St. John's Wort vs Saffron
for mood
Stronger evidence: tie
Stronger effect: tie
Safety: St. John's Wort carries a contraindicated interaction; Saffron has none recorded.
For mood, the two are evidence-matched; the difference is in effect and safety.
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
Saffron
grade B moderate certainty
multiple RCTs show benefit for mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms, comparable to low-dose SSRIs in small trials
30 mg/day, adults with mild-moderate depression
sources: PMID:00000009 · PMID:10000003