PDR for Herbal Medicines (Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines) by Medical Economics

Product Description

...details the prescribing information for over 600 botanicals, with over 500 full-color photographs...organized in an A-Z format, with scientific and common English names, indications, therapeutic categories, side effects, and more.
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #643480 in Books
* Published on: 1998-12
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 1244 pages

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Interest in and usage of herbal preparations as alternatives to pharmaceuticals has exploded in recent years. Having a complete herbal reference on hand is now absolutely necessary for doctors and other healers when a patient wants to add herbs--let's say St. John's wort--to his drug regimen. Should the patient stop taking the Paxil he's been on for depression, and if so, how long must he wait before he can start taking the St. Johns wort, and what's the recommended dosage?

The PDR for Herbal Medicines will go a long way towards answering such questions. The physician in this case would learn, after consulting the PDR, that "St. John's wort taken concomitantly with an SSRI ... may lead to an increased effect and possible toxicity 'serotonin syndrome', e.g., sweating, tremor, flushing, confusion and agitation." The same physician will also learn that the German Federal Health Authority's Commission E, which has studied the effects of hundreds of herbs, approved St. John's wort for depressive moods, among other conditions.

For more information, the physician can read about the trade names, descriptions of all the medicinal parts of the plant, actions and pharmacology (including the compounds and their effects, with citations), the results of clinical trials, contraindications, precautions and adverse reactions (photosensitization is a biggie for St. John's wort), dosage information, and a complete list of literature citations.

The second edition of this mammoth guide includes over 100 entries more than the first, bringing the total to more than 700. Additions include a selection of Asian herbs, such as Buplerum Chinese (also known as Chinese thoroughwax), which is used in Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, and homeopathic preparations; a directory of manufacturers (with Internet addresses when available), a safety guide (don't use kava kava while nursing), and more. There's even a section that lists unproven uses for each herb. But make no mistake: this is a mainstream reference that relies on scientific proof above all. Therefore, this is not a guide for everyone, but for scientific and medical reference, it's a helpful and comprehensive resource, and even those who push the herbal envelope will find much valuable information here. --Stefanie Durbin

From Publishers Weekly
Known for their reference manuals (Physicians' Desk Reference; PDR Medical Dictionary; PDR for Nonprescription Drugs and Dietary Supplements) that have been indispensable to the medical world, PDR has compiled a list of extensive explanations of more than 600 herbal medications available. Addressing the influx of natural supplements into mainstream supermarkets, PDR intends to educate consumers and assist them in choosing the best herbs to treat an ailment or simply to help maintain a healthy life. Arranged by the herb's Latin name (cross-referenced by common name), each herbal entry contains pertinent information: description, physical properties, intended usage and expected effects, precautions and adverse reactions, recommended dosage and references for additional reading. To assist in identifying these supplements, the editors have included color photos of many of these herbs as they exist naturally. The indexes are also helpful; one lists both the scientific and common name of each herb and the other lists ailments such as acne, cardiovascular disease, migraines and rhinitis, and the herbs recommended for treatment. This manual could well become a standard guide for those on the road to self-medication.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
This comprehensive resource on herbal medicine, in the tradition of the PDRR series, will be a welcome addition to most collections. Over 600 botanical remedies are described in great detail, including: scientific/common names; pharmacological effects; indications and contraindications; adverse reactions and modes of administration; and a most impressive list of literature citations incorporating the latest Commission E findings. The section of full-color photos of hundreds of herbs is a useful tool. (LJ 3/1/99)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Customer Reviews

A MUST HAVE For Anyone Serious In Understanding Herbal Medicine5
In my interest in learning and understanding the medicinal qualities and uses of herbs for my own personal use (and without any formal medical training), I've purchased many books on 'herbal medicine' and 'homeopathic medicines/remedies'. While there are some good books out there, there is NOTHING I've come across that is as complete as this reference book (4th Edition, 2007).

Some of the most exciting parts of this book for me have been the color photos of the plants (and not just a black and white sketch, or lack thereof, included with some of my other books), the description of the medicinal PARTS of the plant, the pharmacology of plant, and the references (or literature citations) provided that allow me to research further on my own.

This PDR provides you with:

1) An ALPHABETICAL INDEX (in the front): Lists all scientific and common names found in the herbal monographs.

2) THERAPEUTIC CATEGORY INDEX (i.e. acne preparations. migraine preparations, to wound care products): Groups herbs by therapeutic or medicinal category. Listings are alphabetical by category and accepted common name. Herbs deemed effective by Commission E are flagged for quick reference.

3) INDICIATIONS INDEX (i.e. abdominal cramps, relief of flatulance, to superficial wounds): Lists herbs by their primary indications. Entries are alphabetical by indication and accepted common name. Herbs deemed effective by Commission E are specially flagged.

4) HOMEOPATHIC INDICATIONS INDEX(i.e. aches, muscular, induction of sleep, to relief of symptomatic wheezing): Catalogs herbal applications in homepathy. Entries are alphabetical by indication and scientific name.

5) ASIAN INDICATIONS INDEX: Groups herbs by their thereuptic uses in Chinese and Indian medicine. Listings are alphabetical by indication and accepted common name, with the scientific name shown in parentheses.

6) SIDE EFFECTS INDEX: Groups herbs by the adverse reactions with which they have been associated. Listings are alphabetical by indication and accepted common name, with the scientific name shown in parentheses.

7) DRUG/HERB INTERACTIONS GUIDE: Lists problem combinations alphabetically by the name of the drug and the name of the interacting herb, and provides a brief description of each combination's potential effect.

8) SAFETY GUIDE: Lists herbs that must be avoided while pregnant or nursing, and herbs that should be used only under professional supervision. Includes scientific and common names.

9) COMMON HERBAL TERMINOLOGY: Provides familiar, as well as less common terms that appear in scientific literature regarding herbal medicines.

10) HERB IDENTIFICATION GUIDE: Permits rapid, positive identification of botanicals. Includes over 300 full-color photos.

11) HERBAL MONOGRAPHS: Profiles of more than 700 medicinal herbs, including description, actions, clinical trials, indications, contraindications, precautions, drug interactions, adverse effects, overdosage, dosage, and literature citations. Organized alphabetically by accepted common name and cross-referenced with scientific name.

12) NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT MONOGRAPHS: Profiles some of the most common supplements, including description, actions, clinical trials, indications, contraindications, precautions, drug interactions, adverse effects, overdosage, dosage, and literature citations. Organized alphabetically by accepted common name.

Anyone serious about learning and understanding the wonderful amd natural healing properties of herbs, NEEDS to include this reference manual in your library. The foreward by David Herber, Professor of Medicine an dPublic Health, Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition and UCKA Botanical Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA) explains it all.

I hope this book is as helpful for you as it has been for me.

Not Bad3
This PDR is really good info for Herbals, but I was expecting some recent info on supplements as well. It seems there isnt really one reliable source for Herbals and Supplements, so be prepared to buy an additional book.

Another rescource for an herbal library-but mainstream4
This book has a lot of good research in it. For instance, the herb milk thistle has a "renoprotective effect on kidney cells damaged by acetaminophen..." It has not however been proven to help with cirrhosis of the liver. It can also cause side effects such as severe sweating, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

The study on aloe and psoriasis showed that 83% the patients that applied the cream topically 3 times a day for 5 consecutive days for 4 weeks had reduced or no psoriasis signs while only 6.6% of the placebo groups did.

Bilberry patients with diabetic retinopathy improved 77% to 90%. This study did not make a comparison to the placebo group unfortunately. High doses and prolonged use have lead to chronic intoxication, and high doses to animals have been fatal.

A study with black cohosh showed that 80% of women experiencing menopausal symptoms improved or resolved. Adverse reactions for black cohosh have included gastroenteritis, nausea, and vomiting.

It was found that treatment with capsicum (same as cayenne) prior to aspirin administration significantly decreased gastric mucosal damage as compared with aspirin alone. There is however significant correlation between consumption of hot pepper and gastric cancer. They recommend usage be kept at 2 days and should only be used again after two weeks. This is an example where most herablist would disagree. So they provided some good research (the information on asprin) but I question their recommendation.

Goldenseal showed an average cancer cell kill of 91% for malignant brain tumors compared to 43% for the standard chemotherapeutic agent for brain tumors.

There are numerous other studies providing interesting information, this is just a few of them.

I was not sure if I would like this mainstream reference book. But I have been pleasantly surprised. It has a lot of good research in it, enough that I started tearing out pages of my most commonly used herbs. I highlight them, then place them in a binder for quick reference.

It is very critical of ephedra, which is no doubt a controversial herb. But like all things, when used carefully and correctly it can be a powerful herb for certain indications.

It is also highly critical of bladderwrack, saying it shouldn't be used because of the possible heavy metal contamination. Any seaweed, just like any fish, can have that problem. But iodine is extremely important for healthy thyroid function and the best source is seaweed. Bladderwrack is one source of seaweed, but there's also Irish moss, dulse, kelp, and chlorella to name a few others.

Today I was looking for pau d'arco, and it's not in the book. I looked under