History
St. John's Wort is reportedly named for its association St. john's Day, June 24, the day of the saint's beheading. A member of the genus Hypericum, which includes about 370 species (Mabberly 1987). Hypericum perforatum is an erect, many-stemmed herbaceous perennial, with elliptical to linear-oblong leaves, and large, rounded or flat-topped, compound cymes with 25-100 flowers each. The yellow flowers are often marked with black dots along each of the five linear-lanceolate petals. Native to Europe and Asia, Hypericum perforatum is now naturalized in the United States.

Medicinal Uses
Herbalists of ancient time from Hippocrates to Pliny touted the medicinal properties of St. John's Wort for use as a vulnerary, diuretic and neuralgic conditions like hip pain. Prized for its anti-depressive and anti-viral effects, researchers today believe that St. John's Wort helps maintain positive emotions by promoting normal levels of neurotransmitting chemicals like serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine and the high flavoniod content demonstrates an anti-inflammatory action. St. John's Wort contains numerous compounds with documented biological activity. Most researchers consider its effects to be due to a variety of constituents rather than any single compound. Historical and present medicinal uses includethe following.

• Alleviate anxiety and depression
• Reduce inflammation of the skin
• Heal wounds, burns, and blunt injuries

World Market
St. John's Wort has remained one of the most relied upon botanicals by herbalists throughout history, and is clearly one of the leading phytomedicines for the treatment of mild to moderated depression. Its newfound popularity has brought it into mainstream prominence, and it is sure to remain a staple of herbal medicine for generations to come. St. John's Wort has become one of the best selling herbal products on the world market today.

In recent years, St. John's Wort has emerged as the preeminant herbal antidepressant, studies have confirmed its effectiveness for the treatment of mild to moderate depression, and that is has fewer side effects and costs less than conventional antidepressants.*

Becoming one of the stars of a new generation of natural remedies has taken a decade. Publicity and good scientific proof of efficacy have made it possible for St. John's Wort to biome well accepted by the medical community and the product has become the most prescribed antidepressant in Germany since 1995. Due to several well controlled clinical trials in the 80's and 90's, sales increased over the last eight years from U.S. $10 million to over U.S. $200 million.**

*Ray Upton, executive Director, American Herbal Pharmacopoeia
**Nutaceuticals World, May/June 1999