Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition

by James A. Duke

Book Overview

A Practical, Authoritative Compendium This handbook catalogs 365 species of herbs having medicinal or folk medicinal uses, presenting whatever useful information has been documented on their toxicity and utility in humans and ani-mals. Plants from all over the world - from common cultivars to rare species - are included in these 700 pages. The toxicity of these species varies, but the safety of each has been formally or informally questioned by the...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0849336309
• ISBN13: 9780849336300
• Release Date: July 1987
• Publisher: CRC Press
• Length: 696 Pages
• Weight: 3.65 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Essential Reference for Medicinal Herbs and Their Use

This book is the defining standard by which other publications dealing with herbal medicine should be judged by. This a valuable resource book for anyone doing research in phytochemicals. Duke has written in a style that can be understood by individuals with limited scientific background and yet is still be a valuable reference text. Not only does this text cover the actual chemicals responsible for some of the activities observed, Duke also gives a significant reference to the herb's ethnobotanical history (how various societies have used this in the past). Unlike other books on 'medicinal herbs' Duke not only points out their benefits and the various phytochemicals credited with these effects, he also points out various poisons, phytotoxins, that are also found in the herb and can cause deleterious effects. Overall, it is an excellent reference book.

a definitive herbal reference book

Duke has compiled a comprehensive review of a number of plants which delves extensively into the literature that is out there on these plants. This is a list of the medical properties of these plants that goes far beyond a casual herbal, and should be considered by anybody seriously trying to advance the medical use of plants