Kelly
22nd April, 2006, 03:53 PM
There is real science behind the effectiveness of St. John's Wort. This comes in the form of scientific studies by reputable researchers. If you know of one study that is not included here, please let me (Kelly) know and I'll add it.
On August 3, 1996, the original 1996 scientific study (http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/313/7052/253) by the British Medical Journal was published. This is the study that prompted to to launch this website in 1997, and involved 1757 patients with mild or moderately severe depression. The study also notes that 2.7 million prescriptions of St. John's Wort were counted in Germany in 1993, but that its efficacy (at the time) was still largely unknown in the English-speaking world.
On September 2, 2000, the British Medical Journal did a second, smaller scientific study comparing imipramine (a prescription medication) with St. John's Wort (http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/321/7260/536?eaf). The study included 324 outpatients with mild to moderate depression. They found SJW to be just as effective, and patients also tolerated SJW better. But many of us here knew that already. :wink:
In August 2003, the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine published an article (http://psy.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/44/4/271?ijkey=bcf634618792f4a288c15ae9dc3d4cf9ed25b619 ) titled St. John's Wort: A Systematic Review of Adverse Effects and Drug Interactions for the Consultation Psychiatrist. If you are currently taking any medication or other herbal supplements, or are worried about side-effects, this is an excellent article to answer most of your questions.
On February 1, 2005, a new study titled St John's wort for depression (http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/186/2/99): Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was published by The British Journal of Psychiatry. It involved 3,320 patients in twenty-six trials. They found that, "improved symptoms more than placebo and similarly to standard antidepressants in adults with mild to moderate depression." But they also found that it had only minimal benefits (at least, at the tested dosage) for people suffering from major depression.
There are now many more people who have visited this site and posted their experiences than in most of the above trials. While posting messages in a Web forum is hardly scientific, when coupled with the scientific studies I think we've got a goldmine of information here. More than that, this forum is a good place to find support and offer your support to others.
Kelly
On August 3, 1996, the original 1996 scientific study (http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/313/7052/253) by the British Medical Journal was published. This is the study that prompted to to launch this website in 1997, and involved 1757 patients with mild or moderately severe depression. The study also notes that 2.7 million prescriptions of St. John's Wort were counted in Germany in 1993, but that its efficacy (at the time) was still largely unknown in the English-speaking world.
On September 2, 2000, the British Medical Journal did a second, smaller scientific study comparing imipramine (a prescription medication) with St. John's Wort (http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/321/7260/536?eaf). The study included 324 outpatients with mild to moderate depression. They found SJW to be just as effective, and patients also tolerated SJW better. But many of us here knew that already. :wink:
In August 2003, the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine published an article (http://psy.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/44/4/271?ijkey=bcf634618792f4a288c15ae9dc3d4cf9ed25b619 ) titled St. John's Wort: A Systematic Review of Adverse Effects and Drug Interactions for the Consultation Psychiatrist. If you are currently taking any medication or other herbal supplements, or are worried about side-effects, this is an excellent article to answer most of your questions.
On February 1, 2005, a new study titled St John's wort for depression (http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/186/2/99): Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was published by The British Journal of Psychiatry. It involved 3,320 patients in twenty-six trials. They found that, "improved symptoms more than placebo and similarly to standard antidepressants in adults with mild to moderate depression." But they also found that it had only minimal benefits (at least, at the tested dosage) for people suffering from major depression.
There are now many more people who have visited this site and posted their experiences than in most of the above trials. While posting messages in a Web forum is hardly scientific, when coupled with the scientific studies I think we've got a goldmine of information here. More than that, this forum is a good place to find support and offer your support to others.
Kelly