[MPWG] Herbal extract as effective as commonly prescribed anti-depressant
Sonya
msredsonya at earthlink.net
Sun Feb 13 02:41:22 CST 2005
BMJ-British Medical Journal 11.02.2005
Herbal extract as effective as commonly prescribed anti-depressant
Acute treatment of moderate to severe depression with hypericum extract
WS 5570 (St John’s Wort): randomised controlled double blind
non-inferiority trial versus paroxetine BMJ Online First
A specially manufactured extract from the herb St John’s Wort is at
least as effective in treating depression as a commonly prescribed
anti-depressant, according to new research published on bmj.com today.
St John’s Wort* and the anti-depressant drug Paroxetine** were used in a
trial to treat patients with moderate or severe depression. The
researchers asked 301 participants of both sexes from German mental
health centres to take part in the trial. The two drugs were taken by
the patients aged 18-70 over a six week period during 2000 -2003.
At the end of the trial half (61 out of 122) of those who took St John’s
Wort found their symptoms in decline, whilst only a third (43 out of
122) of those taking Paroxetine went into remission.
Participants also suffered more side-effects by taking Paroxetine with
269 adverse effects being reported over the treatment period. Those
taking St John’s Wort reported 172 adverse effects – the most common in
both cases being stomach disorders.
The authors support the use of St John’s Wort as an alternative to treat
depression and welcome more research in this area.
More information: www.bmj.com
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Sonya PLoS Medicine
The open-access general medical journal from the Public Library of Science
Inaugural issue: Autumn 2004 Share your discoveries with the world.
http://www.plosmedicine.org
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