Kava and St. John's wort: Current evidence for use in mood and anxiety disorders

Abstract

Background: Mood and anxiety disorders pose significant health burdens on the community. Kava and St. John's wort (SJW) are the most commonly used herbal medicines in the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders, respectively. Objectives: The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive review of kava and SJW, to review any evidence of efficacy, mode of action, pharmacokinetics, safety and use in major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia (SP), panic disorder (PD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the e..