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Hypericum and Depression

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NeuroPsychopharmacotherapy

Abstract

St. John’s wort (also known as hypericum extract, HE) is a long used phythopharmaceutical compound, showing, besides others, antidepressive properties. The antidepressive activity of HE seems to be closely linked to only a few of the more than 150 constituents, mainly hypericin and hyperforin. In several studies an inhibitory effect on the mitochondrial monoamineoxidase (MAO) A and B could be shown; also interactions with the GABAA- and GABAB-receptor were demonstrated. Hyperforin also acts as a reuptake inhibitor of serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, GABA, and L-glutamate. In animal studies, the antidepressive effect of HE could be demonstrated. In several clinical trials, HE was more effective compared to placebo and as effective as synthetical antidepressants in mild to moderate depression. These single trials have been included in several meta-analyses confirming the overall efficacy. The subjective tolerability is excellent with placebo-level frequencies of adverse events, results being present in single trials and also in several meta-analyses. Since HE might induce certain CYP 450 isoenzymes and p-glycoprotein, pharmacokinetic interactions are possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Krankenhaus für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatische Medizin Schloss Werneck, Werneck, Germany

    H. -P. Volz

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  1. H. -P. Volz
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Correspondence to H. -P. Volz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept Psychiatry , Psychosomatics & Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Medical School Clinical Neurochemistry, Würzburg, Germany

    Peter Riederer

  2. Inst für Psychologische Medizin, Haag, Bayern, Germany

    Gerd Laux

  3. Fujita Health University School Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan

    Toshiharu Nagatsu

  4. Center Translational Res Neurol Diseases, Dalian Med Uni Shanghai Inst Health Sc Center Translational Res Neurol Diseases, Dalian, China

    Weidong Le

  5. Würzburg, Bayern, Germany

    Christian Riederer

Section Editor information

  1. Facharzt für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Neurologie, Dipl.-Psychologe, Institut für Psychologische Medizin (IPM), Soyen, Deutschland

    Gerd Laux

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany

    Hans-Jürgen Möller

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Volz, H.P. (2020). Hypericum and Depression. In: Riederer, P., Laux, G., Nagatsu, T., Le, W., Riederer, C. (eds) NeuroPsychopharmacotherapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56015-1_93-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56015-1_93-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-56015-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-56015-1

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