St John’s Wort Works – in German-Speaking Countries

It seems that the effectiveness of a medication can change from country to country. The use of St John’s Wort for the treatment of depression has been accepted by psychiatrists for a number of years; the effectiveness has been considered equal to that of standard antidepressants, but it has fewer side effects. Older reviews found the herb to be useful in mild-to-moderate depression. More recent studies have been included in a Cochrane Review.

The analyses, which covered 29 studies in almost 5,500 patients with depression, showed that overall, St John’s wort was superior to placebo, being similarly effective as the standard antidepressant drugs, with fewer side effects. However, the studies from German-speaking countries were more favorable than in other countries, where the wort was less effective. This difference might be due to the inclusion of patients with slightly different types of depression; but the reviewers say they can’t rule out that smaller studies from German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) were flawed and reported over-optimistic results.

There is no doubt that studies done in English-speaking countries are usually more stringent in design and are better monitored, thanks to the environment generated by powerful drug regulatory agencies. However, the effectiveness of St John’s wort is impressive, and it joins Saw Palmetto as an herb that has stood up to the rigors of examination by skeptical physicians. Score one for Alternative Medicine!