St. John's Wort as Effective as Popular Prescription Anti-Depressant; New Trial Demonstrates Herb's Benefit and Safety Compared to Paroxetine

Business Wire, Feb 16, 2005

SJW has recently received public attention because of its ability to interact with a variety of pharmaceutical drugs, lowering their levels and effectiveness. Blumenthal noted, "The American Botanical Council recommends that consumers who are taking conventional drugs and who also might be considering using St. John's wort should first consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner to determine if the herb might interact with their drugs."

About the American Botanical Council

Established in 1988, the American Botanical Council (ABC) is the leading nonprofit, member-based international organization working to educate consumers, healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, industry, and the media on the safe and effective use of medicinal plants. ABC is located on a 2.5 acre site in Austin, Texas where it publishes HerbalGram, a peer-reviewed journal. ABC is also the publisher of The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs, a continuing education and reference book, which contains extensive monographs on the safety and efficacy of 29 popular herbs, including St. John's wort. More information is available at www.herbalgram.org.

References

(a) Szegedi A, Kohnen R, Dienel A, Kieser M. Acute treatment of moderate to severe depression with hypericum extract WS(R) 5570 (St. John's wort): randomized, controlled, double-blind, non-inferiority trial versus paroxetine. British Medical Journal 2005, BMJ Online First.

(b) Lecrubier Y, Clerc G, Didi R, Kieser M. Efficacy of St. John's wort extract WS(R) 5570 in major depression: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry 2002; 159(8):1361-1366.

(c) Linde K, Ramirez G, Mulrow C, Pauls A, Weidenhammer W, Melchart D. St. John's wort for depression -- an overview and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. BMJ 1996; 313(7052):253-8.

(d) Hypericum Depression Trial Study Group. Effect of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) in major depressive disorder. JAMA 2002;287:1807-14.

(e) Linde K, Mulrow CD. St John's wort for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004; (4):CD000448.