What are the effects of St. Johns Wort for depression?

Introduction

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a popular herbal remedy used for treating depression. It has been widely studied to determine its efficacy and safety compared to placebo and standard antidepressants. This synthesis aims to present the key findings from multiple research papers on the effects of St. John's Wort for depression.

Key Insights

Efficacy Compared to Placebo and Standard Antidepressants:
- St. John's Wort is more effective than placebo in treating major depression .
- It has comparable efficacy to standard antidepressants, including SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants, in treating mild to moderate depression .
Safety and Tolerability:
- St. John's Wort is generally well-tolerated with fewer adverse effects compared to standard antidepressants .
- Long-term use (up to one year) of St. John's Wort is safe, with no significant changes in clinical chemistry, electrocardiogram recordings, or body mass index.
Mechanism of Action:
- The antidepressant effects of St. John's Wort are attributed to compounds like hypericin and hyperforin, which inhibit the synaptosomal uptake of serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline .
- It also affects neurotransmitter concentrations and receptor regulation in the brain, although its exact mechanism of action remains unclear .
Drug Interactions:
- St. John's Wort can interact with other medications by inducing the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, potentially lowering the serum concentration of drugs like warfarin, digoxin, and cyclosporin .
Limitations and Considerations:
- The efficacy of St. John's Wort for severe depression or patients with high suicidality is not well-established.
- Some studies report significant heterogeneity in results, particularly in trials from German-speaking countries, which complicates interpretation.

Conclusion

St. John's Wort is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for mild to moderate depression, with efficacy comparable to standard antidepressants and fewer adverse effects. However, it can interact with other medications, and its long-term efficacy and safety for severe depression remain uncertain. Further research is needed to fully understand its mechanism of action and potential drug interactions.

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What are the effects of St. Johns Wort for depression?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

St John's wort for major depression.

St. John's wort extracts are more effective than placebo in treating major depression and have fewer side effects than standard antidepressants.

Clinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) in depression: A meta-analysis.

St John's wort has comparable efficacy and safety compared to SSRIs for patients with mild-to-moderate depression.

Mechanism of Action of St John’s Wort in Depression

St John's Wort's antidepressant effects may be due to its active compounds, naphthodianthrone hypericin, phloroglucinol derivative hyperforin, and flavonoids, which may also protect against stress-induced depression.

Long-term effects of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) treatment: a 1-year safety study in mild to moderate depression.

St. John's wort extract ZE 117 is a safe and effective treatment for mild to moderate depression over long periods, especially suitable for relapse prevention.

St John's wort: a systematic review of adverse effects and drug interactions for the consultation psychiatrist.

St. John's wort is effective for short-term management of mild-to-moderate depression, but may interact with certain drugs, requiring further research.

St John's wort: Prozac from the plant kingdom.

St John's wort effectively alleviates mild to moderate depression symptoms and is associated with fewer adverse reactions than conventional antidepressants, making it a potential first-line treatment option.

St. John's wort and depression: efficacy, safety and tolerability-an update.

St. John's wort is a safe and effective antidepressant for mild to moderate depression, but its use may affect other prescribed medications due to its potential to potentate certain enzymes in the cytochrome P450 enzyme system.

St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)--a herbal antidepressant.

St John's Wort shows promising results in treating mild and moderate depression, with good tolerability and high patient compliance, making it suitable for outpatient practice and elderly patients.

Effects of Standardized Extracts of St. John's Wort on the Single-Unit Activity of Serotonergic Dorsal Raphe Neurons in Awake Cats: Comparisons with Fluoxetine and Sertraline

St. John's Wort does not affect brain serotonin levels like conventional antidepressants, suggesting a different mode of action than conventional drugs.

Effectiveness of St John's wort in major depression: a randomized controlled trial.

St John's wort was not effective for treating major depression in this study, but was safe and well-tolerated.

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