R. Brenner et al., Comparison of an extract of hypericum (LI 160) and sertraline in the treatment of depression: A double-blind, randomized pilot study, CLIN THER, 22(4), 2000, pp. 411-419
Background: Hypericum (St. John's wort) has been shown to be as efficacious
and well tolerated as standard antidepressants in the treatment of depress
ion but has not been compared with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs).
Objective: This study compared hypericum and the SSRI sertraline in the tre
atment of depression.
Methods: In a double-blind, randomized study conducted in a community hospi
tal, 30 male and female outpatients (19 women, 11 men; mean age, 45.5 years
) with mild to moderate depression received 600 mg/d of a standardized extr
act of hypericum (LI 160) or 50 mg/d sertraline for 1 week, followed by hyp
ericum 900 mg/d or sertraline 75 mg/d for 6 weeks.
Results: The severity of symptoms, as assessed by scores on the Hamilton Ra
ting Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Clinical Global Impression scale,
was significantly reduced in both treatment groups (P < 0.01). Clinical re
sponse (defined as a greater than or equal to 50% reduction in HAM-D scores
) was noted in 47% of patients receiving hypericum and 40% of those receivi
ng sertraline. The difference was not statistically significant. Both agent
s were well tolerated. A post hoc power analysis indicated that failure to
reach statistical significance between treatments resulted primarily from a
n absence of clinical differences rather than the small sample size.
Conclusion: The hypericum extract was at least as effective as sertraline i
n the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a small group of outpatie
nts.