Nature’s Pharmacopeia: A World of Medicinal Plants

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Nature’s Pharmacopeia: A World of Medicinal Plants Author: Format: Paperback First Published: Published By: Columbia University Press
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Pages: 352 Illustrations and other contents: 187 color illustrations ISBN: 9780231166614 Category:

This well illustrated, and well written textbook pairs the best research on the biochemical properties and physiological effects of medicinal plants with a fascinating history of their use throughout human civilization, revealing the influence of nature’s pharmacopeia on art, war, conquest, and law. By chronicling the ways in which humans have cultivated plant species, extracted their active chemical ingredients, and investigated their effects on the body over time, the book builds an unparalleled portrait of these special herbs.
The book opens with an overview of the use of medicinal plants in the traditional practices and indigenous belief systems of people in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and ancient Europe. It then connects medicinal plants to the growth of scientific medicine in the West. Subsequent chapters cover the regulation of drugs; the use of powerful plant chemicals—such as cocaine, nicotine, and caffeine—in various medical settings; and the application of biomedicine’s intellectual frameworks to the manufacture of novel drugs from ancient treatments. Geared toward nonspecialists, this text fosters a deep appreciation of the complex chemistry and cultural resonance of herbal medicine, while suggesting how we may further tap the vast repositories of the world’s herbal knowledge to create new pharmaceuticals.

Now issued as a paperback, the 2016 hardback edition is also available.

Weight0.6 kg
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Nature's Pharmacopeia will have a significant impact on the training and education of undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the life sciences, history, or other disciplines in the humanities. -- Thomas Eulgem, University of California, Riverside A well-researched, clearly written, and beautifully illustrated textbook on important aspects of the world's ethnomedicine. Throughout the volume, Choffnes seamlessly weaves together fascinating stories and scientific facts and provides an excellent introduction to the past, present, and future of traditional medicine. -- Dr. Rainer W. Bussmann, director, William L. Brown Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Nature's Pharmacopeia is a compelling and wonderfully readable introduction to the importance of plants as therapies and toxins. Dan Choffnes provides a detailed, fascinating overview of some of the most interesting and economically important species-this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the green world. -- Michael J. Balick, vice president for botanical science and director, Institute of Economic Botany, New York Botanical Garden The beauty and romance of medicinal plants are beautifully illustrated in this book, which belongs on the shelf of every researcher, doctor, and medically literate citizen. -- Paul Alan Cox, director, Institute for Ethnomedicine, Jackson Hole, Wyoming Recommended. CHOICE