St. John's Wort · Hypericum perforatum
A botanical antidepressant flagged by EU regulators for supplement restriction.
Short answer
St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a botanical with evidence grade C, meaning it is backed by mixed or small human trials. We track 0 produkter containing St. John's Wort. The top-ranked product scores 0 out of 10 on our composite scale (dose, evidence, price, testing, transparency). Prices range up to $0.00 per månad.
What it is
St. John's Wort is a flowering plant used traditionally for mood support. It is one of the most widely used herbal supplements in Europe.
Why people take it
Clinical trials show modest benefit for mild to moderate depression. However, it interacts with many medications including antidepressants, birth control pills, and blood thinners.
Our verdict
Effective for mild depression but the drug interaction profile is serious. EU regulators have prioritized it for restriction in supplements.
Structure & class
Hypericum perforatum extracts containing hypericin and hyperforin. Serotonin reuptake inhibition and monoamine oxidase activity.
Mechanism & clinical data
Multiple RCTs confirm efficacy for mild to moderate depression. Hyperforin induces CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein, causing clinically significant drug interactions.
Pharmacokinetics
Hyperforin: approximately 9 hours.
Dose & forms
What to watch out for
Potent CYP3A4 inducer. Reduces effectiveness of many prescription drugs.
Where this dose comes from
The trial dose above is our editorial pick from the published human trials for this ingredient. We choose the dose that the best-available studies used on the endpoint most relevant to longevity. The range shows the lowest and highest doses tested in published trials. The landmark studies below are the papers we read to set it. You can click through and check our work.
When new trials publish, our automated sweeps flag them. If a new study materially changes the dose, we update it through editorial review and record the old dose, new dose, and the triggering study in every affected product's recommendation history. The dose is never changed automatically.
Regelverk status
Timeline
Regelverk events, evidence grade changes, and key research milestones for St. John's Wort, most recent first. Every entry links to its primär source.
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EU Court sharpens the bar for botanical health claimsA Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in april 2025 further tightened the requirements for how botanical ingredients (herbs, plant extracts) can be marketed with health claims in the EU, effectively removing much of the flexibility of the on-hold list.
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EU heads of food safety agencies prioritize St. John's wort for restrictionThe HoA Working Group on Food Supplements identified Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) among 12 substances prioritized for Article 8 restriction under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. Säkerhet concerns include clinically significant drug interactions via CYP3A4 induction.
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EU report identifies 117 supplement substances as potential health risksThe HoA Working Group on Food Supplements (26 European countries) published its first report evaluating 117 substances used in food supplements. Of these, 65 were assessed as likely novel foods, 6 were already regulated, 34 had insufficient data, and 12 were prioritized for Article 8 restriction under Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006. The 12 priority substances include ashwagandha, curcumin, melatonin, piperine, St. John's wort, coumarin, p-synephrine, maca, holy basil, Melaleuca, black cohosh, and L-tryptophan. The report drew on 1,500 RASFF alerts reviewed between 2017 and mid-2022.
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HoA 2024 (BVL/NVWA, EU)26-country EU working group prioritized St. John's wort for Article 8 restriction under Regulation 1925/2006 due to drug interaction risks and potential health concerns.
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EU Health Claims Regulation adoptedRegulation (EC) No 1924/2006 laid down harmonised rules for nutrition and health claims made on foods, including supplements. Only claims listed in the EU Register of authorised claims can be used. Rejected botanical claims are held in a separate on-hold list.
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EU introduces the Novel Food RegulationRegulation (EC) No 258/97 required any food or food ingredient without a history of consumption in the EU before 15 maj 1997 to be authorised before being placed on the market. This is the framework that captures NMN, spermidine as a supplement ingredient, urolithin A, and many other longevity actives.
Landmark studies
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HoA 2024 (BVL/NVWA, EU)
26-country EU working group prioritized St. John's wort for Article 8 restriction under Regulation 1925/2006 due to drug interaction risks and potential health concerns.
Läs studie →
Found in these produkter
Alla produkter in our catalog that contain St. John's Wort, ranked by our overall score. Ranking is editorial, never paid.
No produkter in our catalog contain this yet.
Buying guides and comparisons
Related ingredients
Se alla in Botanical →Molekyler in the same class, plus the actives most often formulated alongside St. John's Wort in our catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
What is St. John's Wort?
St. John's Wort is a flowering plant used traditionally for mood support. It is one of the most widely used herbal supplements in Europe.
What dose of St. John's Wort should I take?
The trial dose in published human studies is 900 mg per dag, with a range of 300 to 1200 mg per dag. Always consult a qualified clinician before starting any supplement.
Is St. John's Wort safe?
Potent CYP3A4 inducer. Reduces effectiveness of many prescription drugs.
What is the best St. John's Wort supplement?
We track 0 produkter containing St. John's Wort. The top-ranked product scores 0 out of 10 on our composite scale, which evaluates dose, evidence, price, third-party testing, and transparency. See the comparison table above. Scores are editorial judgments, not a scientific standard.
What is the evidence grade for St. John's Wort?
St. John's Wort has evidence grade C, meaning it is backed by mixed or small human trials. Grade A means replicated human RCTs with hard endpoints. Grade B means human RCTs with biomarker outcomes. Grade C means mixed or small human trials. See our evidence grading methodology.
Data verification
Bevisning grades are reviewed when new human RCTs are published. Product counts update automatically as new produkter are added. Dose ranges reflect published trial data, not brand recommendations. Read how we verify.