Hypericum perforatum in injuries &pains

The common name of hypericum perforatum is St. John’s worts. It belongs to hypericaceae family.

Hypericum is one of the crucially important medicines used in homeopathy for mechanical injuries of spine. Spinal concussions and neuralgias.

Back pain after a fall; excruciating pain on moving neck and arms. Spine very sensitive to touch. Brachial neuralgia; cervical spine tender to touch; numbness.

Coxalgia after confinement. sciatica from injuries.

Hypericum is also indicated in wounds of various types.

·       Nervous depression, shock following wounds or surgical operations.

·       Punctured wounds; injuries from treading on nails, needles, pins, splinters.

·       It has the potential to prevent tetanus following wounds. The drug can arrest ulceration and sloughing. Crushed , mashed finger tips.

·       Torn, lacerated wounds. Hypericum helps in healing.

·       Incised wounds.

·       Hypericum is indicated in injury to parts rich in sentient nerves such as hands, fingers, toes.

·       In post-traumatic convulsions; head injury and   convulsions developing post that.

·       Headache after a fall upon occiput

·       Hypericum is indicated in brachial neuralgia

·       Hypericum wounds are characterized by sensitivity to touch. There may be marked tenderness.

·       Injuries and inflammations of nerves of fingers and toes.

Antidote-ars alb,cham.

Hypericum perforatum extract -research data

Antimicrobial properties

Antibacterial properties of H. perforatum extracts were reported by Russian scientists in 1959 (Schempp et al. 1999).

The main antibacterial component was determined to be hyperforin (Bystrov et al. 1975).

Studies show that hyperforin inhibits the growth of certain types of microorganisms. Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and penicillin-resistant (PRSA) Staphylococcus aureus were especially susceptible to hyperforin [1].

Hypericin also inhibits the ability of viruses to fuse with cell membranes.

Hypericum extract shows anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and wound healing properties [2]. The study demonstrated that enhanced collagen production, followed by the polygonal shape activation of fibroblast cells is responsible for wound closure.

Clinical studies of the author[ dr. Sanjana. V.B]

Hypericum perforatum as a homeopathic remedy in higher potencies has been found to be effective in various clinical conditions such as:

·       Injuries to fingers, toes from heavy object falling on; from hitting against a hard object. Hypericum has been effective particularly in mechanical injuries to nail areas.

·       Backpain -in coccyx post caesarean section.

·       Injury to cervical spine.

·       Cervical spondylitis

·       Spinal Nerve impingement  from various causes.

·       Wound healing ; ulcerated wounds of fingers and toes.

·       Improves dysmenorrhea in women , boosting mood.

        All these clinical findings are recommended to be verified by homeopathic physicians as well as researchers through extensive human trials although homeopathic pharmacopoeia and materia medica  have confirmed many of these clinical indications. Intensified research evidences are corroborative regarding the efficacy of hypericum in homeopathic drug potencies also. The research data provided by various authors listed in the reference is pertaining to extract of hypericum perforatum. However, it has clinical significance as homeopathic potencies are derived from the mother substance extract.

References

1.      Schempp C. M, Pelz K, Wittmer A, Schopf E, Simon J. C. Antibacterial activity of hyperforin from St. John's wort, against multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus and gram-positive bacteria. Lancet. 1999;353:2129.

2.      Wound-healing activity of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) on chicken embryonic fibroblasts  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17156955/

3.      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92750/

4.      Materia medica by John Henry  Clark

5.      Key notes- H.C.Allen

6.      Siahmsr clinical archive