"Nature's Prozac" Ineffectual

A report last month on the Journal of the American Medical Association claimed that St John's Wort, a herbal remedy widely used as a natural treatment for depression is at best ineffectual.

The study examined 200 patients diagnosed with major depression. 98 were given a daily extract of St John's Wort for four weeks and 102 were treated with a placebo pill.

The report states that "St John's Wort extract failed to produce significant differences vs. placebo on any of the outcomes measured".

The American Herbal Products Association criticised the report, claiming that the herb is normally used to treat mild depression, not serious psychiatric disorders such as major depression.

"This study evaluates St John's Wort for the treatment of a condition (major depression) for which it is not used".

Friday, 4 May 2001