Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Controlled double-blind clinical trials either versus placebo or an active comparator. Treatment duration ranged from 4-8 weeks.
Specific interventions included in the review
Hypericum extracts (also named St John's wort). Treatment groups received: Jarsan (300 mg/1.08 mg total hypericin, 3 times per day), Jarsin/-300 (300 mg/2.7 mg total hypericin, 3 times per day), Hyperforat drops (30 drops/0.6 mg total hypericin, 3 times per day), Neuroplan (1/1.0 mg total hypericin, 4 times per day), Esbericum (1/0.75 mg total hypericin, 3 times per day), Psychotonin (300 mg/2.7 mg total hypericin, 3 times per day), and Psychotonin M (20 or 30 drops/0.75 mg total hypericin, 3 times per day). Control groups received imipramine (25 mg, 3 times per day), maprotiline (25 mg, 3 times per day), amitryptiline (30 mg per day), or placebo.
Participants included in the review
Patients with varying degree of depression (mild to major) classified either by the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III or DSM-III-R), International Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10th revisions (ICD-9 or -10), or a Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score greater than 15 in 13 of the 15 included studies.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Scores for rating levels of global and mental states (not stated whether change or end points were used), measured by various rating scales (e.g. HAMD, D-S, CGI, HAMA, BL, WDG, BEB, GE, and Bf-S), and the occurrence of any adverse events measured by tolerability results.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The author does not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the authors performed the selection.