Hypericum, or St. John's wort, has recently become recognized in the medical community as an anti-depressant, touted as the natural alternative to Prozac. It is ironic that Hypericum as a homeopathic remedy has had those anti-depressive characteristics for 200 years (long before the medical society stumbled on them). However, in homeopathy it is certainly not the top remedy for depression! We have many other remedies which are even more effective in treating depression.
Hypericum is much more useful as a great painkiller in any trauma which involves nerve endings: slipped discs in sciatica, slipped discs in the neck, crushed fingers (when you slam the door inadvertently on your child's hand or a fingernail has been ripped off). Hypericum is for sharp, shooting nerve pains , so it can also be use in toothaches with such pains, or after an insect or animal bite (in fact the #1 remedy for dog bites ). Having studied neurology, I wish neurologists would give Hyper. routinely after spinal taps as it provides immediate relief for the dreaded headache which so often follows this procedure. In the past it was given successfully to avoid tetanus. |
