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Herbs for treating depression include St. John's wort, Valerian root, Damiana, Ginseng. Read about these herbal remedies to treat depression.
While many herbal remedies have been used traditionally to treat depression, the most substantial amount of scientific research has involved the following herb:
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)
In Europe, St. John's wort is used extensively to treat mild to moderate
depression. In the United States, it is one of the top–selling botanical
products.
In 2000, the National Institute of Health (NIH) conducted a
clinical trial on the effectiveness of St. John's wort in treating major
depression. It involved 340 patients over an 8-week period. The trial found that
St. John's wort was no more effective than the placebo in treating major
depression.
Reported side effects of St. John's wort include gastrointestinal complaints, fatigue, and oversensitivity to sunlight. Because of potential adverse interactions, St. John's wort should not be taken in conjunction with other antidepressants or with certain medications, including indinivir (a protease inhibitor used for HIV), oral contraceptives, theophylline, warfarin, digoxin, reserpine, cyclosporine, and loperamide.
Although they have yet to be scientifically evaluated for their use in treating depression, the following are a few examples of herbs that may be recommended by professional herbalists for depression or its related symptoms:
- Valerian root (Valerian officinalis)- may improve symptoms of insomnia associated with depression
- Damiana (Turnera diffusa)- may reduce sexual dysfunction associated with many antidepressant medications
- Ginseng (Panax ginseng)- may help the body resist stress
Source: Hypericum Depression Trial Study Group. Effect of Hypericum
perforatum (St. John's wort) in major depressive disorder: a randomized
controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2002;
287(14): 1807-1814.
next: More Research Is Questioning Safety, Effectiveness of Herbs
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