Pocket Guide to Herbal Medicine

There is an herbal remedy for most ailments - and you will find the most important ones in this concise pocket guide. Co-authored by Karin Kraft, one of the members of the German Commission E, and Christopher Hobbs, a renowned North-American herbalist, this handy pocket guide gives you the decisive facts about important medicinal herbs, taking into consideration both major European monographs (Commission E and ESCOP) and up-to-date clinical trials. The book goes on to inform the reader on the usage of herbal remedies for a number of common indications. The book gives first-hand, easy to access information on the administration of herbal remedies for the medical practitioner and herbal therapist alike. Profit from the wealth of German tradition, extended by North American experience in the usage of herbal medicines.
Thieme, 2004 - 503 pages Karin Kraft, Christopher Hobbs

Contents

• General Guidelines for Use of Herbal Medicines 21
• Medical Plants from A to Z 33
• Cardiovascular Diseases 132
• Respiratory Diseases 147
• Diseases and Dysfunctions of the Digestive Organs 161
• Diseases of the Urogenital Tract 200
• Debility Fatigue Adaptive and Functional Disorders 220 
• Gynecological Diseases 236
• Pediatric Diseases 241
• Mouth and Throat Inflammations 247
• Open Wounds and Blunt Traumas 276 
• Gynecological Diseases 236
• Pediatric Diseases 241
• Mouth and Throat Inflammations 247
• Herbal Hydrotherapy Balneotherapy 282
• Standard Treatments for Cardiovascular Diseases 290
• Standard Treatments for Gastrointestinal Disorders 299
• Standard Treatments for Urinary Diseases 303
• Herbal Oils for Musculoskeletal Diseases 324
• Dosages 337
• Addresses 453
• References and Resources 477

Een voorbeeld van een compacte monografie uit Herbal Medicine: Salvia officinalis

➤ General comments: In folk medicine, sage is used to treat a variety of diseases. The leaves of the plant are used in herbal medicine.

➤ Pharmacology

– Herb: Sage leaf (Salviae folium). The herb consists of the fresh or dried foliage leaves of Salvia officinalis L. and preparations of the same.

– Important constituents: Essential oil (1.5–3.5 %) consisting mainly of α- and β-thujone (20–60 %), 1,8-cineole (6–16 %), and camphor (14–37 %). Caffeic acid derivatives (3–6 %) consisting mainly of rosmarinic acid and chlorogenic acid. Diterpenes (carnosolic acid, 0.2–0.4 %), flavonoids (apigenin- and luteolin-7-O-glucosides), and triterpenes (ursolic acid, 5 %) are also present.

– Pharmacological properties: The thujone-rich essential oil and the diterpenoid substance carnosol have antimicrobial, antimycotic, and antiviral effects. Flavonoids are spasmolytic and choleretic. In animals, carnosolic acid and carnosol act in the central nervous system. The tannins (rosmarinic acid) have anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antihydrotic effects.

➤ Indications

– Lack of appetite

– Excessive perspiration

– Inflammations of the mouth and throat

➤ Contraindications: Pure sage oil should be avoided during pregnancy. Highdose or prolonged internal use of sage is not recommended.

➤ Dosage and duration of use

– Internal use: Steep 1–2 g of the herb in 150 mL of hot water for 15 minutes. Sweeten with honey or sugar.

• Dosage: One cup, several times a day.

• For gastrointestinal complaints, drink 1 cup of the warm tea 30 minutes before meals.

• For excessive perspiration, allow the tea to cool before drinking.

– External use: For mouthwash or gargle, steep 2.5 g of the herb in 100 mL of hot water for 15 minutes. Use several times a day.

➤ Adverse effects: There are no known health hazards or side effects in conjunction with proper administration of the designated therapeutic doses of the herb. 

➤ Herb–drug interactions: None known. 

Warning: Heat sensations, tachycardia, vertigo, and epileptiform convulsions can occur after prolonged use (of ethanolic sage extracts or sage oil) or overdose (>15 g sage leaf).

➤ Summary assessment: Sage is a well-known herbal medicament that is generally regarded as safe for short-term use.

✿ Literature

– Monographs: DAB 1998; ESCOP; Commission E

– Scientific publications: see p. 478; Paris A, Strukelj B, Renko M et al: Inhibitory effects of carnosolic acid on HIV-1 protease in cell free assays. J Nat Prod 56 (1993), 1426–1430; Tada M et al: Antiviral diterpenes from Salvia officinalis. Phytochemistry 35 (1994), 539