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Related Experiment Videos

St. John's wort: a new alternative for depression?

E S Josey1, R L Tackett

  • 1Department of Clinical and Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA.

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
|April 6, 1999
PubMed
Summary

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a safe and effective herbal alternative for depression treatment, showing efficacy comparable to other antidepressants but with fewer side effects. Further large-scale trials are recommended for this over-the-counter option.

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Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology and Herbal Medicine
  • Psychiatry and Mental Health
  • Clinical Therapeutics

Background:

  • St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a widely available herbal remedy.
  • Traditional antidepressants include tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
  • Concerns exist regarding the safety, efficacy, and drug interactions of various antidepressant treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and compare the therapeutic uses of St. John's wort with conventional antidepressant medications.
  • To evaluate the adverse effects and potential drug interactions associated with St. John's wort.
  • To assess the overall safety and efficacy profile of St. John's wort in depression management.

Main Methods:

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  • Literature search conducted from 1985 to the present, focusing on English-language studies.
  • Included comparative studies of St. John's wort, TCAs, MAOIs, and SSRIs for depression.
  • Selected studies evaluating St. John's wort efficacy and safety over at least four weeks.

    • Main Results:

    • Nine clinical trials compared St. John's wort to placebo and other antidepressants.
    • Four controlled studies with large patient populations confirmed St. John's wort efficacy.
    • St. John's wort demonstrated comparable efficacy to antidepressants and superior efficacy to placebo, with a favorable side-effect profile.

    Conclusions:

    • St. John's wort presents a safe and effective alternative for depression treatment.
    • It lacks the cardiac and anticholinergic side effects associated with TCAs and MAOIs.
    • Larger trials are needed to fully establish St. John's wort as a primary antidepressant therapy, noting its OTC availability requires user understanding.