SYMPOSIA

Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Vol: 21, Supplement: 2, 2011 - www.psikofarmakoloji.org
Abstracts of the Invited Speakers
trial (positive results in patients with vegetative features of atypical depression, i.e. hyperphagia or hypersomnia). The study supports the
beneficial effect of St. John’s Wort in depression with atypical features and the validity of the definition of atypical depression on the basis
of reversed vegetative signs.
Consequently, St. John’s Wort is considered by some to be an alternative to conventional therapies but, clinicians need to know whether
it is an effective and safe treatment for different levels of severity of depression. Current evidence does not support its use and because
of potential drug interactions, St. John’s Wort is not a benign treatment.
Key words: St. John’s Wort, depression
References:
1. Shelton RC. St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) in major depression. J Clin Psychiatry. 2009;70 Suppl 5:23-7.
2. Mannel M, Kuhn U, Schmidt U, Ploch M, Murck H.St. John’s wort extract LI160 for the treatment of depression with atypical features - a double-blind, randomized,
and placebo-controlled trial. J Psychiatr Res. 2010 Sep;44(12):760-7. Epub 2010 Feb 23.
3. Kasper S, Gastpar M, Müller WE, Volz HP, Dienel A, Kieser M, Möller HJ. Efficacy of St. John’s wort extract WS 5570 in acute treatment of mild depression: a reanalysis
of data from controlled clinical trials. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2008 Feb;258(1):59-63. Epub 2007 Dec 14.
4. Trautmann-Sponsel RD, Dienel A. Safety of Hypericum extract in mildly to moderately depressed outpatients: a review based on data from three randomized,
placebo-controlled trials. Affect Disord. 2004 Oct 15;82(2):303-7.
5. Linde K, Mulrow CD, Berner M, Egger M. St John’s wort for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Apr 18;(2):CD000448.
Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2011;21(Suppl. 2):S64-5
Complementary medicine alternatives for other psychiatric abnormalities
(Like insomnia and pain)
Bülent Bahçeci
Department of Psychiatry, Rize Üniversity, Rize,Turkey
E-mail: bulentbahceci@hotmail.com
Complementary and alternative medicine have been used for the treatment of a variety of diseases for a long time. Since the applications
of these two branches of medicine have been increasingly spreading globally and have been accompanied by inadequate scientific
studies in the literature, the NIH has established the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). The aims of
the centre are to investigate the safety/reliability and efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine applications, and to integrate
those that are scientifically proven to be effective into conventional therapies. All health protection and medical applications/practices
outside of conventional medicine are referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
CAM applications are becoming widespread in Turkey, as well, and are sought by 34-77% of sufferers as the first choice for therapy.
Recently CAM, which has found applications in a wide range of areas, has also been used for psychiatric diseases. The use of CAM in the
treatment of chronic pain, eating and sleeping abnormalities, alcohol and substance addiction, Alzheimer’s disease and delirium has
yielded contradictory results in the national and international literature. Therefore, it has been reported that CAM methods require further
evidence-based studies.
Taking into consideration the widespread use and popularity of CAM, it is evident that these methods must be investigated further for
their side effects, dosages, indications, interactions with other drugs, and standardisations. In addition, the regulations concerning their
use must be redrawn and physicians must follow the relevant literature in order to prevent possible harm to their patients before initiating
CAM treatments.
Key words: Complementary and alternative medicine, psychiatry, education
Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2011;21(Suppl. 2):S65
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