Comparison of St John's wort and imipramine for treating depression: randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To compare the efficacy and tolerability of Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort extract) with imipramine in patients with mild to moderate depression.

Design

Randomised, multicentre, double blind, parallel group trial.

Setting

40 outpatient clinics in Germany.

Participants

324 outpatients with mild to moderate depression.

Intervention

75 mg imipramine twice daily or 250 mg hypericum extract ZE 117 twice daily for 6 weeks.

Main outcome measures

Hamilton depression rating scale, clinical global impression scale, and patient's global impression scale.

Results

Among the 157 participants taking hypericum mean scores on the Hamilton depression scale decreased from 22.4 at baseline to 12.00 at end point; among the 167 participants taki

SUBMITTER: Woelk H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC27467 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature