Phytotherapy: a Quick Reference to Herbal Medicine

This book by Italian pharmacologists is a breath of fresh air in the plethora of books on plant pharmacology. It stands out for several reasons: (i) it is extremely accessible, abstaining from complicated mechanisms or difficult jargon; (ii) it is very well researched, extensively referenced and up to date; (iii) it incorporates a clinical perspective like no other such book I have seen.

The structure of the book is straightforward: an introductory section deals with most general subjects related to phytomedicine and is followed by the main section, which addresses the phytotherapy of various conditions. These are ordered in 11 separate chapters according to organ systems, e.g. nervous system, cardiovascular system, etc. In these chapters, the medical conditions are briefly explained and their most important herbal treatments are discussed. These discussions are assisted by an abundance of well-designed graphs and concise summaries of the latest clinical evidence. The authors, in my view rightly, rely where possible on systematic reviews and meta-analyses of CCTs.

The strengths of this book are its readability, its completeness, its solid foundation on reliable evidence and its clinical orientation. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to FACT readers.