General Description

• Hypericin is an anthraquinone derivative found in the yellow flower of Hypericum perforatum (also known as St. John's wort)
• This compound has the ability to inhibit protein kinase C, inducing photosynthesized apoptosis

Application

• It shows antibiotic and antiviral activities
• The antidepressant activity of this compound could be related to its ability to inhibit the neuronal uptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and L-glutamate
• Since this compound is able to inhibit the assembly and shedding of virus particles in infected cells, hypericin may also prevent the replication of encapsulated viruses
• It has been described that this compound can also exhibit anti-HIV and anticancer activities
• Hypericin also displays an effective phototoxic activity and is able to trigger apoptotic pathways, resulting in the formation of reactive oxygen species