Pharmacodynamic Basis of Herbal Medicine

Contents: 1. The pharmacokinetic basis of therapeutics. 2. Pharmacodynamics. 3. Adverse reactions and drug-drug interactions. 4. Herb-drug interactions. 5. Natural products as a resource for established and new drugs. 6. Alternative therapies. 7. Herbal therapeutics then and now. 8. Dietary antioxidants. 9. Herbal drugs and their high demand in treating diseases. 10. Algae. 11. Alkaloids. 12. Aloe and colon function. 13. Banisterine, selegiline, and Parkinson's disease. 14. Belladonna alkaloids: autonomic drugs. 15. Blueberry (Vaccinium). 16. Botulinum Toxin. 17. Brussels sprouts. 18. Cannabis. 19. Capsicum, rosemary, and turmeric. 20. Carotenoids. 21. Chocolate. 22. Cinchona tree. 23. Coca. 24. Colchicine and gout. 25. Compositae. 26. Curare and neuromuscular blockade. 27. Daffodil and Alzheimer's disease. 28. Eggplant. 29. Ephedrine (Ma Huang): a decongestant and Vasopressor. 30. Ergot, its alkaloids, and headache. 31. Flavonoids. 32. Flaxseed. 33. Folate in fruit. 34. Food-drug interactions. 35. Foxglove, cardiac glycosides, and congestive heart failure. 36. Ginkgo biloba. 37. Ginseng and cholinergic transmission. 38. Green, white and black teas. 39. Herbal plants and tuberculosis. 40. Herbal products for the chemotherapy of human immunodeficiency virus infection. 41. Honey: the nectar of life. 42. Horseradish and antiplatelet actions. 43. Hypericum (St. John's wort) and depression. 44. Ipecac. 45. Manuka and fungal disease. 46. Marine therapeutics. 47. Morphine: papaver somniferum. 48. Oats (Avena Sativa L.) and their antioxidant activity. 49. Olives and olive oil. 50. Onion and garlic. 51. Immunoenhancing actions of plantain. 52. Plants and diabetes. 53. Pomegranate. 54. Pycnogenol. 55. Pygeum Africanum and Permixon for the treatment of patients with Benign prostatic hyperplasia. 56. Reserpine. 57. Rhubarb. 58. Saffron. 59. Salicylate. 60. Sex herbs. 61. Sponges and steroids. 62. Taxol (Paclitaxel) and cancer chemotherapy. 63. Tomatoes and medicine. 64. Ulcer therapy with herbal medicine. 65. Valerian. 66.Vitamins and diet. 67. Wheat germ. 68. Wine. 69. Yogurt and the Immune system. Specific references. General references. Index.

"Continuing in the tradition of the acclaimed first edition, Pharmaco dynamic basis of herbal medicine, second edition examines in extensive detail the physiologic effects of complementary and alternative therapies, foods, supplements, vitamins, and traditional herbal remedies. This encyclopedic volume considers the site, mode, and mechanism of action to explain the desired and adverse effects and interactions of each herb, drug, and food.

With entire chapters on the most influential herbal remedies, the author either endorses or debunks popular conceptions with pure scientific data. He provides answers to today's naturopathic questions by paying particular attention to the chronic diseases engendered by obesity, as well as Alzheimer's, cancer, imbalances of neurotransmitters such as Parkinson's and depression.

Providing scientific sophistication for healthcare practitioners yet easily understood by the interested layman, this book:

• Includes herbal medications whose Pharmacodynamic parameters have been delineated at the molecular level.
• Provides clinical materials, pharmacological concepts, and ancient wisdom about appropriate usage of drugs.
• Presents state-of-the-art and newly designed diagrams to provide an account of how these medications work.
• Discusses the potential interactions of alternative medicine products with prescription medications.

By deconstructing the molecular mystery that is the interaction among herbal properties, physiology, and disease, Pharmacodynamic Basis of Herbal Medicine, Second Edition opens the door to successful herbal treatment."