A comprehensive guide detailing the story of healing with herbs from pre-history to modern times. Drawing on her decades of experience as an established herbalist and historian, Christina Stapley presents an encyclopaedic and accessible guide to the theory and practice of Western herbal medicine throughout history. Spanning an impressive timeline of two thousand years, A History of Plant Medicine is a fundamental textbook for students and practitioners of herbal medicine to enhance their study and practice, as well as an enjoyable narrative for anyone interested in this bountiful and fascinating subject. Using a wealth of historical research, Stapley invites readers on a journey from the beginnings of botany, through to the development of Greek and Celtic medicine, including Roman medicine and the Roman settlement of Britain. It moves on to explore Anglo-Saxon leechbooks, Arabic Medicine, Norman influenced physicians and surgeons and pharmacy in the Medieval Period. It also examines the physic garden in Britain, Culpeper and Astrology, concluding with changes and developments to herbal medicine in the modern day. As well as offering a detailed chronology of herbalism in the Western world, A History of Plant Medicine provides practical advice and recipes which can be implemented in the daily practice of the modern herbalist. Stapley creates tangible threads through time, focusing on the most used herbs at different periods, and following them over the centuries. Special emphasis is put upon seeking out effective recipes and practices abandoned in favour of new ideas and foreign herbs, and each is presented clearly and accessibly throughout. A History of Plant Medicine also illuminates the work of women physicians across the ages, whose work has often been obscured or forgotten. Ultimately, A History of Plant Medicine invites herbalists (both new and old), historians, or interested lay people, to re-evaluate their relationship with herbal medicine, in understanding how different herbs are perceived in the light of knowledge and beliefs at particular times, in order to aid a greater understanding of the Western herbal tradition.

A comprehensive compendium on the theory and practice of herbal medicine from expert herbalists Christopher Hedley and Non Shaw. This fundamental textbook draws on the wisdom of Christopher Hedley and Non Shaw, incorporating their belief in the importance of understanding herbal medicine in the context of living plants, and providing lived examples of how this can be used in the everyday practice of herbal medicine. Through these teachings, the book also acquaints readers with the rich legacy of Christopher and Non in Western herbal medicine. Drawing on Christopher's own approach to teaching herbalism, which was abundant with the importance of storytelling in learning, Plant Medicine is as fascinating as it is accessible, enriched with the depth of Christopher's own knowledge and warmth. The book is comprised of four parts: 'Roots' explores the history of plant medicine, investigating physiomedicalism and Galenic humoral medicine. The second section, 'Flowers', is a thorough, alphabetically ordered materia medica of the medicinal properties of individual plants, with properties, uses, preparations, dosage, cautions, and clinical uses of ninety-two plant medicines that Non and Christopher gathered over nearly two lifetimes. 'Fruits' provides information on how particular body systems and patient groups are treated therapeutically with herbal medicines, specifically covering the digestive, cardiovascular, nervous, urinary, musculoskeletal, endocrine, skin and immune systems. Finally, 'Seeds' concludes the book by inviting readers to consider going deeper and beyond their exploration of plant medicine, shifting their preconceptions of herbs to understand them on a more intimate level. Plant Medicine is a foundational text for all students and practitioners of herbal medicine, but it's wisdom and insight will also provide a guiding light for anyone seeking plant medicine as a way to reconnect to the abundance and beauty of nature.

The potential benefits of plants and plant extracts in the treatment and possible prevention of many leading health concerns are historically well known and are becoming more widely studied and recognized within the medical community. It is these studies that led to the first compilation of new research developments, identifying new extracts and uses for plants in disease prevention and treatment. This major comprehensive reference work contains contributions from more than 150 clinical and academic experts covering topics such as treatments of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, as well as historical plant use by indigenous people supported by recent scientific studies. Authors review the safety and efficacy of botanical treatments while idenifying the sources, historical supportive data and mechanisms of action for emerging treatments. Written by researchers currently carrying out identification and biomedical testing, this is the most up to date text on the latest research from all over the world. It is an essential resource for health care practitioners and herbalists, as well as researcher, students and professionals in botany and alternative medicine.

The harvesting of wild American ginseng (panax quinquefolium), the gnarled, aromatic herb known for its therapeutic and healing properties, is deeply established in North America and has played an especially vital role in the southern and central Appalachian Mountains. Traded through a trans-Pacific network that connected the region to East Asian markets, ginseng was but one of several medicinal Appalachian plants that entered international webs of exchange. As the production of patent medicines and botanical pharmaceutical products escalated in the mid- to late-nineteenth century, southern Appalachia emerged as the United States' most prolific supplier of many species of medicinal plants. The region achieved this distinction because of its biodiversity and the persistence of certain common rights that guaranteed widespread access to the forested mountainsides, regardless of who owned the land. Following the Civil War, root digging and herb gathering became one of the most important ways landless families and small farmers earned income from the forest commons. This boom influenced class relations, gender roles, forest use, and outside perceptions of Appalachia, and began a widespread renegotiation of common rights that eventually curtailed access to ginseng and other plants. Based on extensive research into the business records of mountain entrepreneurs, country stores, and pharmaceutical companies, Ginseng Diggers: A History of Root and Herb Gathering in Appalachia is the first book to unearth the unique relationship between the Appalachian region and the global trade in medicinal plants. Historian Luke Manget expands our understanding of the gathering commons by exploring how and why Appalachia became the nation's premier purveyor of botanical drugs in the late-nineteenth century and how the trade influenced the way residents of the region interacted with each other and the forests around them.

Kindscher documents the medicinal use of 203 native prairie plants by the Plains Indians. He also adds information on recent pharmacological findings to further illuminate the medicinal nature of these plants. He uses Indian, common, and scientific names and describes Anglo folk uses, medicinal uses, scientific research, and cultivation.

The deregulation of dietary supplements and natural products marketing by the FDA has widened the natural products market in Europe and worldwide. Whilst the discussion about the validity of the plant approach to nutrition and diseases treatment continues, the explosion of the use of whatever is considered "natural" has generated concern about effectiveness and danger. Incorporating information ranging from regulatory aspects to clinical trial and vigilance, Herbal Medicines for Human Health: Development and Evaluation of Plant-Derived Medicines: Provides a reference model for those who would like to start the R&D process for a natural product Discusses fundamental issues in the development of traditional medicines for the benefit of human health Takes a sequential rational approach to the subject matter Brings awareness to the many problems facing the development of medicinal herbal products, such as quality control, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic issues This book takes readers on a rational path for development of efficacious medicinal herbal products. It points out the many problems facing the development of these products, such as quality control, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic issues. It suggests areas where future developments should occur given healthcare needs and public health considerations.

This book covers the most common areas of concern in women's health. It provides a truly integrative approach, showing when, how, and for whom complementary/integrative therapies can benefit women in continuity with their regular medical care. This is an evidence-based, clinically-oriented book that presents the background and range of complementary and alternative therapies related to common medical conditions and functional complaints and disorders. It summarizes and analyzes scientific studies on the safety and efficacy of these therapies for various women's health conditions. Each chapter includes a description of commonly used treatments, discussions of safety issues (including adverse effects and drug interactions), a comprehensive summary and methodological assessment of clinical trials on the subject (with animal and in vitro data included as appropriate), and advice on counseling patients. - Provides a clear review of the scientific evidence relating complementary and integrative medicine to the care of women. - Offers a roadmap to the options in the treatment of women with complementary and integrative medicine - expanding the clinician's practice, whatever their specialty, with realistic possibilities. - Features comprehensive coverage of safety issues. - Written by leading experts in the field. - Sidebars within each chapter provide at-a-glance advice for patients and practitioners. - Includes key coverage of non-gynecologic issues such as nutrition, headache, depression, cancer, and heart disease. - Offers comprehensive coverage of commonly used treatments and related safety issues, such as possible adverse effects and drug interactions, plus a helpful appendix on Botanical Products. - A focused table of contents makes it easy to find the right treatment for each patient based on their condition. - Features advice on talking with patients about self-treatments they may have read about in books or on the Internet.