[St. John's wort for depression--development of a Cochrane review from 1993 to 1996].
The present contribution describes the history of the Cochrane review on St. John's wort (hypericum perforatum L.) for depression. Work for the first version started in 1993, the year that saw the official foundation of the Cochrane Collaboration, but 3 years before a pertinent Cochrane review group was established. After the registration of the Collaborative Review Group for Depression, Anxiety and Neuroses (CCDAN) and the publication of a first print version of the review that included 23 trials in 1996 the first Cochrane version with 27 trials became available in 1998. Updates were completed in 2005 (37 included trials) and 2008 (29 trials). Due to changes in selection criteria and review methods the resources needed to complete the 2005 and 2008 updates were similar to those for the first version in 1996. Only one trial included in the 1996 version is still part of the 2008 version. Despite the large number of available trials and improvements in review methodology the current evidence is more difficult to interpret than in 1996.
Linde
Klaus
K
Zentrum für naturheilkundliche Forschung, II. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Technische Universität München. Klaus.Linde@lrz.tum.de
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005858:Germany; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D020902:Hypericum; D009938:Organizations / Q000266:history; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
D010919:Placebos; D010936:Plant Extracts