TREATMENT DATABASE

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), a plant with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and mood lifting properties, has been documented as a remedy for roughly two thousand years. Currently, it is a well-established treatment for depression. In Germany, St. John's Wort is widely prescribed for children and teens with depression as a safe alternative to antidepressants. The Cochrane Collaboration, an organization that reviews trials of health care treatments, found that in 29 studies with over 5,400 depressed patients St. John's Wort fared better than placebo.

Like most herbs, St. John's Wort has the potential to treat a variety of health problems. In 2011 Mozaffari et al found that St. John's Wort was useful for treating IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), a bowel motility condition for which antidepressants are sometimes prescribed. Studies have shown that St. John's Wort increases mitochondrial function, reduces inflammation, and inhibits nerve firing in epilepsy.

USES IN ME/CFS: St. John's Wort is generally well tolerated. However, it cannot be taken in conjunction with other antidepressants. Like any pharmaceutical antidepressant, it cannot be taken within two weeks of treatment with MAOIs. St. John's Wort decreases the effectiveness of many drugs, including benzodiazepines, oral contraceptives, beta blockers, statins, antiretrovirals, and theophylline.

Treatment rating for St. John's Wort