Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy

Pharmacognosy, the science of nature-derived drugs, pharmaceuticals, and poisons, played a crucial role in the development of modern medicine, and now has an equally important place in healthcare all over the world. This wide scope ranges from traditional medicine systems and herbal and nutritional therapies, the preparation and use of highly standardised and clinically tested herbal medicines, to the production of potent drugs used only in a purified form. Natural sources mainly focus on plants, fungi and algae, but drug discovery of novel compounds and structures includes bacteria and even marine animals.

Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy is a landmark textbook that covers this spectrum of medicinal plant use. Written by leading experts in this field, this book takes the reader through the history, identification, and quality assurance of plant-based medicines to their therapeutic properties, safety, and compatibility and interaction with prescribed drugs.

Aimed at students of all healthcare professions, including pharmacy, medicine, nursing and complementary therapies, the comprehensively updated information in this textbook is also relevant to those companies and organisations concerned with the regulation and testing of herbal medicines (phytomedicines), other natural health products, nutraceuticals and dietary supplements.

"This new edition may be recommended highly for purchase by undergraduate and professional doctoral students in pharmacy, as well as beginning graduate students in programmes in the pharmaceutical sciences and related areas. It will also be of great interest for use in continuing education courses for pharmacists, dentists, nurses and physicians. In addition, those with a scientific interest in herbalism and traditional medicine and nutrition will find the content of value. Moreover, this book will serve as a reliable source of information on natural product drugs for the interested lay reader. The previous editions of Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy have proven to be very highly regarded by readers. This updated and partially reorganised volume should be welcomed especially by educators of future pharmacists and of other healthcare professionals." --Prof. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Columbus, OH, USA

"This fourth edition of a work that has gained significant prominence and respect as a leading textbook contains highly valuable and authoritative information for anyone who is a student of pharmacy and/or pharmacognosy. It is also a valuable reference for industry quality-control personnel, herbalists, natural product researchers and others in the health professionals who wish to learn about the growing popularity of MAPs and how natural botanical and fungal preparations can provide a growing range of safe and reliable health benefits for consumers worldwide." --Mark Blumenthal, Austin, Texas, USA