Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals

Regardless of whether the conventionally trained physician chooses to incorporate aspects of herbal medicine into clinical practice or not, the fact is that many patients and healthy consumers use herbal products and seem convinced that they improve or maintain health. This patient/consumer-driven popularity of herbal medicine has put pressure on physicians to learn more about aspects of effectiveness and safety, and also about botanical details. Max Wichtl and the translators Josef Brinckmann and Michael Lindenmaier present the third English edition of this book, which is based on the fourth German edition that appeared in 2002. What is new to this edition is the inclusion of information on phytopharmaceuticals, with details on extraction solvent, type of extract and drug-to-extract-ratio as well as on standardisation. A number of monographs have also been added to this edition, such as on Agni casti fructus, Tanaceti parthenii herba and others.

This book consists of two main sections. The first details more general aspects of medicinal herbs and phytopharmaceuticals. It includes chapters on tea and its indications as well as its therapeutic limitations. It also includes chapters on contamination with heavy metals, microorganisms, pesticides and radioactive substances. The second main section, comprising 650 pages, details the information in herbal monographs ranging from Asinthii herba over Angelicae radix and Mentha piperitae folium to Sassafras lignum and Zingiberis rhizoma. The monographs contain information on plant sources, synonyms, origins, constituents, indications, side-effects, German standard licenses, tea preparations, phytomedicines, thin-layer chromatography identification, adulteration and storage. The monographs also contain excerpts from the German Commission E monographs. They are visually appealing, with colour photographs and descriptions of macroscopic features and characteristic taste and odour.

Overall, this is an impressive collection of data on herbal medicines with its strength clearly on botanical and pharmacological aspects. A great number of co-authors and external reviewers, mainly from German-speaking countries, were involved in the writing of the book, which provides a degree of validity. Most physicians and other professionals will find this book useful in their search for reliable information on herbal medicines. For information on the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicines, however, other sources need to be consulted.