St. John’s Wort for Depression

Introduction In our culture, we believe that choosing the right pill will reduce our dissatisfaction and discomfort. Recently Herb has become a very popular alternative. They are said to cure everything from memory problems to sexual dysfunction. One of the most common and controversial herbs is St. John's Wort. Its appeal to outsiders is not surprising as it is an inexpensive commercial antidepressant, and over 17% of the population is experiencing depression at some point in life (Kessler, R .;

Many frustrated Americans are waiting for the FDA to approve herbal replacement therapy called St. Johns Wort to help depression. St. John's Wort is an extract of five yellow petal plants and is used in Germany in particular to relieve mood unevenness and anxiety. A study of 324 depressed patients took place in Germany within 6 weeks and St. John's Wort was compared with imipramine. At the end of the trial, 39% of those taking medications experienced the same side effects, 63% of those taking imipramine experienced these side effects. Overall results show that 3% ingested St. John's wort to discontinue treatment and 16% ingested imipramine to cease treatment (ancient). After reviewing the 30 trials conducted for St. John's Wort, the responsible nutrition council declared it safe and informative (herbaceous)

Important note about St. John's Wort: St. John's Wort is a herb used by some people to treat depression. It interacts with the liver and can alter the effects of some medications in the body, including several anti-HIV drugs (protease inhibitors and NNRTI). If you are taking anti-viral medication against your HIV, you should not take St John's Wort. If you are using St. John's Wort, be sure to tell your provider. Do not take St. John's Wort if you are taking other antidepressants.

Some patients use herbs. Data is contradictory, but St. John's Wort may be effective for mild depression. St. John's Wort may interact with other antidepressants and other medications. A placebo-controlled study of omega 3 supplements used as a toughening agent or monotherapy has shown that 1 to 2 grams of eicosapentaenoic acid per day has a useful antidepressant effect. The use of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of major depression has been strongly supported by control trials. Low frequency rTMS can be applied to the right dorsal prefrontal cortex (DLPC) and high frequency rTMS can be applied to the left DLPC. The most common side effects are headache and scalp discomfort; both occur more frequently when using more frequently than less frequent rTMS