Overview

What is St. John’s wort?

What are the main benefits of St. John’s wort?

What are the main drawbacks of St. John’s wort?

How does St. John’s wort work?

Dosage information

The most common dosage of St. John's wort extract found in studies is 300mg, taken up to three times a day (for a total of 900 mg).^[1]

Examine Database: St. John's Wort

Show Conditions

Health Condition/Goal	Health Outcome	Grade	Evidence	Effect
Depression	1 Outcome		7 Studies

Depression

1 Outcome

7 Studies

Depression

Research FeedRead all studies

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Frequently asked questions

Does St. John’s wort interact with any other medication?

Can St. John’s wort interact with other supplements?

Is St. John’s wort safe during pregnancy?

Is St. John’s wort safe during breastfeeding?

Does St. John’s wort have other mechanisms of action?

Update History

Dosage info clarification
minor

Research written by

Nick Milazzo

New meta-analyses added
minor

Research written by

Giulia Guerrini

Reviewed by

Nick Milazzo

Full FAQ and database update
major

Research written by

Giulia Guerrini

Edited by

Natalka Roshak

Reviewed by

Nick Milazzo

References

Examine Database References

Depression Symptoms - Linde K, Berner MM, Kriston LSt John's wort for major depression.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2008-Oct-08)
Depression Symptoms - Rahimi R, Nikfar S, Abdollahi MEfficacy and tolerability of Hypericum perforatum in major depressive disorder in comparison with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: a meta-analysis.Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry.(2009-Feb-01)
Depression Symptoms - Linde K, Berner M, Egger M, Mulrow CSt John's wort for depression: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Psychiatry.(2005-Feb)
Depression Symptoms - Cui YH, Zheng YA meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of St John's wort extract in depression therapy in comparison with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in adults.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat.(2016)
Depression Symptoms - Whiskey E, Werneke U, Taylor DA systematic review and meta-analysis of Hypericum perforatum in depression: a comprehensive clinical review.Int Clin Psychopharmacol.(2001-Sep)
Depression Symptoms - Ng QX, Venkatanarayanan N, Ho CYClinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) in depression: A meta-analysis.J Affect Disord.(2017-Mar-01)
Depression Symptoms - Zhao X, Zhang H, Wu Y, Yu CThe efficacy and safety of St. John's wort extract in depression therapy compared to SSRIs in adults: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.Adv Clin Exp Med.(2022-Oct-11)

St. John's Wort

Overview

What is St. John’s wort?

What are the main benefits of St. John’s wort?

What are the main drawbacks of St. John’s wort?

How does St. John’s wort work?

Dosage informationMedical disclaimer

Examine Database: St. John's Wort

Research FeedRead all studies

Frequently asked questions

Does St. John’s wort interact with any other medication?

Can St. John’s wort interact with other supplements?

Is St. John’s wort safe during pregnancy?

Is St. John’s wort safe during breastfeeding?

Does St. John’s wort have other mechanisms of action?

Update History

Dosage info clarificationminor

New meta-analyses addedminor

Full FAQ and database updatemajor

References

Examine Database References

Examine Database References

Examine Database: St. John's Wort

Research FeedRead all studies

Dosage information

Dosage info clarification
minor

New meta-analyses added
minor

Full FAQ and database update
major