Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel Subfamily C, Member 6 (TRPC6)

TRPC6 is a transient receptor potential ion channel. It has been associated with depression and anxiety (see below), as well as with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

Two of the primary active constituents responsible for the antidepressant and anxiolytic benefits of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) are hyperforin and adhyperforin. These compounds are inhibitors of the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline), dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutamate, and they exert these effects by binding to and activating TRPC6. Activation of TRPC6 induces the entry of calcium (Ca²⁺) and sodium (Na⁺) into the cell, which results in the reuptake inhibition.