St. John's Wort for Moderate to Severe Depression
St. John's wort (hypericum perforatum) is an herb that has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes, one of which is for the treatment of depression. A recent study evaluated its effectiveness in the treatment of moderate to severe (major) depression, which is defined as a sad mood or loss of interest or pleasure in activities for at least 2 weeks. In the study, individuals received either the prescription drug paroxetine (Paxil®) or St. John's wort. At the end of the 6 week study period, those who received St. John's wort showed more improvement in their depressive symptoms compared to those who received paroxetine. In addition, there were fewer side effects in the group that received St. John's wort.
St. John's wort has been reported to interact with several medications including indinavir, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, MAO inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Your health care provider can help decide if St. John's wort is the right depression treatment for you.