| I'll explain info about St. John's Wort by using references to validate it, so you actually know this info is accurate. First of all, more than 20 clinical trials in Europe support the use of St. John's Wort for relief of nervous tension and stress (1). All of the clinical trials in Europe used a pharmaceutical-grade material standardized to contain 0.3% hypericine, a material standardized by a UV method that was developed and validated in the German Pharmacopoeia (2, 3). Hyperforin is another component of the St. John's Wort extract that has recently received significant attention in the scientific community (4, 5). This compound has been identified as a potentially important active ingredient. Also something you should REALLY know if you're working in GNC or other health food store is that recent television and newspaper reports have shown that many St. John's Wort products sold in the United States do not contain the amount of herbal active ingredient indicated on their labels (6). Look for the, "Guarantee of potency and purity." If someone is presently taking antidepressants or photosensitizers, such as piroxicam or tetracycline, they should talk with their doctor first. Lastly, in Europe the formula they used and that was most effective was: HYPERICUM PERFORATUM L. STANDARDIZED EXTRACT 0.3% HYPERICIN DERIVATIVES BY UV ANALYSIS (ST. JOHN'S WORT) at 300mg per tablet. Taking 3 tablets daily. Some of this info is technical, but your knowledge could really help people out.
Ref: 1. See the ESCOP monograph or "hypericum & Depression" H. H. Bloomfield, M. Nordfors and P. McWilliams, Prelude Press, Los Angeles, CA, 1996 for references.
2. German Commission E Monograph: St. John's Wort (Bundesanzeiger Nummer 228 vom 05.12.1984, Hyperici herba (Johanniskraut) or The Complete German Commission E Monographs - Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines, Mark Blumenthal Sr. Editor. American Botanical Council, Austin TX 1998, p 214 (English translation of Bundesanzeiger).
3. Hyperici Herba St. John's Wort, ESCOP (European Scientific Cooperative of Phytotherapy), March 1996.
4.Chatterjee, S.S., Bhattacharya, S.K., Wonnemann, M., Singer, A., Muller, W.E., "Hyperforin as a possible antidepressant component of hypericum extracts. Life Sci, 1998; 63: 499-510.
5. An entire supplement to the journal Pharmacopsychiatry was devoted to hyperforin: Erdelmeier, C.A., Hyperforin, possibly the major non- nitrogenous secondary metobolite of Hypericum perforatum L. Pharmacopsychiatry 1998; June, 31 Suppl 1:2-6. Chatterjee, S.S., Noldner, M., Koch, E., Erdelmeier, C., Antidepressant activity of hypericum perforatum and hyperforin: the neglected possibility, Pharmacopsychiatry 1998; June, 31 Suppl 1:7-15.
6. 1. Monmaney, T., "Remedy's U.S. Sales Zoom but Quality Control Lags, St. John's Wort: Regulatory vacuum leaves doubt about potency, effects of herb used for depression." L.A. Times, Monday August 31, 1998, page 1.
Justin L.
Nutritional Researcher
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