Why Do People Use St. John’s Wort?
St. John's wort is best known as a natural remedy for mild to moderate depression, but it is also being studied for other conditionsfear, insomnia, anorexia, anxiety or feelings of worthlessness.
*Depression : Numerous studies in Europe, and more recently in the United States, have found that St. John’s wort is more effective than a placebo and as effective as tricyclic antidepressants for the short-term treatment (1 to 3 months) of mild to moderate depression. It appears to cause fewer side effects than many antidepressants, which is one of the main reasons it has become so popular.At least two recent studies, however, didn’t find St. John’s wort to be more effective than a placebo for major depression. Some experts consider the studies to be flawed, due to inadequate dosages and an insufficient number of participants, which led to unusual results. For example, in one of the studies, the prescription antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft) had no effect on major depression. Another study found that St. John's wort was more effective than fluoxetine (Prozac) but not a placebo. The evidence for St. John's wort for major depression remains unclear. Until we have evidence that it works for severe depression, it should not be used as a substitute for proven treatments.A study involving 150 people with minor depression or dysthymia found that St. John's wort was effective for minor depression (Hamilton Depression Scale score of up to 17), but that it wasn’t effective for people with dysthymia.