St. John's Wort and its Active Principles in Depression and Anxiety

Hypericum extract preparations are used extensively in many countries to treat mildly to moderately depressed patients. While this was based previously on traditional experience, extensive research over the last 10 years has given a broad preclinical and clinical basis to justify the use of Hypericum as an antidepressant. This book reviews the available data related to the biochemical, functional, and behavioural pharmacology of Hypericum and its active constituents. The clinical chapters overview the evidenced basis for its use as an antidepressant, initial data in anxiety and somatoform disorders, and the site effect profile of Hypericum and its possible relevant drug interactions. The known pharmacokinetics of the relevant constituents and the biopharmaceutical quality of commercially available Hypericum preparations are also discussed.

• Antidepressant Activity
• Biophamaceutics
• Depression
• Neurotransmitter Metabolism
• Pharmacokinetics
• Phytochemistry
• anxiety
• metabolism

From the reviews:

...this book presents an excellent account of experimental as well as clinical research that has been done on St. John's wort. Not only have the authors been successful in presenting up-to-date information on many important topics but they have succesfully discussed the pros and cons of many conclusions. (Journal of Medicinal Chemistry)

“The book under discussion here comprises 13 chapters providing comprehensive information on all relevant aspects regarding both the medical and the pharmaceutical appraisal of this herbal antidepressant. … represents an excellent compilation of the results of research done on St. John’s wort. All important aspects are taken into consideration with constant quality. The text of the book is of reasonable comprehensibility. The figures and tables provided are useful and well organized. … I recommend this book to anybody interested in this topic.” (Eckart Eich, Economic Botany, Vol. 63 (4), 2009)

• Pharmakologisches Institut für Naturwissenschaftler, Biozentrum Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany

  Walter E. Müller

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