Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals, Third Edition [Hardcover]

Dennis V.C. Awang (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0789028093 | ISBN-13: 978-0789028099 | Publication Date: May 4, 2009 | Edition: 3

Does Echinacea fight the common cold? Does St. John’s Wort (SJW) really counteract depression? What about chondroitin for joint health? Today’s healthcare professionals are increasingly confronted with questions from patients who want to use herbal supplements to treat various conditions. A critical and scientific assessment of medicinal plant research by an internationally recognized researcher and writer in the field, Tyler’s Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals, Third Edition combines the scientific aspects of herbal medicine, phytomedicine, and pharmacognosy with the modern clinical trials that support the rationale for using plant products in healthcare.

A Decade’s Worth of Updates

The original edition of this volume was authored by the late Professor Varro E. Tyler, a true giant in the field of pharmacognosy and pharmacy education. Following in Tyler’s footsteps, Dennis V.C. Awang, co-editor of the journal Phytomedicine, recognized the need for a revised third edition, in light of how quickly the clinical literature surrounding the dietary supplement market is growing.

Millions of consumers are demanding natural treatment options from their doctors and pharmacies in a variety of forms, from herbal teas to tinctures and capsules. Tyler’s Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals, Third Edition effectively fosters understanding in patients and practitioners of the role that herbs and phytomedicinal products can play in both self-care and healthcare.

 

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Originally published as The Honest Herbal in 1982, Tyler's Honest Herbal is still the classic herbal guide for consumers and health practitioners alike, fully referenced with the latest peer-reviewed scientific data. As in previous editions, great emphasis is placed on safety concerns when taking herbs. Tyler's Herbs of Choice, a new edition of the 1994 Herbs of Choice, discusses the therapeutic application of herbal remedies for over 100 health problems. Objective and scientifically sound, it augments Tyler's Honest Herbal, although the titles do not need to be bought together. An added bonus is the useful chapter on "Herbal Regulations," as reliable and understandable information on this topic is hard to find.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

With respect to the herb and medicinal plant literature, there is no more knowledgeable expert and no more punctilious an editor of this subject in all of North America.
—from the Foreword by Mark Blumenthal, Founder & Executive Director, American Botanical Council, Austin, Texas


… this is a book that should be read by pharmacists and medical practitioners to be familiar with what patients may be taking in addition to more conventional drugs. It should also be read by academic chemists looking for projects for post-graduate students—judging by this book there is a gold mine out there waiting to be explored.
—E.R. Adlard, Chromatographia, 2010, 71

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: CRC Press; 3 edition (May 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789028093
• ISBN-13: 978-0789028099
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,426,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wait for the paperback or use the older version, February 20, 1999

By 

Carol M. Meerschaert "Freelance Writer and Ma... (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals (Hardcover)

I have been waiting for an update of this classic book. However, for most health care professionals or herb users, I don't feel the $40 price tag makes this book worth it. Wait for the paperback of this updated version or get the paperback 1994 version.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An old school viewpoint?, December 27, 2000

By 

Jerry Cott (College Park, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals (Hardcover)

Written by two pharmacognosists at Perdue University, this book is an update to the original volume in 1994, describing the safe use of the most widely available medicinal herbs. They address recent developments in the use of herbal medicines in a manner that is easy to read and without unnecessary jargon. They include some updated references for most plants, encompassing the clinical literature, known chemical constituents, and the history of their use. Introductory essays describe the basic principles of herbal medicine and problems that the regulatory authorities have had in attempting to deal with these products, especially since the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). The chapters are arranged by general therapeutic indication and discuss the herbs used to treat various ailments and their reported efficacy based on clinical or preclinical results.

One obvious distinction of the book is the clear message that classical pharmacognosy is the only valid scientific viewpoint. There is still in this updated edition, the strong notion that there is a magic bullet within each plant that we only need identify and standardize. But this is seldom as straightforward as it may appear. For example, in the basic principles section there is praise of standardized preparations of hypericum, yet no acknowledgment that standardization based on hypericin is probably not useful, since it is no longer believed to be essential for the antidepressant activity of St. John's Wort. Standardization and pharmacology of the currently favored constituent, hyperforin, was not mentioned. Publication in a scientific journal does not make a particular finding (e.g. hypericin inhibition of MAO) a "fact." Subsequent studies showed no MAO inhibition with pure hypericin. Conclusions and extrapolations drawn from results of in vitro studies are based on the conventional wisdom, which is often incorrect. While proposing a mechanism of action is a worthy goal, it must be remembered that true drug mechanisms (even the synthetic ones) are still beyond our medical understanding in most cases, particularly for psychotherapeutic medications. For example, while SSRI's are known to act by blocking reuptake of serotonin, the connection between serotonin uptake and antidepressant action still remote.

Also mentioned as "pseudoscience" is the notion that whole herbs are more effective than their isolated active constituents. The basic principles section states that for every example in support of this statement that there is at least one denying it. While a 50:50 ratio hardly seems in itself a reasonable criterion for pseudoscience, I think one would be hard pressed to give one example of constituents being more effective than the whole herb for every example of the inverse. While I completely agree that hyperbole and sometimes outright fabrication are seen in the marketing of herbals, we shouldn't be too quick to categorically discount what herbal practitioners have been saying for so long, but rather to weight them with the same standards as ideas that the "scientists" have generated.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A core addition to any and all professional and academic library medical and herbal reference collection, January 4, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals (Hardcover)

From paleolithic times down to the modern age, herbs have been the fundamental basis for balms, salves, and internal medications for human ills, aliments, physical injuries, and mental traumas. Now in a thoroughly updated and expanded third edition, "Tyler's Herbs of Choice: The Therapeutic Use of Phytomedicinals" by Canadian author, academician and medical researcher Dr. Dennis V. C. Awang, is a 296-page guide to the medical properties and usages of herbs. Beginning with a thorough overview of the basic principles involved, "Tyler's Herbs Of Choice" is superbly organized and presented with chapters focused thematically appropriate herbs with respect to problems involving the digestive system problems; the kidney, urinary tract, and prostate; respiratory tract; cardiovascular system; nervous system; endocrine and metabolic issues; arthritic and musculoskeletal disorders; skin, mucous membranes, and gingiva; performance and immune deficiencies. Of special note are the subsections on herbs and cancer (including the unproven anticancer herbs including apricot pits, Pau d'Arco, and Mistletoe). enhanced with extensive references, and appendix on 'The herbal regulatory system.', and a comprehensive index, "Tyler's Herbs Of Choice" is a core addition to any and all professional and academic library medical and herbal reference collection.