A recent meta-analysis suggested that Hypericum
perforatum (St John’s wort) is an effective
treatment for mild to moderate depression and
may have a superior side-effect profile to some
antidepressant drugs. The aim of this study was to
assess the use of herbal remedies in treating
depressive and anxiety symptoms, as reported by
members of the UK self-help organization
Depression Alliance using self-completed
questionnaires. More than 50% of the 452
respondents reported using Hypericum, onequarter
of whom also reported concurrent use of
traditional antidepressants. Most of the sample
reported sufficient symptoms for warranting a
diagnosis of major depression, with the majority
also describing symptoms suggestive of co-morbid
psychiatric conditions. One-half of the Hypericum
users experienced symptom improvement, which
for most occurred within the first 4 weeks of use.
Response was better for those with mild as
compared to severe symptoms and poorer for
those taking Hypericum alongside other
antidepressants. The responders were generally
older than non-responders. Adverse effects were
reported by one-quarter of users and were mostly
psychological in nature. This retrospective survey
indicated that use of herbal remedies was
common in this population. Although often helpful
in relieving symptoms, particularly in those with
mild depression, there is a risk of adverse events
and drug interaction
