PDR for Herbal Medicines

1

Herbal Monographs

This section contains comprehensive profiles of some

700 medicinal herbs, including the findings of the

German Regulatory Authority's herbal watchdog agen-

cy, commonly called "Commission E." This agency

has conducted an intensive assessment of the peer-

reviewed literature on some 300 common botanicals,

weighing the quality of the clinical evidence and identi-

fying the uses for which the herb can reasonably be

considered effective. Its conclusions represent the best

expert consensus on medicinal herbs currently to be

found.

For those herbs not considered by Commission E,
Physicians' Desk Reference has augmented this section
with the results of an exhaustive literature review con-
ducted by the respected PhytoPharm U.S. Institute of
Phytopharmaceuticals under the direction of noted
botanist, Dr. Joerg Gruenwald. These monographs,
r some 400 in number, provide a detailed introduction to

an array of exotic botanicals that you'll be hard pressed

to find in any other source.

To make the information in the monographs as useful

and accessible as possible, PDR has echoed the struc-

ture of standard U.S. product labeling. Each mono-

graph contains up to ten standard sections, covering

considerations ranging from description to dosage.

Specifically, here's what you will find:

• Title: Each monograph begins with the herb's gener-
  ally accepted common name, followed by its scientific
  name. In addition, all monographs* are cross-refer-
  enced by their botanical designation.


• Trade Names: Listed here are common commercial
  preparations of the herb.


• Description: This section provides a detailed botan-
  ical overview of the herb, including information on its
  medicinal parts; flower and fruit; leaves, stem, and
  root; unique characteristics, habitat, production, related
  plants, and additional common names and synonyms.


• Actions and Pharmacology: Here you'll find data
  on the active compounds or heterogeneous mixtures
  found in the plant, followed by a summary of the herb's
  clinical effects. If various parts of the plant possess
  different pharmacological activity, the parts are dis-
  cussed individually, here and throughout the remainder
  of the monograph.


• Indications and Usage: Information on the uses of
  the herb is listed under five categories, as applicable:
  — Approved by Commission E
  — Unproven Uses
  — Chinese Medicine
  — Indian Medicine
  — Homeopathic