Medicinal herbs, ignored during some ages and even dismissed in others, have been waiting quietly and patiently for several thousand years for humanity to turn their eyes to them in order to know, to study, to use and why not? to love them.
The volume details diseases, in alphabetical order, as well as plants, also in alphabetical order. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants is a fundamental part of the Education and Health Library. There are more than 400 plants described in this volume, classified according to their curative properties for each part of the human body and each disease. All medicinal applications of these plants are based on botanical, pharmaceutical and chemical research. A scientific reason is given for each plant's preventive and healing actions on the human body based on its chemical composition rather than on traditions or the often heard "my grandmother used it" This is an easy to use way to view medical knowledge.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Doctors and Nurses Agree This Is The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia Of Medicinal Plants,
By
This review is from: Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, vol 1 (Hardcover)
I spend a lot of time showing this book to people that I meet, and have had the chance to get a lot of reactions. What follows are answers to questions, and reactions from the many people I have shown this Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants to.
"Medicinal herbs, ignored during some ages and even dismissed in others, have been waiting quietly and patiently for several thousand years for humanity to turn their eyes to them in order to know, to study, to use and - why not? - to love them.... After a period of brilliant scientific developments in which therapy science - the science of healing - has built al its hopes on the basis of sophisticated laboratories and highly technological devices, the interest in Nature's simple remedies is quickly growing. It is not only an interest in plants, but also in water (hyrotherapy), in sun (heliotherapy) and in medicinal use of muds and clays (geotherapy).... All human beings need some help for their many diseases and illnesses, and this help presently comes from nature, from simple country herbs. These humble plants, that almost forgotten wild tree, the "simples" - a former name for medicinal herbs - hide the best medicines that Nature may offer for mankind's health." - George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Thus begins the introduction of this book. As promised, this book deals with more than just medicinal plants, it even includes instructions for natural remedies that dont need a medicinal plant, such as hydrotherapy. One thing that you'll notice when using this book is that it is lavishly illustrated with real photos of the uses of the medicinal plants. Each medicinal plant is shown in a drawing that makes it easy to recognize. This is a large format book, the pages are 8.5" x 11", on good quality glossy (but not reflective) paper. Volume 1 of the book covers generalities such as: The Vegetal World, including: Types of Leaves, Anatomy of Leaves, Types of Roots, Types of Stems, Types of Inflorescences, and Anatomy of a Flower. Chapter 2 is about Gathering and Preservation of medicinal plants. It gives practical instructions on how to store and preserve medicinal plants to ensure their potency and efficacy (in other words, making sure they continue to work well). Chapter 3 covers a wide variety of ways to prepare and use medicinal plants. The table of contents lists these sections: The Art of Preparing Herbal Teas, Advantages and Disadvantages of Extracts, Method of Application of Fomentations, The Safe Use of Medicinal Herbs. But the chapter goes into many more methods of using medicinal plants, and it gives in depth instructions on exactly how to do each use. The uses covered include: Baths, Cold Extracts, Compresses, Decoctions, Enemas, Extracts, Eyedrops, Eye Irrigation, Fomentation, Friction, Gargles, Herbal Teas, Infusion, Irrigation of the Eye, Irrigation (Vaginal), Juices, Liniments, Lotions, Powders, Ointments, Poultices, Steam Baths, Syrup, Tinctures, and Vaginal irrigations. The chapter ends with a colorful section titled "Safe use of Medicinal Herbs - The First Step is to Adopt A Healthy Lifestyle". It list 6 points to be aware of, and practical cases. Chapter 4 covers Active Principles, such as Photosynthesis, Procedures to Obtain Essences, and Aromatherapy. Chapter 5 covers Plant Toxicity. Chapter 6 is "From the Plant to the Medicine", and includes these sections: How to Obtain the Best Results from Plants, A Pioneer of Modern Phytotherapy, Medicinal Herbs in America, How the Properties of Plants were Discovered. Part two of Volume 1 starts with a description of the icons used on the pages, and the descriptions of plants pages. It then goes through each section of the body showing which medicinal plants are best for each section of the body. Sections of the body covered in Volume 1 include: 7. Plants for the Eyes 8. Plants for the Nervous System 9. Plants that Stimulate 10. Plants for the Mouth 11. Plants for the Throat, Nose and Ears 12. Plants for the Heart 13. Plants for the Arteries 14. Plants for the Veins 15. Plants for the Blood 16. Plants for the Respiratory System 17. Plants for the Digestive System 18. Plants for the Liver and the Gall Bladder Volume 2 continues on with additional parts of the body: 19. Plants for the Stomach 20. Plants for the Intestine 21. Plants for the Anus and the Rectum 22. Plants for the Urinary System 23. Plants for the Male Sexual Organs 24. Plants for the Female Sexual Organs 25. Plants for the Metabolism 26. Plants for the Locomotive System 27. Plants for the Skin 28. Plants for Infectious Diseases 29. Plants for other Ailments. There is also a glossary, units of measure, source of illustrations, bibliography, and alphabetical index. Each volume then includes, at the beginning, a 4 page Index of Diseases. This will quickly help you find the medicinal plants for a certain condition. Here is an example of just some of the diseases mentioned: Abcesses, Ache, Kidney (see Lumbago), Ache, rheumatic (see Rheumatic pain), Ache, Stomach, Aches and Neuralgia, Acid, Uric, excess of (see Gout), Acidity, Stomach, Acne, Affections, Heart, AIDS, Alcoholism, Alimentary intoxication, see Salmonellosis, Alkalizing plants, Allergy, Alteration, heartbeat rate, see Arrhythmia, alternatives to coffeee, alternatives to tea, amebic dysentery (see Amebiasis), Amebiases, Anal eczema, Anal Fissure, Analgesic plants, anaphrodisiac plants, anemia, Angina pectoris, Ango pectoris, anorexia, anthocyanines, antidiarrheic plants, antirrheumatic plants, antiscorbutic plants, antispasmodic plants, atitussive plants, anxiety, anxiolytics, aphonia, aphrodisiac plants, appetite, excess of (see Bulimia), Appetite, lack of, Arrhythmia, Arteriosclerosis, Arthritis, Uric (see Gouty Arthritis), Arthritism, Arthrosis, ascitis (see fluid in the abdomen), asthenia, asthma, heart attack, back ache (see Lumbago), bad breath, bad taste in mouth, balsamic plants, skin beauty, etc. The next four pages are an index of plants. The hundreds of plants listed in this book are shown here, some under multiple names to make them easier to find. Examples include: Aaron's Rod = houseleek, Abelmosk (Hibiscus abelmoschus), absinthe = wormwood, acacia, in false acacia, achilea = milfoil, aconite = monkshood, agave (agave Americana), agrimony = sticklewort, alder buckthorn (rhamnus frangula), alexandria senna (in Tinnevelly Senna), alfalfa (medicago sativa), allgood (Chenopodium bonus-henricus), aloe (aloe vera), Althea (althaea officinalis), amazon tea, in hemp agrimony, amboima, in turmeric, american ash tre, in Bird's tongue, American Elm Tree in Elm tree, American eupatorium species, in hemp agrimony, american ginseng, american linen, american mistletow, american pennyroyal, american sanicle, american senna, american solomon's seal, american viburnum, in cramp bark, Ananas = Pineapple, Anapsos, in Calaguala, Anemony = windflower, angelica (Angelica archangelica), Anise (piminella anisum), etc. After showing these important resources, I then leaf through the book showing the beautiful illustrations of the parts of plants, types of leaves, anatomy of leaves, and types of roots. These are important to understand what parts of plants have been found to have medicinal properties. One of the best features of this book is the attention to safety. I point this out in many places as I am showing the book. For example, page 47, has this information about fresh use that is required of some plants: "Some plants, soon after being gathered, undergo certain enzymatc-catalytic chemical reactions, which in some cases destroy their active components, and in others change them into poisonous substances, as occurs in the watercress, for example. These plants must therefore always be used fresh. They are the following: Cypress, Hedge garlic, Hemp agrimony, Hound's tongue, Houseleek, Ivy, Mouse Ear, Radish, Scurvy Gress, Tormentil, Vervain, Watercress." Six practical suggestions are given on how to gather medicinal plants. Instructions are given on the parts to be gathered, and extensive advice on preservation and drying is given, along with a list of plants that require a drying process that causes fermentation. As I mentioned earlier, there is an extensive chapter on the methods for preparing and using plants. This section also includes information about dosages for herbal teas, and child dosages. One person I showed this book remarked at how impressed this book shows dosages, unlike many other herbal medicinal books which don't tell how much to use. There is a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of extracts, and excellent illustrations of things like the external uses of medicinal plants, how to dissolve them in a fatty substance to improve absorption, and how to give a hip bath, foot bath and hand bath. Chapter 5 is about cautions of plant toxicity, and is a chapter devoted to safety with medicinal plants. It gives cautions related to arterial hypertension, breast feeding, children, colitis, digestive dysfunctions, gastritis, genital-urinary dysfunctions, heart dysfyunctions, heart-circulatory dysfunctions, hemorrhoids, hyperthyroid goiter, intestinal occlusion, liver dysfunction, menstruation, nephritis, nervousness, pregnancy, prostate adenoma, stomach, urinary dysfunction, and weakness. Chapter 6 has an interesting discussion about the discoveries of medicinal plants and their properties. This chapter again keeps safety in mind by debunking many common urban legends concerning medicinal plants. The first 123 pages of volume one with all the information just highlighted could easily be a... Read more ›
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book Detailing Plants that can be used for many different health needs,
By
This review is from: Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, vol 1 (Hardcover)
This book is so descriptive and so thorough, it's awesome! The last reviewer gave a detailed list of the chapters, so I just want to add that it is written in a very engaging and easy to read way. This is volume 1, so it only covers through chapter 18. Volume 2 covers chapters 19-29. They are both excellent investments if you're looking for natural remedies for almost every ailment!
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