Testing the Mettle of St. John's Wort
Posted on: Thursday, 27 March 2003, 06:00 CST
HealthScoutNews -- A four-year study to examine the safety and effectiveness of the herbal supplement St. John's wort and the antidepressant citalopram in treating minor depression has been launched by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
The study, which will cost more than $4 million, is being conducted at three sites in Boston, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, and will include 300 people with minor depression.
Study participants will be randomly assigned to take St. John's wort, citalopram or a placebo in a 12-week, double-blind trial. Researchers will assess changes in the participants' symptoms, functioning and quality of life.
Minor depression is a common disorder that's underdiagnosed and undertreated. It can affect a person's daily functioning and quality of life and is a serious risk factor for major depression.
Symptoms of minor depression are the same as major depression, but the symptoms are fewer in number and cause less impairment. The symptoms include either a depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, or a marked decline of interest or pleasure in daily activities.
Symptoms also include two to four of the following: significant weight loss or gain or a decrease or increase in appetite; sleep pattern disturbance; noticeable agitation or slowness; fatigue or loss of energy; inappropriate feelings of worthlessness or guilt; diminished ability to concentrate; indecisiveness; and recurrent thoughts of suicide or death.
The symptoms must last at least six months but less than two years continuously.
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Copyright © 2003 HealthScoutNews. All rights reserved. The information contained above is intended for general reference purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment. Medical information changes rapidly and while Yahoo and its content providers make efforts to update the content on the site, some information may be out of date. No health information on Yahoo, including information about herbal therapies and other dietary supplements, is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor.
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