Introduction

Hypericin occurs naturally in Hypericum (plant or crude plant extract of Hypericum perforatum L [St John’s wort]). Although in the Terms of Reference the Committee is asked to advise the Commission on the implications for human health of hypericin in the diet, the Committee is aware that the major source of hypericin in the diet is Hypericum extract. Therefore, in this opinion data on Hypericum and an evaluation of these extracts are also included. Exposure to hypericin or Hypericum may lead to an increased sensitivity of the skin to subsequent exposure to light. Throughout this document this phenomenon will be indicated by the term induction of enhanced photosensitivity, instead of terms like photosensitisation, photohypersensitisation, or photohypersensitivity.

Current Regulations

Annex II of Directive 88/388/EEC on flavourings sets the following maximum levels for hypericin in foodstuffs and beverages to which flavourings or other food ingredients with flavouring properties have been added: 0.1 mg/kg in foodstuffs and beverages with the exception of 10 mg/kg in alcoholic beverages and 1 mg/kg in confectionery. Hypericin may not be added as such to foodstuffs (EEC, 1988). Hypericin free alcoholic distillate of St John’s wort (Hypericum sp.) is on the FDA GRAS list (121.1163) for use in alcoholic beverages only.

Exposure Assessment

General information on natural occurrence Hypericin is a naturally occurring naphthodianthrone derivative in the plant species Hypericum perforatum (St. Johns wort). The hypericin concentration in the plant may vary, depending on place of growth, state of plant material (fresh or dried) before extraction and part of the plant studied. In the whole herb hypericin may be present in concentrations of 0.0095 to 0.466% and in flowers up to 0.086%. In addition to hypericin, in extracts of this plant several other substances can be found in various quantities, e.g. hyperoside, hyperforin, pseudohypericin, quercetin, 2-methyloctane, -pinene, dodecanol, nonane, 3-methyl nonane, undecane, isoundecane and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one. In the whole herb tannin, alkaloids, ocimene and xanthone derivatives are also found (Hölzl and Ostrowski, 1987; CoE, 2000). Drying of Hypericum before extraction may result in a 80% reduction of the concentration of hypericin in the extract (Araya and Ford, 1981). Hypericin can be chemically synthesised and is commercially available (Bladt and Wagner, 1994; Vandenbogaerde et al., 2000)

Use

Hypericin-containing Hypericum extracts or dried plant products are used as food flavourings or in herbal teas (CoE, 2000) and in Over-The-Counter (OTC) anti-depression medication. Exposure estimates Food flavourings Little information about the use of hypericin or Hypericum extracts as food flavourings is available. Apart from the data in the CEFS evaluation (CEFS, 1996), no new data were located. According to CEFS (1996), hypericin occurs mainly in Hypericum perforatum (0.0054 % in dried plant) and is possibly not used in foodstuffs, except in alcoholic beverages. CEFS.

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http://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/docs/fs_food-improvement-agents_flavourings-out113.pdf