Depression

Depression

On my first trip to Macchu Picchu, Peru, one of my colleagues confided that he'd suffered debilitating episodes of depression. He'd had all the classic symptoms: profound sadness, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, poor concentration, disturbed eating, sleeping and bowel habits, and an inability to derive pleasure from normally pleasurable activities.

All modern drugs had failed him. I braced myself for the usual question: "Know any herbs that might help?" When he asked, I answered with my usual cautious reply: "If I had depression, I'd try St.-John's-wort." But I might just as easily have said "licorice." Both are three-star champs in the Green Pharmacy.

Green Pharmacy for Depression

It goes without saying that everyone gets the blues from time to time. Depression that won't let up, however, is a serious disorder. If you suffer from ongoing depression, you should see your doctor for treatment. In the meantime, there are also a number of herbs that can prove helpful.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). No plant in my database has more antidepressant compounds than licorice, but it does not have St.-John's-wort's folk history of use as an antidepressant. Strange. At least eight licorice compounds are monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, which are compounds capable of potent antidepressant action.

If you'd like to try licorice to beat depression, simply add some to any of the other herbal teas suggested in this chapter. (While licorice and its extracts are safe for normal use in moderate amounts--up to about three cups of tea a day--long-term use or ingestion of larger amounts can produce headache, lethargy, sodium and water retention, excessive loss of potassium and high blood pressure.)

St.-John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum). This herb got its name because the plant flowers on St. John's day, June 24. (Wort is Old English for "plant.") Its star-shaped yellow flowers, which turn red when bruised, are beautiful enough to make anyone with the blues feel happier. But this herb also has a long history of folk use for treating anxiety and depression. Modern science has shown that generations of folk herbalists were right.

Clinical studies show that treatment with just one of the active compounds in this herb, hypericin, results in significant improvement in anxiety, depression and feelings of worthlessness. Some studies show that it's a more powerful antidepressant than some pharmaceutical drugs such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and imiprimine (Tofranil). What's more, it has fewer side effects. Some researchers say that it has no side effects at all.

Studies also show that St.-John's-wort improves sleep quality, often a major problem for people who are seriously depressed. In one study, German researchers gave St.-John's-wort to 105 people with moderate depression. Compared with a similar group not receiving the herb, they slept better and exhibited less sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, exhaustion and headache. They also reported no side effects.

While some researchers attribute the benefits of the herb to its MAO
inhibitors, other studies downplay this activity. Jerry Cott, Ph.D., director of the Polytherapeutic Medication Development Program of the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, tells me that even though Hypericum is a leading antidepressant, it has much less MAO inhibitor activity than we had previously believed.

Commission E, the body of scientific experts that advises the German government on the safety and effectiveness of herbs, heaps praise on St.-John's-wort as a treatment for depression. If you'd like to try it, I'd suggest a tea made by steeping one to two teaspoons of dried herb in a cup of boiling water for ten minutes. St.-John's-wort appears to be most effective if you take one to two cups of tea a day for four to six weeks, according to Varro Tyler, Ph.D., dean and professor emeritus of pharmacognosy (natural product pharmacy) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Dr. Tyler says that different chemical compounds in St.-John's-wort work together to relieve mild depression in several different ways. The advantage of this combined action is fewer side effects, because the total response is not due to a single strong action.

Do not take St.-John's-wort if you're pregnant. And avoid intense sun exposure while using it, since this herb can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight.

St.-John's-wort This herb, once used to ward off evil spirits and treat snakebite, has been extensively researched as an antidepressant in Germany and the former Soviet Union.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). In addition to its uplifting flavor, there are other good reasons to take ginger along with any other antidepressant herbs that you are taking. Ginger has a long folk history of use for treating anxiety and depression, and I've heard enough about its good effects to make me a believer.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea). Many people get the urge to eat when they are depressed. And eating just might help--if you eat the right foods. Foods containing the minerals magnesium and potassium have been shown to have antidepressant effects. Purslane, which is very rich in these minerals, is also high in other constituents with antidepressant value, including calcium, folate (the naturally occurring form of folic acid) and lithium. In fact, purslane contains up to a whopping 16 percent antidepressant compounds, figured on a dry-weight basis.

Working with my database, it's clear that purslane is just one of several salad ingredients that might help relieve depression. Hence, my Un-Sad Salad: lettuce, pigweed, purslane, lamb's-quarters and watercress. I'd also be sure to use a little thyme in the dressing, as it's very high in the antidepressant mineral lithium.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Rosemary essential oil is a favorite among aromatherapists for treating depression. A massage with a few drops of rosemary oil in vegetable oil or massage lotion probably can't hurt. It contains the compound cineole, which has been shown to stimulate the central nervous system.

Other herb oils that aromatherapists recommend for treating depression include bergamot, basil, camomile, clary sage, jasmine, lavender, neroli, nutmeg and ylang-ylang. Remember, though, that these oils are for external use only.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). Studies have shown that ginkgo may help relieve depression, especially in the elderly who suffer reduced blood flow to the brain.

In one study, European scientists recruited a group of 40 depressed elderly people with cerebral blood flow problems who did not respond to pharmaceutical antidepressants. The researchers gave them 80 milligrams of ginkgo extract three times a day. Their depression and mental faculties both improved significantly.

In fact, European studies have confirmed the use of standardized ginkgo leaf extract for a wide variety of conditions associated with aging, including memory loss and poor circulation.

One standard ginkgo preparation, a 50:1 extract, uses 50 parts leaves to come up with 1 part extract. Such 50:1 extracts are available in health food stores. If you want to try ginkgo, this is the way to go. You can try 60 to 240 milligrams a day, but don't go any higher than that. In large amounts, ginkgo may cause diarrhea, irritability and restlessness.

Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus). In studies using laboratory animals, Siberian ginseng has been shown to act as an MAO inhibitor. In people with depression, the herb helps improve their sense of well-being. You might try either capsules or standardized extracts.

Other herbs with MAO inhibitor activity include caraway, celery, coriander, dill, fennel and nutmeg.

Foods rich in B vitamins. Neurotransmitters, the chemicals that allow nerve cells to communicate and function properly, play a role in depression. Nutritionists suggest getting enough of certain B vitamins--folate and vitamins B₆ and B₁₂--to keep neurotransmitter levels high.

Good sources of folate include pinto beans, navy beans, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, okra and brussels sprouts. As far as vitamin B₆ is concerned, high levels occur in cauliflower, watercress, spinach, bananas, okra, onions, broccoli, squash, kale, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, peas and radishes.

You might also try adding the amino acid phenylalanine to your diet. In one study, more than 75 percent of people with severe depression showed rapid improvement while taking supplements of phenylalanine and vitamin B₆. Since I generally prefer getting nutrients from foods, I'd recommend the four richest food sources--sunflower seeds, black beans, watercress and soybeans. How about a black bean-soybean soup with watercress, garnished with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds?