A study reported in the British Medical Journal showed that extract of St. John's wort, or hypericum perforatum, a stalky plant with yellow leaves, is as effective as conventional anti-depressants but is cheaper and has fewer side effects.

In Germany, where hypericum has long been a folk remedy, it is licensed for depression, anxiety and sleeplessness. Oil from the leaves is used to treat burns and inflammation. There are 400 species; they grow well except in extremes - tropics, deserts, the arctic. The records of 1,757 patients were analyzed at Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich and San Antonio's Cochrane Center. It did not determine the most effective doses, or whether hypericum works on some forms of depression better than others. Even though 66 million doses were dispensed in Germany last year without one case of toxicity, caution is advised.

NOTE: Before taking St Johns Wort for any condition, consult with your health care practictioner. St Johns Wort may react negatively with other medications, both pharmaceutical as well as herbal, and may be contraindicated in some medical conditions.