Background and objectives: St. John's wort (SJW) extracts are currently being used to treat depression of various degrees of severity. While many studies have shown it to be superior to placebo, data regarding the effectiveness of using SJW as a stand-alone treatment compared with standard antidepressants has yet to be proven conclusively. This study aims to understand the advantages and disadvantages of SJW as a treatment modality for depression.Methods: The authors searched PubMed, JAMA network, Springer Link, Elsevier, Google Scholar, and Scientific Progress databases, from 2011 through August 2021, using the following keywords: St John's wort, Hypericum perforatum, depression, antidepressant, complementary alternative medicine, economic evaluation depression St. wort, St John's wort and depression, antidepressant interactions. This yielded a total of 27 papers following a thorough removal of irrelevant content and dissemination in languages other than English.Results: In patients with mild and moderate depression, SJW proved superior to placebo. Certain studies comparing the efficacy of SJW versus selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), especially fluoxetine, reported SJW to be more efficacious, while the majority reported no significant difference. Tricyclic antidepressants were also found to have similar efficacy as SJW. Moreover, treatment with SJW was also found to reduce postmenopausal depression. Regarding the safety profile, although SJW is better tolerated with fewer adverse effects when compared to standardized antidepressants, its predisposition to causing fatal serotonin syndrome, when used in conjunction with other serotonergic agents and drug interactions noted with CYP 450 drugs, raises a question in the safety profile.Conclusion: It is essential to acknowledge that SJW has been used as a treatment measure in Germany. Despite being only listed as a dietary supplement by the FDA and not a drug, SJW has shown to be comparable, if not more efficacious, than most standard treatment options for depression. SJW does prove to be an exciting piece of pharmacotherapy in the realm of mental health and post-menopausal treatment. More prospective studies will help us better understand its efficacy in mild and moderate depression and its ability to serve as a long-term agent. Considering its mechanism of action, its role in relieving patients suffering from an anxiety disorder is also worth considering.
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Background: Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Medical education with its vast curriculum and rigorous training is often very stressful and leads to physical inactivity and poor nutrition as a negative consequence. Medical students as future health care providers are responsible for the good health of our citizens and therefore our study is aimed to study the interrelation between physical inactivity and health of medical student. Methods: This cross -sectional study was conducted among 80 undergraduate MBBS students. Quota sampling method was used to identify 40 students from first year and 20 each from second and third year. A pretested, semi structured questionnaire including information about age, sex, attitude and practice of physical activity was collected. Anthropometric parameters and Physical performance parameters were assessed. Data entry was done using Excel sheet and statistical analysis was done in SPSS 23.0 Results: Mean BMI of subjects in the sample is 23.72 ± 5.31 (kg/m2). Majority of subjects in the sample are with normal BMI followed by obese whereas 9 (11.25%) of subjects are underweight Mean of SBP and DBP in the sample is 115.33 ± 16.03 and 76.35 ± 10.23 (mmHg) respectively. Out of 80 subjects , most of them 76 (95%) had poor physical fitness score whereas one subject each had good and excellent Physical fitness test score .48 (60%) of 80 subjects in the sample had intermediate agility score .53 of 80 subjects had Central obesity and 25 had truncal obesity i. e; 25 (47.17%) of 50 central obesity subjects had truncal obesity Conclusion: This study reiterates the importance of physical activity as way of primary prevention to achieve healthy life and encourages implantation of comprehensive health programmes in medical curriculum.
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