Herbal remedies depression

St John s wort is a yellow flowering plant that was first used medicinally by the ancient Greeks as a diuretic and a treatment for wounds and menstrual disorders. This herbal remedy is widely prescribed in Germany, where it has been studied extensively in clinical trials as a treatment for depression. In most countries, including the UK, it is available over the counter. In Ireland it is available only by prescription. Recently, a team of German scientists led by Klaus Linde at the University of Munich published a comprehensive review of 29 clinical trials of St John s wort, involving more than 5,000 depressed patients. They concluded that it is more effective than placebos and as effective as standard antidepressants in the treatment of major depression. 

I am not a great fan of St John s wort. For lasting control of depression, psychological treatment produces the best results, and medication does not add much - if anything - to it. Nevertheless, if a depressed patient wants medication, or if available alternative treatments are not sufficiently effective, this herbal remedy, taken under medical guidance, may be worth considering. 

In general, herbal remedies, including St. John s wort, echinacea, kava kava, and ginkgo, should be avoided. St John s wort is considered an herbal remedy with some serotonergic reuptake inhibition properties and is purported to be helpful with depression. It is sometimes used concurrently with SSRI medications by patients who assume it is relatively free of adverse side effects. 

The use of herbs has also been fueled by the increased awareness of clinical depression and its treatment as a result of the marketing efforts of major pharmaceutical companies. That effort has transformed prescription antidepressants into one of the largest dollar sales category in pharmaceuticals such that the sales for a block buster antidepressant can be more than 2 billion dollars per year. Not surprisingly, then, herbal remedies or phytomedicine has also become a multibillion dollar industry in the United States with an estimated one in ten Americans having used herbal agents within the past year, with or without their physician s knowledge. 

Herbal remedies are used for a wide range of psychiatric and nonpsychiatric medical conditions, but a number are specifically touted as being useful in treating depression. These agents include the following ... 

A few weeks earher he had diagnosed himself with mild depression, and he d known exactly what to do about it. He d seen stories about the potential benefits of the herbal remedy St. John s wort in all kinds of tabloids and magazines, and here was his chance to give it a try. It never crossed his mind to check with his doctors first, since St. John s wort was a natural remedy, and therefore (supposedly) completely safe. But the effects of drugs on our bodies can be very complex and sometimes mysterious. While the mechanism by which St. John s wort carries out its antidepressant effect is not clear, researchers have been able to identify an unwelcome side effect. Some component in St. John s wort stimulates the production of an enzyme with the cryptic name of cyp3a, one of a number of... 

If St. John s wort can alter levels of cyclosporin in the blood, might it not also interfere with the action of other medications Recent research indicates that it can. Not surprisingly, the affected drugs are those that, like cyclosporin, are also metabolized by cytochrome enzymes. Protease inhibitors, used in the treatment of hiv infections, are a prime example. Because of the popularity of St. John s wort as an antidepressant and the incidence of depression in patients diagnosed with HIV infections, researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health decided to investigate the consequences of using the herbal remedy and the protease inhibitor indinavir concurrently. Doctors prescribe indinavir to prevent the hiv virus... 

A 28-year-old woman took an extract of C. sativum for 7 days to augment lactation while breastfeeding. She developed severe stomach pain and diarrhea and 15 days later resented with dark skin, depression, dehydration, and amenorrhea. A diagnosis of adrenal dysfunction was made, the herbal remedy was withdrawn, and she was treated with dexamethasone, prednisolone, and an oral contraceptive. Her symptoms resolved within 10 days. 

With entire chapters on the most influential herbal remedies, the author either endorses or debunks popular conceptions with pure scientific data. He provides answers to today s naturopathic questions by paying particular attention to the chronic diseases engendered by obesity, as well as Alzheimer s, cancer, imbalances of neurotransmitters such as Parkinson s, and depression. 

Proponents of herbal drugs argue that these medications must be safe because they have been used by countless people for thousands of years. They cite preliminary studies that show that some herbal remedies work as well as conventional drugs and produce fewer side effects. For example, an herbal mixture of fennel, peppermint, and wormwood improved symptoms of abdominal pain more effectively and with fewer side effects than the conventional drug metoclopramide, according to a study published in Phytomedicine. And many studies have shown that St. John s wort seems to be as effective as standard antidepressants for mild to moderate depression while carrying a lower risk of side effects. 

Many patients with mild to moderate depression are aware of the potential benefits of the herbal remedy St. John s Wort (Hypericum perforatum). The active ingredients in the h3rpericum extract have yet to be identified and their mode of action is unclear, although it has been postulated that several of the known mechanisms of existing antidepressants are incorporated (inhibition of monoamine reuptake and the monoamine oxidase enzyme, as well as a stimulation of GABA receptors). Much of the original research into the efficacy of St. John s Wort was performed in Germany where its use is well established. Several direct comparisons with tricyclic antidepressants have shown equivalent rates of response but these studies should be interpreted with caution since many trials failed to... 

St. ]ohn s wort Hypericumperforatum), the most popular herbal remedy for mild depression, was reported to have efficacy in randomized, controlled trials and in one open-label PMS trial. For the treatment of menopausal symptoms, only one observational study has reported that women had substantial improvement in physical and psychological symptoms. The usual dose recommended for mild depression is 300 mg three times daily of a standardized product (hypericum 0.3%). Several in vitro and human studies suggest that St. John s wort induces the hepatic cytochrome P450 3A4 enzymes and may decrease the efficacy of OCs and should not be combined with SRIs because of the potential risk of a 5-HT syndrome. ... 

Initially, clinicians discovered that SAM-e was effective for osteoarthritis and liver function. Later on it was noticed that SAM-e appeared to also improve the mood of some depressed patients. Since there are almost no side effects or risks associated with SAM-e, it soon grew popular as an herbal remedy in Europe, where it was first discovered. 

However the biggest drawback to this so-called supplement is price, since a month s supply of SAM-e is almost the same of some antidepressants. Still, for some victims of depression, it may be the best compromise between the choice of a pharmaceutical antidepressant (rife with side effects) and a folksy herbal remedy. 

Saint-John s-wort is one example of a natural herbal remedy for depression that has recently gained in popularity and prevalence across the United States. In Europe, it is reportedly outselling the prescription medication Prozac. Saint-John s-wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a lush green herb with bright yellow flowers that has traditionally been used to heal wounds and as a tea to soothe nerves and relieve melancholy. The natural antidepressant effect that results enhances the neurochemical serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine with few side effects (Lemonick, 1997). 

St. John s wort Hypericum perforatum), an herb used extensiveiy in the treatment of miid to moderate depression in Europe, has aroused interest in the United States. A bushy, iow-growing plant covered with yeiiow fiowers in summer, St. John s wort has been used for centuries in many folk and herbal remedies. In Germany, hypericum is used in the treatment of depression more than any other antidepressant. The scientific studies that have been conducted regarding its use have been short-term, however, and have used several different doses. St. John s Wort works like the SSRIs, in that it not only increases the availability of 5-HT in synaptic clefts by blocking its reuptake but also increases the availability of NE, which increases energy and alertness, and dopamine, which increases the feeling of well-being. 

Diffutin (see above) has pronounced adaptogenic (anti-stress and anti-anxiety) activity, as well as being a mild CNS depressant (barbiturate potentiation). It also has a marked inotropic effect in perfused frog heart, and shows no arrhythmogenic properties. In addition, it potentiates the contractile response of guinea pig vas deferens to catecholamines, without inhibition of the uptake of adrenalin. At 500 mg/kg, diffutin is nontoxic to dogs. The use of Canscora in Indian medicine as a herbal remedy for certain mental disorders is supported by these observations. 

St John s Wort (Hypericum perforatum, S JW) has been on the herbal pharmacopeia for many years. It is a traditional remedy for depression which has been validated in recent randomized clinical trials. Like many herbal preparations levels of active constituents vary from one preparation to another. As a consequence of its validation as an active preparation it has been widely promoted. Recently it has been shown to interact with a variety of other substances probably through the process of drug interaction. 

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