WEDNESDAY, June 11, (News Locale) - Herbal medicines like St John's wort are perceived as being beneficial in children and teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However a new study finds no such benefits from the herb and says that any benefits are akin to a placebo. 

Researchers at Bastyr University in Kenmore analyzed the effect of St John's wort in 54 children ages 6 to 17 years. All children were not taking any other medications, which can inhibit St John's wort. All children were relatively healthy and were not suffering from severe depression or bipolar disorder.

The trial was a double blind one, meaning the researchers were not ware as to which child was taking the herb and which child was on the placebo.

The researchers assigned half the children to take one capsule containing 300 milligrams of St. John’s wort thrice daily for a period of eight weeks. The remaining children were given equivalent tablets containing a placebo.

After eight weeks, there was no difference in hyperactivity and inattentiveness scores in the group taking St. John’s wort compared to the placebo group. There were no differences in bodily parameters like weight or height gain among the two groups. Similarly side-effects like rashes, headaches, sunburn, or nausea occurred on an equal scale in both groups.

While reporting the study results in the June 11 edition of The Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers cautioned that the St John's wort used in the study did not contain high levels of hyperforin as found in newer products. Furthermore they added that the herb may work well when combined with herbals, vitamins, minerals, or nutritional supplements.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. The disorder affects 3-5 percent of all American children.

Children with ADHD are inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive. It is very difficult for a child with ADHD to impose self-inhibition on himself/herself. These hyperactive symptoms become apparent early on. The exact cause of ADHD though has remained unclear although scientists have attributed it to neurological issues as well as genetics.

Increasingly herbs are being touted as the remedy for ADHD. However as the above study suggests they may not work all the time.