hypericin", which is the same specification written more loosely.

Standardization is a manufacturing consistency measure. It tells you what the extract was measured against so one bottle matches the next; it is not a statement about what the herb will do for anyone. The panel is equally direct about the limits of the label: hypericin carries an asterisk pointing to "Daily Value not established", which is the standard notation when no reference intake has been set for an ingredient.

Supplement Facts

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is one capsule three times daily, preferably with food. Taking it alongside a meal is the manufacturer's own instruction rather than general advice, and the "3 times daily" spacing is part of the stated usage rather than a maximum to be reached in one go.

The bottle sets a firm ceiling: do not exceed three capsules daily unless a healthcare professional directs otherwise. Store it in a cool, dry place once opened — an ordinary cabinet away from the stove and the window, not the refrigerator.

Who it's for

This is a product for adults over 18 who already know they want a standardized St. John's wort extract and want a bottle that will not need reordering every few weeks. The 250-count size suits someone settled on the format; if you have not used this herb before, the smaller bottles elsewhere in Supplements are the more sensible starting point.

It is not a product to start casually, and the reason is on the label rather than in our opinion: St. John's wort carries an unusually long printed interaction list, reproduced in full below. Anyone taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine needs to clear it with their physician first. It is not for use by pregnant or nursing women.

Good to know

The manufacturer's printed caution, in full. For adults only. Do not exceed 3 capsules daily, unless directed by a healthcare professional. Amounts above that may contribute to photosensitizing reactions (skin reddening) in the presence of strong sunlight or tanning beds. St. John's wort is known to interact with antidepressants, oral contraceptives, immunosuppressants, anticoagulants, anti-seizure, chemotherapeutic agents, and other prescription and over-the-counter medications. Do not use this product while taking any medication or if you have a medical condition without the advice of your physician. Not for use by pregnant/nursing women. Keep out of reach of children.

Allergens. The bottle states it is not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients, and that it is produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.

Seals on the bottle. The packaging carries a GMP Quality Assured mark, the Non-GMO Project Verified logo, a triangle-K kosher symbol and the line "Family owned since 1968." NCCIH's overview of dietary and herbal supplement safety is a reasonable neutral starting point if you want to read around the category, and the FDA publishes general questions and answers on dietary supplements.

No California Proposition 65 warning is printed on this package. Other single-herb bottles are grouped under Health & Wellness if you want to see what else is stocked in the same format.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many capsules are in this bottle, and how long does that work out to?

There are 250 veg capsules in the bottle. At the label's suggested usage of one capsule three times daily, that works out to roughly 83 days' worth, which is what makes this the standing-supply size rather than a trial bottle.

Is this capsule suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Yes — the shell is hypromellose, a cellulose-based material, and the front panel is marked "Vegetarian/Vegan". There is no gelatin in the capsule. The only other ingredients are stearic acid from a vegetable source and silicon dioxide.

What does the "min. 0.3% hypericin" on the panel refer to?

It is the minimum concentration of hypericin the extract is standardized to contain. Hypericin is a marker compound used to measure consistency between batches of St. John's wort extract, so the figure describes how the extract was specified and measured — not an effect.

Does St. John's wort interact with medications?

Yes, and the bottle says so explicitly. NOW's printed caution names antidepressants, oral contraceptives, immunosuppressants, anticoagulants, anti-seizure and chemotherapeutic agents, and other prescription and over-the-counter medications, and instructs you not to use the product while taking any medication without your physician's advice. This is the single most important line on the package.

How is my order packaged for delivery?

Orders ship in plain, unmarked outer packaging with no description of the contents on the outside. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.