Hypericum perforatum constituents

Hyperforin, the major constituent in Hypericum perforatum (St. John s Wort), inhibits the enzymatic activity of 5-lipoxygenase and COX-1 in platelets, acts as a dual inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase and COX-1, and might have some potential in inflammatory and allergic diseases connected to eicosanoids (32), Several Hypericum species are of medicinal value in Asia and the Pacific. One of these is Hypericum erectum Thunb., the potential of which as a source of 5-lipoxygenase is given here. 

Nahrstedt A, Butterweck V. (1997). Biologically active and other chemical constituents of the herb of Hypericum perforatum L. Pharmacopsychiatry. 30(suppl 2) 129-34. 

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. 

Hansen, S.H. et al.. High-performance liquid chromatography on-line coupled to high-field NMR and mass spectrometry for structure elucidation of constituents of Hypericum perforatum L., Anal. Chem., 71, 5235, 1999. 

Hypericum perforatum (Clusiaceae), commonly known as SJW, is used in many countries for the treatment of mild-to-moderate forms of depression. Several clinical studies provide evidence that SJW is as effective as conventional synthetic antidepressants (46-51). From a phytochemical point of view, H. perforatum belongs to one of the best-investigated medicinal plants. A series of bioactive compounds have been detected in the crude material, namely phenylpropanes, flavonol derivatives, biflavones, proanthocyani-dins, xanthones, phloroglucinols, some amino acids, naphthodianthrones, and essential oil constituents (Fig. 3) (52-54). 

Nahrstedt A. Antidepressant constituents of Hypericum perforatum. In Chrubasik S, Roufogalis BD, eds. Herbal Medicinal Products for the Treatment of Pain. Lismore Southern Cross University Press, 2000 144—153. 

To ensure lot-to-lot consistency, standardization of extracts often relies on constituents as biomarkers for plant identity and potency. SJW Hypericum perforatum), a perennial shrub traditionally used as a mood enhancer and mild antidepressant, has been tested in dozens of clinical trials, with mixed results for efficacy. Some of its purported bioactive constituents include naphthodianthrones, including hypericin flavonoids phloroglucinols, including hyperforin and essential oils. For many years, hypericin was presumed to be the active component. As a result most extracts were standardized based on hypericin concentration. Recent data, however, support other components such as hyperforin and the flavanoids, that may also contribute to the therapeutic efficacy of the SJW extracts (33-35). Because these secondary components were previously unaccounted for in the standardization of the former clinical test articles, and because these constituents are chemically unrelated to and their content within the plant varies independently of hypericin, it has been argued that the potency of these constituents in any particular batch was unlikely to be similar to that of other batches. This variability between batches could explain the observed differences in the clinical trial results (36). 

Synaptic serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) transporters are inhibited by amphetamines, the tropane alkaloids cocaine and ecgonine [194] and by the indole alkaloid ibogaine (12-methoxyibogamine) and its demethylation product ibogamine [191, 195]. Hyperforin is a major antidepressant constituent of St. John s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) and inhibits serotonin uptake by elevating cytosolic Na+ [196]. The additional... 

The herb St. John s wort (Hypericum perforatum) has a number of constituent parts, including hyperforin, which is currently being studied as the responsible constituent for the antidepressant action. The herb contains at least ten compounds that can have an unpredictable effect on the consumer. 

NMR and msss spectrometry for structure elucidation of constituents of Hypericum perforatum L. Anal. Chem. 71 5235-5241. 

Presently he is working as Medical Executive in Super Speciality Division, Ind-Swift Lab,Chandigarh, India on the isolation of the active constituents standardization of medicinal Herbs. He was instrumental in launching standardized extracts of Allium sativum (garlic) Hypericum perforatum (St. John s wort) for Ind -Swift limited, Chandigarh under the names Jovin Garlee. 

It is a bioflavonoid present in Hypericum perforatum and some researchers claim it to be the antidepressant constituent of the plant. 

ABSTRACT Hypericum perforatum L., St. John s Wort, has become one of the most important medicinal plants of nowadays. This is a result of extensive research on the chemical constituents of this plant, and of increasing efforts for pharmacological and clinical profiling of St. John s Wort extracts and of their individual components. To date, these studies provide a solid basis for the the therapeutic use of St. John s Wort in the treatment of mild to moderate depressions. 

For a hydroalcoholic extract of Hypericum perforatum, produced by successive extraction of dried aerial parts with petroleum ether, 1,2-dichlorethane and ethanol (50 % v/v), a sedative effect in mice has been reported [123]. The authors observed a bell-shaped dose-response effect on spontaneous motility with maximal activity at an oral dose of 26.5 mg/kg p.o, while pentobarbital-induced sleeping time was most significantly prolonged at the lowest dose applied (13.25 mg/kg p.o.). No effect on neuromuscular transmission was observed in three different test models (chimney test, traction test and rota-rod test). After separation of the crude extract in fractions containing mainly flavones, naphthodianthrones or amino acids, it was not possible to clearly attribute the effect of the native extract to a particular group of constituents. Thus, the authors conclude that activity of the hydroalcoholic extract may results form the cumulative effects of different compound, but they do not offer any explanation for the lower activity of the extract at higher doses. 

Nature St. John s wort is made from dried flowers of Hypericum perforatum, the active constituents of which include hypericin and h3q3erforin. 

Hammer KD, Birt DF. Evidence for contributions of interactions of constituents to the anti-inflammatory activity of hypericum perforatum. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 54(6) (2014) 781-789. 

While this book by necessity deals, in the main, with the properties of isolated plant constituents, the reader is reminded of the phenomenon of synergy—where the interaction of two or more agents results in a combined effect that is greater than the sum of the individual parts (i.e. of the additive effects). This process is often referred to in herbal medicine circles (e.g. for Hypericum perforatum) although it is a difficult one to prove. The primary application of this concept is in the traditional methods of combining herbal medicines in formulas however, in recent times it has also been applied using the combined effects of active constituents within the same herb. 

The exact mechanism of action responsible for St. John s wort s neurological effects is not known. Additionally, it is not known if any one chemical constituent is responsible for its activity or if it is a combination of multiple components. It is known that the extracts of H. perforatum appear to inhibit the synaptic uptake of several neurotransmitters including norepinephrine, serotonin (5-HT), and dopamine (3,11-13). Rats that were fed high doses of hypericum extracts standardized to flavonoids (50%), hypericin (0.3%), and... 

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