Hypericum & Depression

Study 23

Interaction of hypericum extract and alcohol

AU: Scmidt-U, Harrer-G, Kuhn-K, Berger-Deinert-W, Luther-D

SO: Nervenheilkunde 12 (1993):6: 314-319

The interaction of hypericum with alcohol was investigated in a randomized, double-blind crossover design performed on 32 male and female healthy subjects. One group was given hypericum extract (0.9 mg standard hypericin x 3) for seven days and then a placebo for seven days. The other group was given a placebo for seven days and hypericum for seven days. At days 7 and 14 the subjects were given alcohol so that they reached a blood alcohol level between 0.45 and 0.8 promille. They were then given a series of cognitive and motoric tests in order to see if medication with hypericum would affect the results. There were no significant differences in test results between the placebo and trial groups. It can therefore be concluded that there is no interaction between hypericum and alcohol with respect to cognitive capacities.

There was a slight improvement in results in the hypericum group compared to the placebo group in a test simulating advanced car driving. The difference was not statistically significant.

The hypericum preparation was well tolerated and there was only one case with possible side effects.

Copyright © 1996 by Harold H. Bloomfield, M.D. and Peter McWilliams