Saffron and St. John's Wort
Each entry’s own grades, side by side. A grade says how strong the evidence is for one outcome — it does not rank one entry over the other.
Compound or practice
Saffron
Surprisingly solid for low mood at ~30 mg/day — a rare botantical antidepressant with real trials, carrying the serotonergic caveat.
Grade B2 graded outcomesrevised Jul 10, 2026
A structured monograph in Prometheus's bundled library. Its grades are the monograph's own reading of the evidence, not a peer-reviewed review.
Compound or practice
St. John's Wort
Genuinely works for mild-to-moderate depression — and is the single most dangerous supplement for drug interactions.
Grade B2 graded outcomesrevised Jul 10, 2026
A structured monograph in Prometheus's bundled library. Its grades are the monograph's own reading of the evidence, not a peer-reviewed review.
Graded in both
Outcomes are matched by name. Two entries can describe the same outcome in different words, so one listed further down may still be graded in the other.
| Outcome | Saffron | St. John's Wort |
|---|---|---|
| Mild-to-moderate depression | Evidence grade BModerate effectmixed~30 mg/day | Evidence grade BModerate effecthighCochrane: ~ as effective as SSRIs |
Graded only in Saffron
- Anxiety / PMS Small effectEvidence grade C
Graded only in St. John's Wort
- Severe depression Unclear effectEvidence grade C
Conditions
- Depression (mild-moderate)Saffron: ImprovesEvidence grade BSt. John's Wort: ImprovesEvidence grade B
Only in Saffron
None.
Only in St. John's Wort
None.
What each entry says about the other
Neither entry records anything about the other. That is not evidence that they do not interact — only that neither entry says.
Both columns are read from the entries as they stand in this library. A comparison is not advice to take either one, and it is no substitute for a clinician who knows the person.