Customer Reviews

Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition

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This book is the defining standard by which other publications dealing with herbal medicine should be judged by. This a valuable resource book for anyone doing research in phytochemicals. Duke has written in a style that can be understood by individuals with limited scientific background and yet is still be a valuable reference text. Not only does this text cover the actual chemicals responsible for some of the activities observed, Duke also gives a significant reference to the herb's ethnobotanical history (how various societies have used this in the past). Unlike other books on 'medicinal herbs' Duke not only points out their benefits and the various phytochemicals credited with these effects, he also points out various poisons, phytotoxins, that are also found in the herb and can cause deleterious effects. Overall, it is an excellent reference book.

Duke has compiled a comprehensive review of a number of plants which delves extensively into the literature that is out there on these plants. This is a list of the medical properties of these plants that goes far beyond a casual herbal, and should be considered by anybody seriously trying to advance the medical use of plants