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Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine, 1e

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Principles and Practice is designed as a text that would accompany a college-level program in the fundamentals of herbal medicine as practiced in the modern British tradition. The authors are senior educators in that system, Mills in Britain and Bone in Australia. This textbook easily meets the scientific standards of a contemporary medical school. Yet it does not slight traditions, and the materia medica sections contain, in addition to an unusually complete scientific review, details of the plants' traditional uses. The therapeutics sections reflect traditional approaches rather than single-bullet modern "scientific" herbalism. The authors collective experience -- more than forty years between the two -- provides balance in the interpretation of the science and the relative importance of hypothetical aspects of toxicology and potential adverse effects.

This book is essential for those seiously interested in herbal medicine. The book begins by explaining various therapeutic systems and basic principles of treatment and safety for the health care professional. Plant compounds and their effects on the body are explained in a straight forward manner that helps one understand a subject that is usually quite difficult. The materia medica section (plant monographs) lists 45 herbs and the pertinent information necessary to use them with success and safety. I believe this book is as good as it gets in herbal medicine, I can't wait for more plant monograph information from Mills and Bone.

Kerry Bone, one of Australia's most eminent herbalists, and Simon Mills, a highly respected practitioner from the UK have joined forces to produce a text that was sorely needed by herbalists and naturopaths everywhere.

The information is concise, clear, up-to-date, gives clear scientific explanations for the actions of herbs, while acknowledging traditional usage and folklore.

This is not just another coffee table book about herbs - it's the real thing. I have completed five years of formal training in herbal medicine, and this has been the most extraordinary book I've encountered. If you are studying complementary medicine of any modality, I highly recommend you buy it. If you're a student or graduate naturopath or herbalist, it is essential.

Excellent text in use for my adult/graduate classes (including on-line) in herbology. Adequate focus (almost half the text) on history, background, and clinical guides before getting into Materia Medica (full monographs of 45 herbs; I chose 22 of these as class examples). Contains extensive references unmatched in other similar texts. Has useful indexes although text could use a glossary for the numerous medical terms (some not common in U.S. practice). Some important herbs are mentioned in the clinical use guides (e.g., garlic, psyllium) but not treated in monographs. Also some herbs treated are not approved by Commission E or other regulatories (may or may not be important). Overall the best we've seen in clinical herbal texts.

This book is very neat,it goes well with other books in the field because this book gets very in-depth with each chemical very useful one of the most useful books of my collection. They also add lots of useful examples to bring this information into the present life.

"Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy" is a good general introduction to herbal medicine for laypersons looking to incorporate herbs into their family's healthcare. The authors have concocted a rather obtuse "philosophy" of herbal medicine in an attempt to appropriate and justify the philosophies behind all schools of traditional herbalism. Otherwise this text is straightforward and simple to use. Includes information on 45 useful herbs, a managable amount of information for laypersons just starting out in herbalism.

Physicians, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals with an interest in phytotherapy will find "Herbal Medicine" by Weiss and Fintelman or "Rational Phytothrapy" by Schulz, et al more useful for practice.