ISHS Acta Horticulturae 332: WOCMAP I - Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Conference: part 2 of 4
HIGH DOSED ST.-JOHN'S-WORT-EXTRACT FOR TREATMENT OF MILD AND MODERATE DEPRESSIONS |
| Author: | D. Laudahn |
| Abstract:
According to an examination of the World Health Organisation (WHO) approximately 3 to 5 % of the population suffer from depressions. From this examination it also becomes clear that depression and its therapy are of special importance as the most frequent psychiatric disease. 9 from 10 patients with depressions attend outpatient departments. Because of the complexicity of this syndrome difficulties concerning differential diagnosis often appear, which contribute to determine the further therapeutical measures. The wide appearance, which is summarized under the general term of depression, has no uniform leading symptom. Examinations in the outpatient field have shown that the diagnostic process is proceeding only oriented to the symptoms (Raynes, 1979). Therefore the question appears, following to which criteria a useful therapy should be performed. Besides a psychotherapeutically oriented therapy, which expects a special education of the physician, the main emphasis is placed on the medicinal treatment. A special problem is the treatment of working depressive patients. As a treatment period of 4 or more weeks is often necessary, a suitable therapy should not influence the working possibility, under special consideration of the profile of side effects. Especially sedative drugs, which influence the reaction time, effect the working negatively. Under the viewpoint of "everyday suitability" herbal drugs have been proven in outpatients. Latest research results with a phytotherapeutic drug, an extract from St. John's Wort (Jarsin, Lichtwer Pharma Berlin), showed that an efficient therapy is well practicable in the treatment of depressive patients in the outpatient department. | |
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