Hypericum extract from St. John's Wort is safer than the antidepressant drug imipramine and just as effective for treating patients with moderate depression.

British Medical Journal December 11, 1999;319:1534-1539.

COMMENT:  It is clear that this treatment works for depression and is a superior to most drug based treatments if it works; as it is not based on a synthetic drug. However, even though it is a natural herb, St. John?s wort clearly does not address the foundational causes of why a person is depressed. There are far more effective strategies. My current favorite is Applied Psychoneurobiology.  Tryptophan, although a prescription, is also a better option that St. John?s wort  as it is a precursor of serotonin, which is frequently imbalanced in depression.