hypericum and Cataract

Recent interest in Hypericum perforatum, or St. John's Wort (SJW), is related to its observed utility in treating depression. However, mounting evidence suggests one component, hypericin, may be associated with cataractogenesis. To date, this association has not been evaluated in humans. Therefore, the current study assesses the relationship between self-reported SJW use and cataracts utilizing data from a large, population-based sample.. Self-reported data on SJW use in the past 12 months and cataract were obtained from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative population-based sample. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) between SJW use and cataracts were estimated using logistic regression.. After adjusting for potential confounding characteristics, participants that reported having cataracts were 59% more likely to report SJW use (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.02-2.46).. The results of the current study provide support for an association between SJW use and cataracts. Based on the methodological limitations of this study, further investigation is required.

Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anthracenes; Cataract; Depression; Female; Humans; Hypericum; Lens, Crystalline; Male; Middle Aged; Perylene; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; White People

Hypericin is the active ingredient in the over the counter antidepressant medication St. John's Wort. Hypericin produces singlet oxygen and other excited state intermediates that indicate it should be a very efficient phototoxic agent in the eye. Furthermore it absorbs in the UV and visible range, which means it can potentially damage both the lens and the retina. Lens alpha-crystallin, isolated from calf lenses, was irradiated in the presence of hypericin (5 x 10(-5) M, 10 mM ammonium bicarbonate, pH 7.0) and in the presence and absence of light (> 300 nm, 24 mW/cm2). Hypericin-induced photosensitized photopolymerization as assessed by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Further analysis of the oxidative changes occurring in alpha-crystallin using mass spectrometry showed specific oxidation of methionine, tryptophan and histidine residues, which increased with irradiation time. Hypericin did not damage the lens protein in the dark. Damage to alpha-crystallin could undermine the integrity of the lens directly by protein denaturation and indirectly by disturbing chaperone function. Therefore, in the presence of light, hypericin can induce changes in lens protein that could lead to the formation of cataracts. Appropriate precautions should be taken to protect the eye from intense sunlight while on this antidepressant medication.

Topics: Animals; Anthracenes; Antidepressive Agents; Cataract; Cattle; Crystallins; Humans; Hypericum; In Vitro Techniques; Oxidation-Reduction; Perylene; Photochemistry; Plants, Medicinal