St. John’s Wort as Anti-Depressant

The efficacy of Hypericum or St. John’s wort in treating clinical depression is fraught with controversy. Scientific evidence regarding its efficacy is inconsistent; while some studies indicate it may help in treating mild depression, some other studies indicate that St. John’s wort was no more effective than placebo in treating major depression.

And to muddle things even further, yet another review has been published in the Cochrane Library, suggesting that St. John’s wort extracts tested in trials

• are superior to placebo in patients with major depression;
• are similarly effective as standard antidepressants;
• and have fewer side effects than standard antidepressants.

I’m sure there  are all sorts of preparations of varying sorts and purities out in the market. Afterall, St. John’s wort is considered to be the”natural prozac“. Note however, that just because something is of plant origin does not mean it’s totally safe. Please, please, do not self-medicate and consult your doctor, particularly if you are taking any other medications.