ST. JOHN'S WORT AND ZOLOFT? TREAT DEPRESSION
FISH OIL MAY BENEFIT BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS


IN THE NEWS
ST. JOHN'S WORT AND ZOLOFT? TREAT DEPRESSION EQUALLY WELL
A new study indicates St. John's wort is as effective as the prescription drug Zoloft? for the treatment of mild to moderate depression.

The double-blind randomized, single-center trial was performed on 30 male and female outpatients in a community hospital. Researchers gave patients either 600 mg/day of a standardized hypericum extract or 50 mg/day of sertraline (Zoloft) daily for one week. This regimen was followed by giving subjects either 900 mg per day of St. John's wort or 75 mg/day of sertraline for six weeks. Both regimens significantly reduced the severity of depressive symptoms, as measured with scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Clinical Global Impression scale. Clinical response, defined as a 50% reduction or more in HAM-D scores, was noted in 47% of patients receiving hypericum and 40% of those receiving sertraline. The difference was not statistically significant.

The study appears in volume 22, issue number 4 of the journal Clinical Therapeutics. The article is entitled, "Comparison of an Extract of Hypericum (LI 160) and Sertraline in the Treatment of Depression: A Double-Blind, Randomized Pilot Study."

FISH OIL MAY BENEFIT BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS
Incorporating omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold-water fish, can reduce the risk of heart disease.

A review of scientific studies on the effect of fatty acids on blood pressure revealed these acids may have a dose-dependent response in reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure, according to Dr. Lawrence J. Appel, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.

Supplementation with 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids daily can lower blood pressure in people with untreated high blood pressure, according to Appel.

Among the studies reviewed were those performed by Dr. Robert A. Vogel, University of Maryland School of Medicine, examining which parts of the Mediterranean diet protect the heart. Participants in the study were fed five meals containing 50 grams of fat total. The source of fat consisted of olive oil, canola oil, and salmon in three of the meals. The olive oil meal had beneficial effects on blood flow; none of the other four meals had this effect. As a result of the study, Vogel concluded the beneficial components of the Mediterranean diet seem to be antioxidant-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables and omega-3 rich fish and canola oils.

Appel's presentation was shared at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Reston, Va., June 5, 2000.

FIBER FIGHTS HIGH CHOLESTEROL
Filling up on fiber can help reduce cholesterol levels in most people, according to a recent study of 250 men and women with high blood cholesterol levels.

Incorporating fiber into a healthy diet can reduce cholesterol to the extent that many people can reduce their need for drug therapy. Psyllium, a fibrous material, can reduce harmful cholesterol by as much as 5%, according to Dr. James Anderson, professor of medicine and clinical nutrition at the University of Kentucky, one of the study's authors. That 5% reduction translates into a 10% to 15% reduction in the risk for heart attack, a notable reduction.

Psyllium apparently lowers cholesterol by dragging bile acids, which are converted into cholesterol, out of the body. Other foods, such as oat bran and soy protein, can also reduce cholesterol levels.

The study found that 10 grams of psyllium daily, in addition to a low-fat, low- cholesterol diet, could reduce the risk of heart attack by as much as 20% to 30%. The six-month study supports incorporating fiber into an already healthful diet, especially for people who want to protect themselves from heart disease, people who have high cholesterol, or people who have a family history of heart disease.

The study also involved researchers from the Chicago Center for Clinical Research, the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, the Medlantic Research Institute in Washington, D.C., and the Department of Medicine and College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University in New York. Study results were published in the June 2000 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

HERBAL COMBINATION BOOSTS MENTAL POWER
Even healthy, middle-aged adults who live and work in a fast-paced and demanding work environment can benefit from the herbal combination of stabilized Panax ginseng and Ginkgo biloba.

A unique combination of the two herbs has been shown to significantly enhance fast, accurate thinking and short-and long-term memory, and reduce mental fatigue.

The 14-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multi-center study looked at the cognitive effects of the herbal combination in 256 healthy volunteers between ages 38 and 66. The volunteers performed a battery of tests using the Computerized Cognitive Assessment System, a validated testing method accepted by the FDA and used to assess the effect of cognitive enhancing products. The study showed the group of volunteers receiving the active herbal combination had statistically significant improvement in cognitive function (average of +7.5%) compared to the control group.

Results of the study were presented at a National Institute of Mental Health seminar and announced June 6, 2000, at a press conference at The Rockefeller University in New York City