St. John's Wort Effective As An Antidepressant

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The herbal remedy, St. John's wort, is just as effective as the standard antidepressant drugs in treating people with mild to moderate depression. This has already been demonstrated in previous studies. Now, a new study found that the herb can also help people who have the more severe form of depression. St. John's wort proved to be just as effective as Paxil (generic name paroxetine), a top-selling antidepressant. The study was published February 11, 2005 in the British Internet journal called BMJ Online First.

The 251 participants had been randomly assigned to take a daily 20 mg dose of Paxil or 900 mg of St. John's wort three times a day for six weeks. The people who did not respond to either the drug or the herb in the initial phase of the study had their respective doses increased. Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was taking the herbal remedy and who was on the antidepressant drug. All had been recruited from 21 psychiatric primary care centers in Germany.

After six weeks of treatment, St. John's wort was judged to be "at least as effective" as Paxil and better tolerated. The people on Paxil reported a higher incidence of adverse effects, most notably diarrhea, dry mouth and dizziness, than the people on St. John's wort.

As with all herbal remedies and dietary supplements, St. John's wort products are not tested beforehand, so there is no way of knowing whether the herbal remedy contains what is claimed on the label. An independent testing service called ConsumerLab.com has taken on the task. Manufacturers and distributors pay the service to test their products, including vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements. Out of 15 different St. John's wort products that were tested, six did not receive the ConsumerLab.com seal of approval. Reasons included unsafe levels of lead and cadmium, a lower amount of the herb than was claimed on the label, and erroneous advice on the label. The service also provides a summary of the research supporting St. John's wort and the foods and drugs that might interact adversely with the herb. Internet users can subscribe for $24 a year to receive complete testing results.

Provided by HealthFacts