St John's Wort 'Better Than Drugs For Depression'

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St John's Wort 'Better Than

Drugs For Depression'

By Jeremy Laurance

Health Editor

The Independent - UK

2-10-5

 

A specially prepared extract of the herb St John's wort is at

least as effective in treating depression as the powerful antidepressant

drug Seroxat [Paxil] and has fewer side-effects, a study has indicated.

 

St John's wort has long been known as an effective herbal

treatment for mild depression but the latest study is the first to suggest

that it may have equal effectiveness with one of the biggest-selling

pharmaceutical treatments for moderate to severe depression.

 

Researchers who asked 301 people with depression to take part in

the trial found that half of those given St John's wort for six weeks

reported an improvement in their symptoms, compared with only one third

given Seroxat.

 

Neither group knew which drug they were taking, but those given

Seroxat also reported more side-effects.

 

Seroxat has been at the centre of allegations that in some

patients it causes agitation at the start of treatment and withdrawal

effects in those trying to come off it. An investigation by the Medicines

and Healthcare Regulatory Authority concluded last year that it should be

avoided in mild depression, because of the side-effects. The authority

ordered a ban on its use in patients under 18.

 

The study is published in the online version of the British

Medical Journal. The researchers from Germany say: " Our results support the

use of [st John's wort extract] as an alternative to standard

antidepressants in moderate to severe depression, especially as it is well

tolerated. " They add that the drug should be assessed for long-term

treatment, because many patients suffer chronic depression and the

" favourable ratio between efficacy and tolerability " of St John's wort makes

it an " interesting option " in these patients.

 

In 2004, about 19 million prescriptions for antidepressants were

issued to about 3.5 million patients at a total cost of £400m in the UK.

 

In recommendations issued in December, the National Institute for

Clinical Excellence (Nice) said that given the well-known side-effects of

such drugs, including anxiety, insomnia, headaches and stomach complaints,

alternative treatments should be considered for people with mild depression.

 

Nice recommended that counselling including cognitive behavioural

therapy should be considered. But the Royal College of GPs said the shortage

of counsellors and psychotherapists meant this was impractical. " GPs often

feel they have little choice but to prescribe antidepressants, " a spokesman

said.

 

In Germany, where St John's wort is a prescription drug, it

outsells Prozac by four to one.

 

One drawback is that St John's wort interacts with several

prescription medicines to reduce their effectiveness.

 

©2005 Independent News & Media (UK) Ltd.

 

http://news.independent.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

I would like to know what sort of dosages they used. wondering if a person

would really need to take more than what they say on the bottle to be

effective?

 

 

-

" Misty " <misty3

" Health and Healing " <health_and_healing >; " Armageddon

or New Age " <armageddon-or-newage >

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 5:03 PM

St John's Wort 'Better Than Drugs For

Depression'

 

 

>

>

> http://rense.com/general62/stj.htm

>

>

>

> St John's Wort 'Better Than

> Drugs For Depression'

> By Jeremy Laurance

> Health Editor

> The Independent - UK

> 2-10-5

>

> A specially prepared extract of the herb St John's wort is at

> least as effective in treating depression as the powerful antidepressant

> drug Seroxat [Paxil] and has fewer side-effects, a study has indicated.

>

> St John's wort has long been known as an effective herbal

> treatment for mild depression but the latest study is the first to suggest

> that it may have equal effectiveness with one of the biggest-selling

> pharmaceutical treatments for moderate to severe depression.

>

> Researchers who asked 301 people with depression to take part in

> the trial found that half of those given St John's wort for six weeks

> reported an improvement in their symptoms, compared with only one third

> given Seroxat.

>

> Neither group knew which drug they were taking, but those given

> Seroxat also reported more side-effects.

>

> Seroxat has been at the centre of allegations that in some

> patients it causes agitation at the start of treatment and withdrawal

> effects in those trying to come off it. An investigation by the Medicines

> and Healthcare Regulatory Authority concluded last year that it should be

> avoided in mild depression, because of the side-effects. The authority

> ordered a ban on its use in patients under 18.

>

> The study is published in the online version of the British

> Medical Journal. The researchers from Germany say: " Our results support

> the

> use of [st John's wort extract] as an alternative to standard

> antidepressants in moderate to severe depression, especially as it is well

> tolerated. " They add that the drug should be assessed for long-term

> treatment, because many patients suffer chronic depression and the

> " favourable ratio between efficacy and tolerability " of St John's wort

> makes

> it an " interesting option " in these patients.

>

> In 2004, about 19 million prescriptions for antidepressants were

> issued to about 3.5 million patients at a total cost of £400m in the UK.

>

> In recommendations issued in December, the National Institute for

> Clinical Excellence (Nice) said that given the well-known side-effects of

> such drugs, including anxiety, insomnia, headaches and stomach complaints,

> alternative treatments should be considered for people with mild

> depression.

>

> Nice recommended that counselling including cognitive behavioural

> therapy should be considered. But the Royal College of GPs said the

> shortage

> of counsellors and psychotherapists meant this was impractical. " GPs often

> feel they have little choice but to prescribe antidepressants, " a

> spokesman

> said.

>

> In Germany, where St John's wort is a prescription drug, it

> outsells Prozac by four to one.

>

> One drawback is that St John's wort interacts with several

> prescription medicines to reduce their effectiveness.

>

> ©2005 Independent News & Media (UK) Ltd.

>

> http://news.independent.co.uk/

>

>

>

>

> Disclaimer

>

> Email This Article

>

>

>

>

> MainPage

> http://www.rense.com

>

>

> This Site Served by TheHostPros

>

 

 

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