Hypericum Perforatum

Hypericum.

Hypericum perforatum, H. perfoliatum. Το βάλσαμο (St. John's Wort). N. O. Hypericaceae. Βάμμα ολόκληρου φρέσκου φυτού.

Επιλόχειες ωδίνες. Άσθμα. Δήγματα. Βραχιόνιο νευραλγία. Μαστοί, παθήσεις των. Εγκέφαλος, διάσειση. Μωλωπισμοί. Κοκκίδες (bunions). Σύνθετα κατάγματα. Σκληρύνσεις (corns). Κοξαλγία. Διάρροια. Πληγές από σφαίρες. Αιμορροΐδες.

The leaves of various species of Hypericum are sprinkled with pellucid dots and black glands which contain an essential oil. These, which are most conspicuous in H. perforatum, have evidently given the signature which has led to the chief use of the plant in medicine, namely, as a remedy for wounds or perforations of the integuments. The leaves, moreover, are lance-shaped. The leaves of H. androsaenum, commonly called Tutsan (toute saine), were applied to fresh wounds from olden time.

The word Hypericum means "sub-heather" (ύπό and έρείκη), indicating its manifest relation to the heaths, which at once leads us to think of Ledum. The proving of Hyp. by Müller and others is very complete and brings out the relation of the drug to wounds and their consequences and also its applicability in maladies of other kinds. Crawling sensations in hands and feet; they felt fuzzy; sticking in them as from needles. Tearing, rheumatic, shaking pains; paralytic weakness.

One of the provers had on waking at 4 a.m. a feeling as though she were suspended and not lying in bed, at another time as though she were lying very heavy in bed. The former condition has led to cures in effects of accidents attended with the sensation "as if being lifted high into the air; and great anxiety lest she should fall from this height." The particular kinds of wounds for which Hyp. has been found of signal service are wounds of parts rich in nerves, brain, spine (spinal irritation from falls), coccyx, finger-ends; wounds from stepping on nails, or any punctured wounds.

The characteristic of the Hyp. wounds is that they are very sensitive to touch (Led. punctures are not particularly sensitive). W. J. Guernsey (H.

R., x. 475) relates the following case: A boy, nine, was bitten by a pet rat on the first finger of left hand. Nothing particular was observed at the time, but some time after, he became ill, and when Dr. Guernsey was called his state was alarming. The boy could talk with great difficulty; teeth firmly locked; conscious; neck so stiff the head could scarcely be moved.

There was more tenderness about the wound than the appearance would indicate. Hence Hyp. was preferred to Led. It was given (8 p.m.) in the 500th, dissolved in water, at first every fifteen minutes; later every two hours. At 3 a.m. there was improvement, he fell asleep, and the next morning was practically convalescent.

Hyp. is called for in nervous depression following wounds; effects of shock, fright and mesmerism. Ulceration and sloughing of wounds. Hard, dry, yellow crusts form on healing wound. Bunions and corns when the pain is excruciating.

Not only is the pain sense exalted, there is exaltation of the senses of hearing and smell. Violent labour-pains and after-pains. Tympanitic distension of abdomen, cutting pains. Gilchrist says Hyp. 3x, given at intervals of twenty minutes for twelve hours or longer, seems to control perfectly the pain following laparotomy.

But it must not be thought that Hyp. has no sphere outside wounds and their effects. Like Arnica it has many uses in the respiratory sphere. It has cured asthma < in foggy weather; the attacks were > by copious expectoration. Whooping-cough < 6 to 10 p.m.

Tightness of chest; stinging < on moving. Summer diarrhoea with eruption. Palpitation and local congestions, with or without haemorrhage and nervous depression, following wounds. Roehrig (H.

R., xii. 40) considers Hyperic. externally and internally the nearest thing to a specific in bleeding piles. He gives it to pneumonia patients who have piles; it cures the pneumonia and prevents the arrest of the flux, always a dangerous symptom in these cases. Ussher (H. W., xxvii. 500) confirms this;

"pain, bleeding and tenderness" are his indications. "It seems to suit the plethoric, with great soreness." He uses the 1x. Toothache > lying on affected side and keeping quiet. Hyp. is sensitive to cold: < in cold air; in damp; in fog.

The hacking cough is < from heat as well as by cold air. All symptoms < by least exposure. < From touch.

Αντιδοτώνεται από: Ars. (αδυναμία ή αδιαθεσία κατά την κίνηση); Cham. (πόνοι στο πρόσωπο). Αντιδοτώνει: Επιδράσεις του μαγνητισμού (Sulph.). Σύγκριση: Aco., Cham., Coff. (υψηλή ευαισθησία); Arn., Calend., Led., Ruta, Con., Bellis, Staph., Al. cep. (τραύματα); Hydrob., Lach. (δήγματα); Nux (τέτανος); Gels., Lathyrus; σπαστική παράλυση.

Τρόμος. Δήγματα. Τραύματα. Σοκ.

Αίσθηση σαν σκουλήκι να κινείται στον λαιμό.—Καυτές αναβάσεις στον οισοφάγο μετά από τρόμο, ή με αγχώδη αισθήματα.

Σουβλιά στο στομάχι· στο δ. υποχόνδριο.—Τυμπανική διάταση της κοιλιάς· ανακουφίζει με κόπρανα.—(Επιδράσεις της λαπαροτομής).

Συνέπειες σοκ ή τρόμου Αποτρέπει τον τετανό από τραύματα στα πέλματα, στα δάχτυλα των χεριών και στις παλάμες Σπασμοί από χτυπήματα ή διασεισμούς Μετά από πτώση, η ελάχιστη κίνηση των χεριών ή του αυχένα αποσπά κραυγές

Τα σπλάχνα πόνοι, νιώθει μωλωπισμένος όλος Τραυματισμοί σε περιοχές πλούσιες σε αισθητήρια νεύρα, ιδίως δάχτυλα χεριών και ποδιών και μήτρες των νυχιών Μηχανικοί τραυματισμοί, τραύματα από καρφιά ή σπινθήρες στα πόδια, βελόνες κάτω από τα νύχια, στρίμωγμα, σφυροκόπημα· των δαχτύλων των ποδιών και των χεριών, ιδίως των άκρων των δαχτύλων των χεριών· όταν τα νεύρα έχουν υφαρπαχθεί, τραυματιστεί, σκιστεί, με βασανιστικούς πόνους Σκισίματα, όταν ο ανυπόφορος, βασανιστικός πόνος δείχνει ότι τα νεύρα είναι σοβαρά εμπλεκόμενα

Μετά τα νευρικά ιστούς, προσβάλλονται οι αρθρώσεις Αίσθηση σαν να σηκώνεται ψηλά στον αέρα.

Ερεθιστικό εξάνθημα, σαν κνιδωτικό, στα χέρια.—Πονούν οι ουλές σε ιστούς πλούσιους σε νεύρα.