Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy

By Michael Heinrich, Dr rer nat habil MA(WSU) Dipl. Biol. FLS, Professor of Ethnopharmacology and Pharmacognosy and Head of Centre for Pharma & Bio Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of London, UK Elizabeth M. Williamson, BSc(Pharm) PhD MRPharmS FLS, Emerita Professor of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, UK; former Editor-in-chief - now a Senior Editor of Phytotherapy Research; Member of the Herbal Drugs Committees for The British Pharmacopoeia

"This is the first book that I have encountered which combines the compounds and plants found in standard pharmacognosy textbooks, i.e. those used in orthodox Western medicine, with the 'new phytopharmaceuticals' which have become established in Western culture over the last 20 years. The medical establishment in this environment is finally catching up with the practices of the general population and so this book is an excellent choice for those who wish to investigate which of the many plants available have some scientific credence.I shall be adding this book to the Essential Reading list for all of the undergraduate students on our pharmacy degree course and would encourage all those involved in teaching pharmacy students to do the same." P.J. Houghton, Department of Pharmacy, King's College London, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, November 2003the title suggests, the book is divided into two main parts. Part A, which is titled "Fundamentals of pharmacognosy”, begins with a brief but informative overview of the basic principles of phytotherapy and pharmacognosy. Drawing on their wealth of experience and knowledge in this field, the authors, who are without doubt among the finest minds in pharmacognosy today, provide useful and fascinating insights into the history, botany, chemistry, phytotherapy and importance of medicinal plants in some of today's health care systems.This is a landmark textbook, which carefully brings together relevant data from numerous sources and provides in an authoritative and exhaustive manner, cutting edge information that is relevant to pharmacists, pharmacognocists, complementary practitioners, doctors and nurses alike." Senior Lecturer in Herbal Medicine, Middlesex University, The Pharmaceutical Journal, April 2004educated pharmacists no doubt equate Pharmacognosy with hours spent hunched over a microscope identifying vegetable drugs. Many probably consider it as a subject with little importance in a modern Pharmacy curriculum. How wrong they are! ... The book is designed to give an overview at an easy-to-understand level of a broad subject area...For students of science and of the healthcare professions it is a useful text and the authors are to be commended for their work." Ingrid Hook, Irish Pharmacy Journal, June 2004

• Part A: Fundamentals of PharmacologySection 1. Phytotherapy and Pharmacognosy1.Importance in modern pharmacy and medicine2.Pharmacognosy and its history: people, plants and natural productsSection 2. Basic plant biology3.General principles of botany: morphology and systematics4.Families yielding important phytopharmaceuticals5.Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacologySection 3. Natural product chemistry6.Natural products chemistry7.Principles of natural product chemistry and separation8.Anticancer natural productsSection 4. Plant extract derived pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals9.Production, standardisation and quality control10.Characteristics of phytomedicinesSection 5. Medicinal Plants in selected other health care systems11.Traditional systems of herbal medicine12.Complementary/alternative medicinePart B: Important Natural Products and Phytomedicines used in Pharmacy and Medicine13.The gastrointestinal and biliary system14.The Cardiovascular system 15.The respiratory system 16.The central nervous system 17.Infectious diseases18.The endocrine system19.The reproductive and urinary tracts20.The musculoskeletal system21.The skin22.The eye23.Ear, nose and orthopharynx24.Miscellaneous supportive therapies for stress, ageing, cancer and debility