Most people think of St. John's Wort, and instantly think, "hey, that's the depression herb." But like most herbs, it has so much more to offer.

In this episode we go deep on one of herbalism's most underestimated plants, tracing it from ancient Greek medicine and medieval folklore through the Eclectic physicians and all the way to modern clinical use. St. John's Wort was used for centuries for wound healing, nerve pain, sciatica, antiviral actions, and so much more before anyone started knowing it as "the depression herb." This episode is to help open your eyes to the many uses of this powerful plant.

What's in this episode:

• The wild mythology of St. John's Wort: evil spirits, devil's needle perforations, and a medieval English folk rhyme
• Two thousand years of historical use from Dioscorides to Culpeper to the Eclectic physicians, and why depression barely came up until the 1980s
• St. John's Wort's historical uses for nerve pain, sciatica, shingles, cold sores, and wound healing: how and why it works
• Its antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties and the research behind them
• Photosensitivity and other contraindications
• Why freshness matters so much with this herb, and how to tell if your St. John's Wort is going to be effective
• The Klamath beetle, sunburned New Zealand sheep, and the unintended consequences of biological control

For full show notes and transcript: eclecticherb.com/blogs/news/st-johns-wort-beyond-the-depression-herb

Get freeze-dried St. John's Wort capsules and fresh-plant extracts at eclecticherb.com. Follow @eclecticherb on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

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