N-Acetylcysteine vs St. John's Wort
for mood
Stronger evidence: St. John's Wort
Stronger effect: St. John's Wort
Safety: St. John's Wort carries a contraindicated interaction; N-Acetylcysteine has none recorded.
For mood, St. John's Wort has the stronger evidence grade.
N-Acetylcysteine
grade C low certainty
preliminary evidence as an adjunct in some psychiatric conditions; not established as a standalone
1200–2400 mg/day, adults
St. John's Wort
grade B moderate certainty
effective for mild-to-moderate depression in trials
300 mg ×3/day, adults, mild-to-moderate depression
sources: PMID:10000012 · PMID:00000009