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Planta Med 2002; 68(7): 577-580
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-32908
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© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Rutin is Essential for the Antidepressant Activity of Hypericum perforatum Extracts in the Forced Swimming Test

Michael Nöldner1 , Karl Schötz1
  • 1Department of Pharmacology and Phytochemistry, Dr. Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, Karlsruhe, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: January 10, 2002

Accepted: March 22, 2002

Publication Date:
22 July 2002 (online)

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Abstract

It has been shown that aqueous alcoholic extracts of Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort) are active in the forced swimming test (FST), an animal model for antidepressant activity. In this study, a series of ethanolic and methanolic extracts were investigated and, in almost all cases, the extracts showed strong activity. Only one methanolic research extract had no effect in the in vivo pharmacological experiments. Analytical characterisation using HPLC showed that the inactive extract had a reduced level of the diglycoside flavonoid rutin. Addition of rutin to the inactive extract, to produce a concentration within the normal range, resulted in a strong pharmacological effect comparable to that of the other extracts. First experiments suggest that this re-activation is not dose-dependent, indicating that rutin must be present above a threshold limit. It therefore appears vital that extracts of St. John’s wort which are designed for the therapy of depressive disorders should be manufactured using plant material with sufficient amounts of rutin.

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Dr. Michael Nöldner

Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH

Dept. of Pharmacology

Willmar Schwabe Straße 4


76227 Karlsruhe

Germany

Email: michael-noeldner@schwabe.de