Comparative studies of the total flavonoids and anthracene derivatives contents of St. John's wort preparations

A comparative study of water-alcohol preparations of St. John's wort and imported medicinal formulations containing dry St. John's wort extract, Deprim, Negrustin, and Helarium Hypericum, was performed. The total flavonoids and athracene derivatives contents were significantly different in different medicinal formulations, though the ratios between them were essentially stable (at about 30:1), with the exception of St. John's wort infusion prepared using 40% ethanol. In the case of the preparation “St. John's Wort Infusion,” the greatest levels of biologically active compounds, particularly anthracene derivatives, were obtained by extraction with 70% ethanol. These studies provide evidence that Russian antidepressant medicinal formulations with chemical compositions similar to those of foreign St. John's wort preparations can be made. It is suggested that medicinal formulations based on St. John's wort be standardized in relation to the total flavonoids (in terms of rutin) and total anthracene derivatives (in terms of hypericin) contents. Translated from Khimiko-Farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 39–42, October, 2008.