St. John’s Wort Extracts May Help Treat Major Depression

Major depression is a disorder characterized by a depressed mood and/or a loss of interest in nearly all activities consistently for at least 2 weeks. People with major depression may also experience a variety of other symptoms such as loss of appetite, fatigue, sleep disturbance, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and thoughts of death or suicide. Extracts from the herb St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) are used in many countries, especially Germany, to treat depression. However, results from clinical trials worldwide have been contradictory, and the effectiveness of St. John's wort for depression is still questionable. Additionally, major depression is often treated with antidepressant drugs, which have only shown modest effects over placebo in clinical trials.