The name "Betony" comes from the primitive Celtic language where "new" meant "head" and "ton" meant "good" (useful for complaints of the head). Wood betony was considered the most important medicinal herb for Anglo Saxons in early Medieval Europe. Wood betony was also endowed with magical powers against evil spirits. Once revered as a medicinal herb and claimed to fix anywhere from 47 to 150 illnesses and alignments, it has slipped into relative obscurity, even among herbalists. Traditional uses for betony included: raising low spirits, enhancing melancholic disposition, poor liver function, circulation problems, joint pains and of course, headaches.