St. John's wort: role of active compounds for its mechanism of action and efficacy.
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L., SJW) contains numerous compounds with documented biological activity. Constituents that have stimulated the most interest include the naphthodianthrones hypericin and pseudohypericin, a broad range of flavonoids, and the phloroglucinols hyperforin and adhyperforin. According to the actual state of scientific knowledge the total extract has to be considered as the active substance. Although there are some open questions, the bulk of data suggests that several groups of active compounds are contributing to the antidepressant efficacy of the plant extract.
Butterweck
Veronika
V
Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA. butterwk@cop.ufl.edu
Schmidt
Mathias
M
D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D020902:Hypericum / Q000737:chemistry*; D007053:Ice; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010696:Phloroglucinol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000873:Anthracenes; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D007053:Ice; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes; D010569:Perylene; C004965:hypericin; D010696:Phloroglucinol; C001654:hyperforin
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