Botanical medicine

FOREWORD
The editors have produced a valuable book that will serve the broad community of researchers who seek to conduct scientifically sound research on botanicals used for medicinal purposes. The content evolved from an American Society of Pharmacognosy workshop titled “Clinical Pharmacognosy: Contribution of Pharmacognosy to Clinical Trials of Botanicals and Dietary Supplements” and highlights some of the best quality research, the complexities of studying botanical extracts, and potential pitfalls and challenges of searching for active compounds. The book contains authoritative chapters, ranging from how to ensure quality products through to clinical aspects of widely used and emerging botanical medicines. The topics and particular botanicals chosen are illustrative of the detailed examination and knowledge needed to take an herb from the field to the phytochemistry laboratory, to a clinically useful product. It is important, given significant marketing spin in product advertising, labels, and Internet sites, that the book as a compilation, enables the reader to see the links between the extracting methods, the design of basic scientific studies, and the questions asked in a clinical trial, based on scientific rationale, as well as documented use. Data are succinctly presented and include multicomponent interactions; detailed pharmacology; mechanisms of action, safety and toxicology; and exemplify issues to take into consideration when conducting research or reading scientific papers on botanicals. Organized into three sections—selection and quality of botanical preparations, preclinical and clinical approaches, and a practitioner’s view of the challenges for those interested in exploring botanical preparations—this book is, to the best of my knowledge, the first to address all three of these subject areas under the same cover. This book enables clinical researchers to appreciate the unique challenges of researching herbal products, and basic scientists and