Product Description

The most authoritative resource on herbal medicines

Seeking to separate scientific from anecdotal evidence, the new PDR for Herbal Medicines, Fourth Edition provides healthcare professionals with an updated reference so they can better advise patients who ask about specific herbal remedies.

Based on information culled from the PhytoPharm U.S. Institute of Phytopharmaceuticals and Thomson Micromedex s comprehensive alternative medicine database, the Physicians Desk Reference, PDR for Herbal Medicines, Fourth Edition will provide over 700 botanical monographs and a wealth of indices for scientific and common names, indications and therapeutic categories.

PDR for Herbal Medicines, Fourth Edition provides the latest scientific data in the most comprehensive herbal reference compiled, including Commission E indications, the closest thing to an approved usage guide in the world of herbal medicines. Key monographs have been updated to include recent scientific findings on efficacy, safety and potential interactions; clinical trials (including abstracts); case reports; and meta-analysis results. There are also updated sections on enhanced patient management techniques and nutritional supplements.

As the complicated world of herbal and complementary medicine evolves, there is only one complete and trusted clinical and diagnostic manual for learning how to prescribe herbal medicines that medical practitioners can turn to, the PDR for Herbal Medicines, Fourth Edition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74691 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1300 pages

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

Better than the 1st Edition
This new edition of the PDR for Herbal Medicines goes beyond the first edition, published in December of 1998. While the first edition was somewhat limited by dated, unreferenced information, this one is much more up-to-date and includes recent references to the literature, such as the St. John's wort interactions with indinavir and cyclosporin that were just published this year. Each entry gives a botanical overview, describes actions and pharmacology, and discusses indications and usage in various medical traditions. There is information on clinical trials, and more material on herb/drug interaction, precautions, contraindications, adverse reactions, and dosage. Having a complete herbal reference is a necessity for physicians and other health-care providers in today's world - whether they want to include some herbals in their armamentarium or merely wish to head off possible herb-drug interactions among the patients who are treating themselves.

A careful reading of the hypericum section, however, revealed that several newer clinical trials were not included, while an old (1994) study remained.

In this reference, the physician would learn St. John's wort taken concomitantly with sertraline may lead to "serotonin syndrome," e.g., sweating, tremor, flushing, confusion and agitation. The likelihood of seeing this effect would be difficult to judge, however, since these anecdotal reports from the literature are taken a face value with little critical appraisal. If we don't know how many patients have taken this particular combination, we have no denominator. The inclusion of all material related to toxicologic effects is good for the sake of a comprehensive overview, but the drawback is to lose the feel for what may really be important. An example is the inclusion of a reference regarding hypericum toxicity when directly incubated with sperm or oocytes. Without pointing out that this very unusual study is not the way reproductive or teratogenic is determined during drug development, the reader may be left with the belief that hypericum showed reproductive toxicity. The reference to an interaction with theophylline might have mentioned that the patient was on a plethora of other drugs and relied on her recollection of events. It might also have mentioned that direct human studies of the 1A2 and 2D6 enzymes found no effect from hypericum. Rather, it stated that hypericum "...may significantly affect plasma concentrations of any drug that is metabolized by the cytochrome P-450 system." This is not supported by data. Also unsupported is the incorrect statement taken from Schultz et al's Rational Phytotherapy that phototoxicity may occur at hypericin plasma concentrations of 50 mcg/mL. This should have read 50 mcg/L (or 50 ng/mL) as the original paper reported. Also not useful is the daily dosage recommendation of 200 - 1000 mcg hypericin for depression; one might conclude that there is evidence for this.

While this book is sold as a mainstream reference it may be somewhat daunting for the layman. It's well-organized style and the provision of recent scientific and medical references will make it a useful starting place for more in depth research for health-care professionals. Perhaps the publication of an erratum could be recommended.

Practical Guide to Natural Medicines is better!
I'm a former practicing pharmacist, now a health promotion educator who must, for my lectures, keep up to date on the rapidly emerging information (peer reviewed research & commercial publications, internet, etc.) about medicinals, vitamins, minerals, supplements, herbs, natural remedies, etc. available to public with and without a prescription. My goal is to ferret out fact from fiction. I believe THE AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION PRACTICAL GUIDE TO NATURAL MEDICINES is a MUCH BETTER (a FIVE star) resource--especially since it's a 1999 publication that cites sources including German monographs that are basis of PDR. The description of APA Guide, on Amazon.com, does not do this book justice. Once I got PRACTICAL GUIDE TO NATURAL MEDICINES I no longer used PDR.

Alfalfa and Buckwheat
I'm glad that someone put together an herbal PDR... I just wish they had done a decent job. This looks like it was written by The Little Rascals (Alfalfa and Buckwheat). First of all, the latin names are wrong throughout the book. No author of the name is ever given, the capitalization does not follow convention, and no effort is made to use the currently official names. This makes it difficult or even impossible to know exactly which species is being discussed, in some cases. And it makes it seem that the people who wrote it don't know what they're talking about. It is also interesting to note that the literature reviews which went into making this were not very comprehensive; the book will often say that no data exists when a simple Medline search will prove otherwise. Perhaps for the next edition, "Our Gang" should hire a botanist to help them do the latin names properly, and a medical librarian to help with finding and citing literature.