Nature's Pharmacopeia : A World of Medicinal Plants / Dan Choffnes.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Choffnes, Dan, Author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Medicinal plants.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (349 pages) : color illustrations, photographs

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Columbia University Press, [2016]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

This beautifully illustrated, elegantly 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, Nature's Pharmacopeia also builds an unparalleled portrait of these special herbs as they transitioned from wild flora and botanical curiosities to commodities and potent drugs. 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.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

Note to the Reader

Introduction

Chapter 1. Concepts of Ethnomedicine

Chapter 2. The Regulation of Drugs

Chapter 3. The Actions of Medicinal Plants

Chapter 4. The Actions of Medicinal Plants on the Nervous System

Chapter 5. Poppy

Chapter 6. Coca

Chapter 7. Peyote

Chapter 8. Wormwood

Chapter 9. Hemp

Chapter 10. Coffee

Chapter 11. Tea

Chapter 12. Cacao

Chapter 13. Tobacco

Chapter 14. Popular Herbs

Chapter 15. The Future of Medicinal Plants

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 21. Dez 2019)

ISBN:

9780231540155

0231540159

OCLC:

984665456