Customer Reviews

The Complete Guide To Herbal Medicines

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This book was one of the few I first purchased when beginning my walk with herbs and natural healing. The introduction clearly states that herbs are a useful medicine, with Avila and Fetrow explaining why this is so, backing up their opinion, and stating why herbs have been turned away from.

Regrettably, their opinion seems to change once you actually read past the introduction.

95% or more of the book is a standard reference, listed alphabetically by herb. Every herb is discussed very, very briefly - this is a minimal reference guide at best. A paragraph is devoted to the herb, then a list of its use, then side effects, then the ending warning. That's it, really. It seems more like this is an herb-warning book than an actual herbal, as the bulk of the page will consist of cautions/warnings/contradictions, and not actual use of the herb.

Amusingly herbs are mentioned that every herbalist knows not to take without being extremely experienced, as the plants are poisonous. This book does not really mention that, instead making it appear like people and herbalists use these poisonous plants all the time and shouldn't. When it is recommended that an expert be consulted, very rarely does it say, "consult your herbalist or naturopath". Instead it's primarily "consult your physician."

I echo the reviewer who states they list any possible side effect, like 1 in a billion. You can read side effects here that won't be mentioned anywhere else, no matter how long you look. They also don’t seem too fond in listing that some of these side effects are extremely rare, or common in almost every pharmaceutical drug out there – such as nausea, headache, - or that the symptoms can be mild. Even herbs which list almost zero side effects, WITH research listed that backs them up, they still find a way not to recommend it! They may say, while research shows this moderately works and is generally safe, you can try a prescription drug that works better. Seriously! It’s a no win situation! To top even this off, they state in many herbs that no research exists, while I know for a fact there are studies out there.

Sometimes wording is effective brain washing. The first herb mentioned, Aconite, is toxic. It has been used by people in the past to commit suicide, as has every other poisonous substance. Yet they did not word it that way. Instead, “In fact, this herb was once used as a poison in arrows and has been linked to many suicides.” Linked how, as in causing them? Is this a warning against the herb, as if the suicides are the herbs fault? Even in Aloe Vera, they say that studies indicate Aloe may be useful for healing, but are quick to point out in the same sentence that studies aren’t well documented. And of course the standard follow up with the FDA recognizing the herb as generally safe, but not recommending it for any condition.

In the beginning of the book under general precautions, they state that one should not take any herb during pregnancy and that one should not take any herb for any serious condition. It would difficult to find many herbalists, homeopaths, naturopaths, or other natural care providers who agree with the above statements. Books have been written on pregnancy and childbirth involving herbs alone, and research really HAS been done. Claiming they shouldn’t be used for any serious condition is dismissing them as folklore, right up front, intended only to try on mild, harmless sniffles and bruises. It creates a mind set; a subtle one, but still a mind set.

I didn’t get the recommendation to never take an herbal cocktail, as they call it, where more than one herb is in a formula. They claimed experts don’t know how herbs mix. (?) Which experts? Surely not experts who study phytomedicine or other non-biased research in combining herbs. As most pharmaceutical companies seem to be trying to push to promote ‘drug based herbs’ they can have control and profit over, standardization is recommended in products bought. For some strange reason, it also says not to buy products over the internet, in magazines, brochures or broadcast media. Do they think Walmart grows and does their own herbs, or other natural stores? From my experience, most of the “supplements” sold in those places are the lesser quality found anywhere.

The book finishes with a few indexes of natural health supplements, including royal jelly, bee pollen, shark cartilage, etc, and recommends not to use any of these. One of the biggest slaps in the face was their stating on bee pollen never having conclusive research; it is amazingly simple for anyone to type in the words bee pollen research, or something similar, and pull up countless supportive studies.

Sadly, this book is written by pharmacists and it shows. If the pharmacist were not bias, I would welcome his/her contribution, but this is - again - not the case. It almost seems like people are hired by the drug companies to pen herbals to subtly sway people away from seeking out natural healing remedies. This should be one of the bibles for those kinds. One of my favorite things to look forward to in an herbal is personal experience a clinician has had, and of course none is found here. I would doubt the authors use many herbs at all.

All this being said, there are redeeming points here and there on this book. Some of the side effects really do exist and it is nice to see a book not run from listing a potential reaction of an herb. Some books praise plants so much they almost seem afraid of listing real contradictions and issues that can be found with them. This book also discusses a very large amount of herbs, a welcome change from those that discuss "30" or less. Each herb had a great wrap up, listing other names it's known by and commercial products it is sold as. AND, finally, the book is very reasonably priced.

If you are interested in herbs and just starting out, I recommend a much less biased book, something that's actually fair and not so one sided. This one doesn't go into enough detail on any herb - what it does and why, or any credible personal usage - and it doesn't take the time to explain much else. It's a good reference for those who are looking for a list of side effects and precautions, and that already know a little on herbs and have other herbals lining their shelves, but that’s it as a bare minimum.

Fetrow and Avila, both of whom hold doctorates in pharmacy have prepared what I consider a "quick and quotable" reference for my work as a pharmacist. I appreciate the black box highlights for each herb entitled "what the research shows". This provides the caveats I must consider before recommending (or not recommending) an herbal supplement. Don't look for additional fluff or color plates in this book; there are none, just easy to find A to Z herbs with references. Worth the price for any healthcare provider's toolbox.

This book is very useful - in one way. It describes the darker side of herbs. The fact that you shouldn't take ginseng if you are taking insulin is a fact little known by many, including unprofessional herbalists. However, the entire book is about the dangers of the plants - the "suspected" medicinal values are listed in a tiny sidebar, yet the authors go into enormous detail about side effects, interactions and dangers. This information needs to be known, as it is important, but the book is negative in every aspect. It seems more than anything that the authors are trying to discourage the use of herbal medicine.
This book is not a reference for herbal medicine, nor will it tell you how to use the herbs for medicine. But it is good information to know.

I bought this book with high expectations. Written by two pharmacologists, it should have been informative and excellent. I am astonished that a number of reviewers praise this book's scientific value because there is little rigorous science mentioned here. The book presents the most negative and biased viewpoint I have ever seen in publication. It is a dismal catalog of cautions and warnings. Not one herb is recommended or even accepted for any purpose. The authors must have been terribly fearful of accusations of 'practicing medicine without a license'.

The book cites several formal published papers for each herb (some as old as thirty years ago), while ignoring recent scientific work done in Germany and other European countries. The authors simply will not accept data gathered outside the US, and there is no incentive for US workers to investigate herbs. The authors then state that studies are inconclusive or invalid or else "not generally recognized by experts". Nowhere do the authors explain who these disparaging "medical experts" are, what studies were done, or how their opinions are formed.

Examples and quotations:

Ginseng - "Although ginseng seems to have therapeutic promise, researchers must test it more extensively...In the meantime, medical experts caution that ingesting the plant carries certain risks, despite centuries of use."

Garlic - "...research is still incomplete...potential garlic uses haven't been fully evaluated."

Cinnamon - "...More research must be done to determine whether it's safe and effective In the meantime, medical experts caution against using cinnamon..."

Basil - "...one small study showed it significantly reduced blood sugar. However, similar results must be duplicated in a large, controlled trial before medical experts can recommend this herb..."

Nowhere do the authors explain who these disparaging "medical experts" are, what studies were done, or how their opinions are formed.



Fortunately, "...chocolate is generally considered non-toxic".

Very few helpful suggestions in this book. The authors are Pharmacists. They list side effects of herbs that would happen to maybe 1 in a billion people. They state that dandelion can cause, "Skin irritation... blockage of the digestive or biliary tract, gallbladder inflammation, gallstones" but on the SAME page say that it is used for "digestive complaints, gallbladder problems, to stimulate bile production". Now, why would you use a plant that helps with gallbladder problems if it causes them?? (by the way, it does not, I have much experience with this plant and have never had any side effects, nor has anyone I have spoke with). This book will do nothing but make you paranoid of about using herbs. If you want a good book, get "The New Age Herbalist" or anything by Rosemary Gladstar, Dr. James A. Duke or James Green. Peterson Field guides are also quite good.

My first inclination was to give this book 2 stars because it had at least some potentially useful information. After all, it's a 700-page book and the pages are filled with a whole bunch of words :) written by two people with doctorates (both pharmacists). So, it must have some value. Right? Not so much.

Pharmacists are used to seeing studies containing hundreds of people followed over many months. Lilly, Pfizer et al can afford to do such studies because a successful new drug can bring millions in profits. Now, please don't get me wrong. I don't think profits are bad. I think they're wonderful -- they spur innovation, efficiency and all sorts of good things. I'm also for good placebo-controlled studies. They weed out the effect of "I took the pill and something good happened; therefore, the pill caused the good result."

That said, virtually no herb will have a study as good as the typical pharmaceutical. Why? Because there's virtually no incentive to conduct one, especially given how expensive they are. As a result, nearly every herb in this book has as its conclusion "do not take until further studies are done." I understand the authors' abundance of caution, but many of these herbs have been used for centuries with few short-term side effects. It's true that we don't know about long-term side effects, but, honestly, we're much more likely to know about them with such long-term-use herbs (after centuries of use) than we are with the 6-months-then-to-market pharmaceuticals.

I also object to this book because it was poorly written/researched. A perfect example is Arnica montana. This herb can be used in three ways: internally (herbal), internally (homeopathic) and externally. The three different ways are radically different. The first is straight-up dangerous, especially in high doses. The second has virtually zero chance of any danger whatsoever. The third can cause a rash and some pain (if put on broken skin), but not too much more than that. Yet the authors DO NOT DIFFERENTIATE among these three methods. That is utterly inexcusable. And, honestly, in reading the text, I'm not even sure the authors *recognized* the difference among the three methods. What's more, they say Arnica montana doesn't work. I will say unequivocally that this is UTTERLY WRONG. The results from topical Arnica can be little short of miraculous (and very nearly instant). I know this from personal experience and from the experiences of others.

So, pass on this book. There's almost no useful information and what little useful information there is to be found is vastly outweighed by the staggering weight of the book's inadequacies.

A COUPLE OF POINTS ARE MADE BY OTHER REVIEWERS I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS. LINKING PHARMACISTS TO THE GREEDY, UNSCRUPLOUS PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURERS IS DOING MOST PHARMACISTS AN INJUSTICE. MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE WILLING TO USE ANY REMEDY TO PROVIDE OUR PATIENTS RELIEF FROM THEIR SYMPTOMS, PROVIDED IT HAS BEEN PROVEN SAFE AND EFFECTIVE. PROVEN IS THE KEY WORD HERE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY WELL RUN AND DOCUMENTED STUDIES PROVING THE BENEFITS OF MANY HERBAL PRODUCTS BUT FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE THERE SEEMS TO BE 6 OR 8 THAT ARE POORLY DESIGNED, OFFER ANECDOTES RATHER THAN PROOF, OR COME TO DUBIOUS CONCLUSIONS. THAT SAID, JUST BECAUSE A STUDY IS NOT SCIENTIFIC DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE HERBAL REMEDY IS NOT HELPFUL. AS A HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WE MUST ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION... "FIRST DO NO HARM...". FOR A MORE BALANCED, MORE COMPLETE PICTURE SEE THE AUTHORS' WORK ENTITLED "PROFESSIONAL'S HANDBOOK OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES".

First off, this is written by two pharmacologist, so they have a reason to scare you - medical prescriptions are BIG business for pill producers and doctors alike. They do not wish you to find there are things you can create and take yourself ( and with often much better results!!) because that cuts into their money!! So accept this book as written with prejudices. That said, it is still a good reference work for people wanting to know more about herbs. It details over 300 herbs, how they interact with drugs, a glossy for medical terms so you can full understand what they are say.
It has a nice little box that tells you why people take the herb, interactions, important points to remember, doses, what current research shows, other names and references for further reading.

A good work, when used as a companion piece for more balanced works and herbs and their usages.

Also a good reference work for writers using herbs in their books.

This is a must have reference book if you practice herbal medicine. I love the quick reference of the book. I am on my 2nd copy of it as I use this book so much that the my first copy literally fell apart. I carry this book with me just in case someone needs quick advice or I need to reference it.

This book was obviously written by two anti-herbalists!