The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to the 50 Most Common Medicinal Herbs

Kinda like a PDR for the top 50 herbs but better. Since it is only 50 and does not include homeopathic remedies it is not the perfect , 'bible' alternative book but it is very much worth the price and worth owning, especially for novices.It is good for anyone as it does give side effects, interactions etc.etc. Along with this you need Prescriptions for Natural Cures by Balch and you will be quite pleased with all the helpful info you have at your fingertips. I really do use both frequently, and wouldn't want to be w/out either.

This well researched guide presents fifty popular herbs used for medicinal purposes. The herbs are profiled in an A-Z format (from alfafa to willow) and each entry presents a thumbnail sketch which covers common uses, active constituents, adverse effects, cautions and contraindications, drug interactions, and doses. This is followed by more in depth information covering the description, parts of the plant used, traditional use and current medicinal use and a lengthy analysis of the scientific research that has been conducted on the particular herb. This latter section is referenced and the source materials can be found in the back of the book. The authors, who are licensed pharmacists, are also objective in their statements so the reader is sometimes provided with conflicting research and can make informed decisions. A handy list located in the front of the book, "Medicinal Herbs for Health Conditions" allows the reader to see in a glance which herbs can be used for particular ailments. This is an excellent reference source for healthcare professionals. The casual user will also find much useful information here although the scientific research sections may be a tad too scholarly.