Hypericum & Depression

Hypericum (St. John's Wort) and Depression
Can Depression Be Successfully Treated with a Safe, Inexpensive, Medically Proven Herb Available without a Prescription?

by
Harold H. Bloomfield, M.D.
Mikael Nordfors, M.D.
& Peter McWilliams

St. John's wort is a promising treatment for depression . . . Hypericum extracts were significantly superior to placebo and similarly effective as standard antidepressants . . . The herb may offer an advantage, however, in terms of relative safety and tolerability, which might improve patient compliance.

British Medical Journal
August 3, 1996

Move over, Prozac. German and American researchers report the herb known as St.John's wort may be effective in treating depression.

TIME
August 12, 1996

Table of Contents

Copyright Information

Vital Cautions (Please read these)

Introduction

A Note about Two Terms Used Often in This Book

Part One:Depression

• What Is Depression?
• Anne Hedonia
• The Undertreatment of Depression
• The Treatment of Depression
• The Difficulty in Treating Depression

Part Two: Hypericum

• Hypericum Perforatum
• Hypericum as Medicine

Part Three: Hypericum & Depression

• The Good News
• The Side Effects of Hypericum
• The Recommended Dosage of Hypericum
• The Young, the Elderly, and the Physically Ill
• For Those Currently Taking Prescription Antidepressants
• How to Obtain Research-Grade Hypericum
• Hypericum, Herbs, and Health Policy

Part Four: Summaries of Medical Studies on Hypericum and Depression

• Scientific Description of Hypericum Perforatum
• Studies Comparing Hypericum with Synthetic Drugs
• Studies Comparing Hypericum with Placebos
• Drug Monitoring Studies
• Pharmaceutical Studies
• Other Studies
• Clinical, Criteria Based Reviews

Author's Comments

About the Authors

Index of Charts & Tables