Hypericum perforatum herb for depression treatment - Benefits and side effects of Hypericum perforatum extract

Hypericum perforatum, also known as St. John's wort, is an herb sold as a supplement that helps improve mood and is often used to treat depression. For more herb and herbal information. Hypericum perforatum is the botanical name for St. John's wort herb.

Hypericum perforatum for hot flashes
Effects of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) on hot flashes and quality of life in perimenopausal women: a randomized pilot trial.
Menopause. 2009 Feb 3. Al-Akoum M, Maunsell E, Verreault R, Provencher L, Otis H, Dodin S. From the Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada; Unité de Recherche en Santé des Populations, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Affilié Universitaire du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada; Unité de Recherche en Gériatrie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; and Centre des Maladies du sein Deschênes-Fabia, Hôpital St.-Sacrement du Centre Hospitalier Affilié Universitaire du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.
The aim of this pilot double-blind, randomized clinical trial, which initially targeted breast cancer survivors, was to obtain preliminary evidence of the effect of Hypericum perforatum extract (St. John's wort extract) compared with placebo on symptoms and quality of life of symptomatic perimenopausal women. Symptomatic perimenopausal women aged 40 to 65 years who experience hot flashes (three or more per day, Heart and Estrogen / Progestin Replacement Study scale) were randomly assigned to receive ethanolic Hypericum perforatum extract (900 mg TID) or placebo. After 12 weeks of treatment, a nonsignificant difference favoring the Hypericum perforatum extract group was observed in the daily hot flash frequency and the hot flash score. After 3 months of treatment, compared with the placebo group, women in the Hypericum perforatum extract group reported significantly better menopause-specific quality of life and significantly fewer sleep problems. Hypericum perforatum may improve quality of life in ways that are important to symptomatic perimenopausal women, but these results need to be confirmed by a larger clinical trial.

Hypericum perforatum compared to Prozac
Hypericum perforatum versus fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression.
Adv Ther. 2002 Jan-Feb;19(1):43-52.
In a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial, 70 patients (mean age,50 years) suffering from mild to moderate depression received one tablet of either Hypericum perforatum extract (Calmigen) or fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac) twice a day for 6 weeks. Efficacy was determined according to the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), the von Zerssen depression scale (DS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), and patients' overall evaluation. Significant decreases of 50% in the Hypericum perforatum and 58% in the fluoxetine group in the HAMD score and of 42% and 52% on the DS spoke to the efficacy of both medications. The Hypericum perforatum extract achieved 83% of the efficacy of fluoxetine on the HAMD and 78% on the DS. Assessments by physicians (CGI) and patients indicated considerable improvement with no between-treatment differences. Of the 9 dropouts (13%), 2 in the Hypericum perforatum group and 2 in the fluoxetine group were due to adverse reactions. Safety evaluations demonstrated only minor changes. The Hypericum perforatum preparation tested in this study is therapeutically equivalent to fluoxetine and is therefore a rational alternative to synthetic antidepressants.

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