St. John’s wort, derived from the Hypericaceae family, has played a medicinal role for thousands of years. (1) Although it has been used empirically for a wide range of ailments in the past, including skin conditions, nerve problems, and muscle pain, the primary uses currently are for depression and nervous conditions, (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7) due to its ability to inhibit the reuptake of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine within the brain. (2)
Although promising evidence is emerging for the clinical use of St. John’s wort, data specific to pediatrics are still limited, warranting additional research.
Surveys in the United States and Britain of herbal use for the treatment of pediatric depression (8)(9) demonstrate that St. John’s wort is used commonly by children (22% and 9% in the two surveys, respectively). Formal evaluation of...
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