The Western Herbal Tradition provides a comprehensive and critical exploration of the use of plant medicines through 2000 years of history from Dioscorides to the present day. It follows each of the 27 herbs through a wide range of key sources from European, Arabic and American traditions including Greek, Roman and Renaissance texts. A rich discussion of the historical texts is balanced with current application and research.

The herbs have been selected on the basis of common use by practising herbalists.

Each illustrated monograph contains:

Species, identification and botanical description

A study of the characterisation and medicinal use of the plants consistently drawn

from featured herbals which includes the authors' own translations from the Latin

Assessment of past and current texts in the transmission of herbal knowledge

Consideration of traditional therapeutics, including humoral and physiomedical

approaches

Suggestions towards a modern experiential approach through Goethean methodology

Current evidence on pharmacological constituents

Review of evidence on safety

Recommendations for internal and external uses, prescribing and dosage

• Excellent illustrations accompany each monograph to aid learning
• First book to cover broader historical
• perspective and discussions of issues surrounding each herb
• Written by leading experts who are well known in the field
• Includes some monographs of which there is little material already available

• The bibliographic evidence provided could support applications for registration of Herbal Medicinal Products under the provisions of the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Product Directive

• An excellent valuable resource for everyone interested in herbal medicine

Preface ix
1 The historical sources
2 Some observations on the Western herbal tradition
3 Origins and proponents of the revival of herbal medicine in 19th century Britain
4 A note on Goethe
5 Notes on botanical descriptions, constituents and dosage
6 Agrimonia eupatoria, agrimony
7 Alchemilla vulgaris, lady's mantle
8 Althaea officinalis, marshmallow; Malva sylvestris, common mallow; Alcea rosea,
hollyhock
9 Apium graveolens, wild celery
10 Arctium lappa, burdock
11 Artemisia absinthium, wormwood
12 Artemisia vulgaris, mugwort
13 Centaurium erythraea, centaury
14 Daucus carota, wild carrot
15 Drimia maritima, squill
16 Fumaria officinalis, fumitory
17 Galium aparine, goosegrass
18 Glechoma hederacea, ground ivy
19 Hyssopus officinalis, hyssop
20 Inula helenium, elecampane
21 Lamium album, white deadnettle
22 Ocimum basilicum, basil
23 Paeonia officinalis, paeony
24 Potentilla erecta, tormentil
25 Rosa damascene, damask rose
26 Rubus idaeus, raspberry
27 Ruta graveolens, rue
28 Scrophularia nodosa, figwort
29 Stachys officinalis, wood betony
30 Tussilago farfara, coltsfoot
31 Verbena officinalis, vervain
32 Viola odorata, sweet violet; Viola tricolour, heartsease