February 19 – Analysis of five supplements of St. John’s Wort, a popular natural antidepressant, reveals that their actual hypericin content is too often lower than what is displayed on their label.
Researchers from National Chung-Sing University in Taiwan1 analyzed the makeup of five over-the-counter products in health food stores in California. They measured the levels of hypericin and pseudohypericin, the two markers * of St. John’s Wort.
The products tested only contained 1.7% to 38.5% of the amount of hypericin indicated on their label. Taking into account the content of pseudohypericin, a derivative of hypericin not mentioned on the label, the total hypericin level. increases, but remains clearly insufficient in the case of four of the five products, ie from 2.9% to 68.3% of the quantities announced. As for the fifth supplement analyzed, it contained more total hypericin than its label suggested, ie 114%.
The results of this analysis confirm that carried out in 2000 by the independent American laboratory ConsumerLab. Of 21 supplements tested, 4 contained only 77% to 85% of the amount of hypericin stated on the container and another contained only 21% of its alleged content of hyperforin, another marker of St. John’s Wort. In addition, in five products, the level of cadmium, a heavy metal, was unacceptable. In all, only 14 of the 21 products therefore passed the test.
Such variations are puzzling and highlight the importance of adopting regulations that will allow consumers to have access to natural supplements manufactured to strict standards and whose labels contain precise, accurate and reliable information.
Françoise Ruby – PasseportSanté.net
According to Intelihealth.com
* Hypericin is not the active ingredient in St. John’s Wort (it has no antidepressant effect), but rather its marker. A marker is a very characteristic component of a plant that is used to set a standard to ensure that the extract contains the right plant in the right concentration. As with many herbal remedies, the active ingredient in St. John’s Wort is not known. The extracts are generally standardized to 0.3% hypericin or 5% hyperforin.
1. Zhao-Jun Wang et al., Contents of hypericin and pseudohypericin in five commercial products of St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, February 2004 (10.1002 / jsfa.1598).
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