Promising treatment for recurrent brain tumors.

Hypericin is a chemical found in St. John's Wort, the common medicinal herb.  Hypericin has been shown to have anti-viral activity and been investigated for its potential use as a treatment for HIV-infected individuals.

A clinical trial of hypericin in recurrent brain cancer showed that the chemical had a significant impact and worked as well as other drugs used in this setting. Additional trials, with larger numbers of patients, will  further define the dosage and efficacy of the compound..