M.S. Mueller, E. Mechler, ,Medicinal Plants in Tropical Countries, Traditional Use – Experience...
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Phytomedicine 13 (2006) 602 BOOK REVIEW M.S. Mueller, E. Mechler, Medicinal Plants in Tropical Countries, Traditional Use – Experience – Facts, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, ISBN 1-58890-253- 6, 2005 (168pp., US$109.95, Hardcover). This book makes a relevant contribution to the rational knowledge of medicinal plant use as alternative medicine in African countries and on other continents. The introduction deals with topics of interest, such as the use of folk or traditional medicine and its integration into the primary health care system without ignoring the complexity of the topic and the need for multidisciplin- ary research and clinical trials for recommending the use of medicinal plants. The 26 monographs that are presented are fairly complete, in that they give the scientific name of each plant as well as its common names in English, German, French, and Spanish. Most people only know these plants by their common names, which change from one country to another. Each monograph details the plant part that is used, dosage, scientific research (chemistry and pharmacology studies), clinical results, warnings for use, and side effects. All this information is accompanied by a complete bibliography of scientific works for each monograph. The clinical research included is important and should be noted, since it verifies the plant’s use in popular medicine and decreases the risks associated with the use of the alternative medicines through a more rational, scientific approach. Also noteworthy is the importance the authors give the warnings for use, counter-indications, and secondary effects related to the use of each plant if dosages are not respected or if treatment periods are over-extended. Another very useful and practical aspect of this book is that the main use of each plant is presented with asterisks (****), clarifying its true usage of the many that are reported in general literature. The book is an excellent guide for people who use alternative (or complementary or holistic) medicines; that is, 80% of the world population according to the authors themselves and studies by the Organization of American States. In summary, the most important aspect of this book, without a doubt, is the presentation of clinical trials, allowing a certain rational, scientific validation of the plant’s use. Another important aspect to point out is the awareness of the authors regarding the need for efforts to continue doing multidisciplinary research (chemical, pharmacological, toxicological) in order to gain more scientific information and, particularly, clinical trials, which are still scarce and insufficient. The authors insist that the use of medicinal plants is complex and, therefore, recommend the use of the present book as information and not as a book that gives instructions on the use of medicinal plants. They reiterate the necessity of continuing scientific investiga- tion and, when possible, clinical studies. Mario Silva, Magalis Bittner Department of Botany, Natural Sciences Faculty, Chemistry of Natural Products, Universidad de Concepcio´n, Casilla 160-C, Concepcion, Chile E-mail address: [email protected] (M. Silva) ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.de/phymed doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2006.04.001
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Transcript of M.S. Mueller, E. Mechler, ,Medicinal Plants in Tropical Countries, Traditional Use – Experience...
ARTICLE IN PRESS
doi:10.1016/j.ph
Phytomedicine 13 (2006) 602
www.elsevier.de/phymed
BOOK REVIEW
M.S. Mueller, E. Mechler, Medicinal Plants in Tropical
Countries, Traditional Use – Experience – Facts, Georg
Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, ISBN 1-58890-253-
6, 2005 (168pp., US$109.95, Hardcover).
This book makes a relevant contribution to therational knowledge of medicinal plant use as alternativemedicine in African countries and on other continents.
The introduction deals with topics of interest, such asthe use of folk or traditional medicine and its integrationinto the primary health care system without ignoring thecomplexity of the topic and the need for multidisciplin-ary research and clinical trials for recommending the useof medicinal plants.
The 26 monographs that are presented are fairlycomplete, in that they give the scientific name of eachplant as well as its common names in English, German,French, and Spanish. Most people only know theseplants by their common names, which change from onecountry to another.
Each monograph details the plant part that is used,dosage, scientific research (chemistry and pharmacologystudies), clinical results, warnings for use, and sideeffects. All this information is accompanied by acomplete bibliography of scientific works for eachmonograph.
The clinical research included is important and shouldbe noted, since it verifies the plant’s use in popularmedicine and decreases the risks associated with the useof the alternative medicines through a more rational,scientific approach.
Also noteworthy is the importance the authors givethe warnings for use, counter-indications, and secondary
ymed.2006.04.001
effects related to the use of each plant if dosages are notrespected or if treatment periods are over-extended.
Another very useful and practical aspect of this bookis that the main use of each plant is presented withasterisks (****), clarifying its true usage of the manythat are reported in general literature.
The book is an excellent guide for people who usealternative (or complementary or holistic) medicines;that is, 80% of the world population according to theauthors themselves and studies by the Organization ofAmerican States.
In summary, the most important aspect of this book,without a doubt, is the presentation of clinical trials,allowing a certain rational, scientific validation of theplant’s use.
Another important aspect to point out is theawareness of the authors regarding the need for effortsto continue doing multidisciplinary research (chemical,pharmacological, toxicological) in order to gain morescientific information and, particularly, clinical trials,which are still scarce and insufficient.
The authors insist that the use of medicinal plants iscomplex and, therefore, recommend the use of thepresent book as information and not as a book thatgives instructions on the use of medicinal plants. Theyreiterate the necessity of continuing scientific investiga-tion and, when possible, clinical studies.
Mario Silva, Magalis BittnerDepartment of Botany, Natural Sciences Faculty,
Chemistry of Natural Products, Universidad de
Concepcion, Casilla 160-C, Concepcion, Chile
E-mail address: [email protected] (M. Silva)
