St. John’s Wort Useful Against Depression
Scientists reported on Wednesday that the common herb St. John’s Wort could be useful as a treatment of major depression.
Reporting in the Cochrane Review, researchers analyzed data from 29 clinical trials and found that St. Johns Wort extracts were more effective than placebos and as effective as standard antidepressants with fewer side effects.
"The studies came from a variety of countries, tested several different St. John’s Wort extracts, and mostly included patients suffering from mild to moderately severe symptoms," Klaus Linde of the Center for Complementary Medicine in Munich, Germany wrote.
St. Johns Wort fights depression by increasing levels of the serotonin ““ a chemical responsible for controlling mood ““ in the brain.
Collectively, the studies included 5,489 participants with symptoms of major depression. The Cochrane review compared the remedy’s effectiveness with placebos and standard treatments.
The researchers found that St. John’s Wort extracts were not only effective but that fewer people taking them dropped out of the trials due to adverse side effects.
Researchers noted that results seemed more positive in German-speaking countries where the remedy is often prescribed, but also warned against using the remedy without medical advice because the herb can affect the work of other drugs.
"Using a St. John’s Wort extract might be justified, but products on the market vary considerably, so these results only apply to the preparations tested," Linde said.
Depression is a leading cause of suicide and affects about 121 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Standard treatments include Prozac, which U.S. drug maker Eli Lilly and Co introduced in 1987.
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