St. John's Wort in patients non-responders to clopidogrel undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a single-center randomized open-label trial (St. John's Trial)

J Cardiovasc Transl Res. 2013 Jun;6(3):411-4. doi: 10.1007/s12265-013-9455-2. Epub 2013 Mar 6.

Abstract

We assessed if St. John's Wort (SJW) improves platelet response in patients (pts) resistant to clopidogrel after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Stable angina pts non-responders to 600 mg clopidogrel (P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) >240) were randomized (2:1) to SJW (n = 15) or placebo (n = 8). SJW (300 mg × 3/day) was administrated for 2 weeks after PCI. Platelet reactivity was assessed by VerifyNowTM before (BL), 2 (T1), and 4 weeks (T2) after PCI. PRU significantly changed during protocol in SJW (BL (316 ± 60) vs. T1 (170 ± 87) vs. T2 (220 ± 96), p < 0.0001) and placebo group (BL (288 ± 36) vs. T1 (236 ± 31) vs. T2 (236 ± 62), p = 0.046). Yet, PRU changes from BL were higher at T1 in SJW than in placebo group (Δ%, -47 ± 24 vs. -16 ± 15, p = 0.0033), with no differences at T2 between the groups (Δ%, -30 ± 29 vs. -17 ± 24, p = 0.30). Residual platelet reactivity improved with SJW during the first month post-PCI.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Belgium
  • Blood Platelets / drug effects*
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Clopidogrel
  • Drug Resistance*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypericum*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Percutaneous Coronary Intervention* / adverse effects
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Extracts / adverse effects
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Platelet Function Tests
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prospective Studies
  • Ticlopidine / adverse effects
  • Ticlopidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ticlopidine / therapeutic use
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Clopidogrel
  • Ticlopidine