A new study out of Germany suggests St. John's wort should be recommended as a first choice for treating mild to moderate depression. Several studies have questioned the herb's effectiveness against treating depression.

Now, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of British Medical Journal, St. John's wort worked just as well as the common antidepressant Tofranil, known chemically as imipramine. Researchers at Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus University in Giessen, Germany, studied more than 300 patients with mild to moderate depression. They were randomly chosen to take either St. John's wort extract or imipramine for six weeks.

Throughout this period, patients were asked about their depressive symptoms and any side effects. Both groups reported improvement in depression. However, only 39 percent of patients taking St. John's wort experienced side effects such as dry mouth, sweating and dizziness compared to 63 percent of those taking imipramine. As a result, researchers say, more patients were compliant when taking St. John's wort; only 3 percent stopped taking the herb due to side effects compared to 16 percent of those taking the antidepressant drug. The findings, researchers note, add to the growing evidence of the safety and effectiveness of St. John's wort extract for depression. They add that St. John's wort could be used by general practitioners who are often the first to see patients with mild or moderate depression.

--By Katrina Woznicki