Researchers Trying To Make Synthetic St. John's Wort

August 17, 2000 Source: British Broadcasting Company

We know that St. John’s wort can interact with some medications, making them less effective, so researchers are hoping to alter the herb to make it more beneficial in treating depression. I’d recommend staying away from this unproven herbal supplement, but scientists at Cambridge University are working to develop a synthetic form of the popular anti-depressant that doesn’t have the adverse side effect of interfering with antibiotics or prescription drugs.

Specifically, the researchers are trying to make a synthetic version of hyperforin, a key ingredient in St. John’s wort, according to a news report by the British Broadcasting Company. Hyperforin is an enzyme responsible for the proper metabolism of the body’s hormones and can affect the breakdown of many drugs. This research is being funded by a major pharmaceutical company and the goal is to develop a form of the herbal remedy that retains its anti-depressant activities without stimulating the production of a liver enzyme called CYP3A that causes some drugs to be broken down too fast by the body.

In reading between the lines it seems to me that researchers are trying to develop a pharmaceutical drug from the active ingredient in a popular herb, which means it should go through a stringent approval process before being marketed. If a new form of St. John’s wort emerges from this research, there should be clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of the synthetic variation.

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