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ST-JOHN'S-WORT
Call it the sunshine supplement. Suppliers in this country have scrambled to keep up with demand for Saint-John's-wort since a 1996 article in the British Medical Journal summarized the results of 23 studies on the herb and concluded that it's effective for certain forms of depression. Fifteen of the studies compared Saint-John's-wort to a placebo; eight measured the herb against tricyclic antidepressants (the pre-Prozac kind). Saint-John's-wort outdid the placebo for mild to moderate depression and had fewer side effects than the drugs.
The bottom line:
Internist Cynthia Mulrow, one of the article's authors, says she would recommend the herb as an option for people with low levels of depression. More gravely depressed people not helped by conventional drugs could try it as well, under a doctor's care. Experts suggest a daily two to four grams of extract, also known as hypericum. The herb makes some people more susceptible to sunburn and cataracts.
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