Aryana Libris

Author : Pengelly Andrew
Title : The constituents of medicinal plants An introduction to the chemistry and therapeutics of herbal medicine
Year : 1996

Link download : Pengelly_Andrew_-_The_constituents_of_medicinal_plants.zip

Foreword. As Andrew Pengelly observes in his introduction to this text, the field of medicine has long been divided between the so-called ‘rationalist’ and ‘vitalistic’ approaches. The same dichotomy exists today among herbal practitioners. But as herbal medicine moves increasingly into mainstream acceptance, it is more and more being placed under the rationalist microscope. And not without good reason: our recent understanding of the therapeutic uses of plants has revealed a number of significant issues which have the potential to impact on the quality, safety and efficacy of herbal products. It is therefore essential that all practitioners and students of herbal medicine, whatever their philosophical leanings, have the tools to understand and effectively manage these issues as they pertain to the wellbeing of their current or future patients. An effective understanding of modern herbal practice fundamentally begins with a sound knowledge of the phytochemistry and related therapeutics of medicinal plants. Given this, Andrew Pengelly’s much revised second edition of The Constituents of Medicinal Plants is a welcome arrival. In this text he comprehensively covers the major phytochemical classes found in plants and their implications for human therapy. Key features are the many chemical structures and the wide-ranging discussion of their pharmacological activities. A major advantage is that this book assumes only a basic understanding of chemistry, which makes it an ideal primer for students and practitioners alike. In addition, it provides a simple yet comprehensive introduction to the field which does not fall into the trap of being overly reductionist or technical. Rather, it adapts the technical information to existing knowledge, in the process helping to better define the traditional understanding that underlies the practice of herbal medicine. As such, this book provides both a unique education and a rationale for practitioners to broaden the range of clinical indications for many existing medicines. Useful technical data for better understanding potential adverse reactions and interactions with pharmaceutical drugs is another important learning outcome. The author is a well known and respected authority on medicinal herbs who through his teaching and journal articles has helped to pioneer the scientific understanding of herbal practice in Australia. Kerry Bone. Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Health Sciences (Herbal Medicine), University of New England, Armidale. Director, Research and Development, MediHerb, Warwick. ...