Fully updated and authoritative, this revised edition of DK's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine makes this classic, completely illustrated reference guide even bigger and better than the original. Featuring more than 550 medicinal plants and the most current scientific research, this volume provides a comprehensive guide to healing with the world's oldest form of medicine. A unique photographic index profiles over 550 plants, with detailed information on habitat and cultivation, parts used, active constituents, therapeutic properties, and traditional and current uses. A special section profiles 100 of the most common plants, featuring herbal preparations and recommendations for self-treatment. Guidelines on growing, harvesting, and storing medicinal plants also demonstrate making remedies for home use. In addition, accessible text offers fascinating insight into the chemistry of plants and their healing properties, explaining how and why they work as medicines within the body. The major herbal traditions of different cultures- Europe, India, China, Africa, Australia, and the Americas- are vividly described. A review of herbs from a historical perspective reveals the connection between medicinal herbs and cultural beliefs toward healing. Offering extensive coverage of all that herbs are- from cultural traditions to chemical components to self-treatments for common ailments-this Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine is the ultimate reference for anyone interested in exploring the healing benefits of medicinal plants.

Recommended for both public and academic libraries. (Library Journal)

A completely revised and updated edition of the classic reference guide to herbs and their use in medicine, indispensable for anyone wishing to develop their knowledge of alternative health.

-- Illustrated features explore herbal traditions and the use of herbs as a form of healing around the world, from China and India to Europe and the Americas

-- An easy-to-access Home Pharmacy section shows how to make herbal preparations and recommends safe, effective remedies for a wide range of common ailments and health problems

-- An Illustrated Index of Medicinal Herbs profiles more than 550 plants, systematically detailing their history, cultivation, constituents, properties, and traditional and current uses

This accessible, authoritative, and informative reference guide provides a unique insight into the medicinal actions of herbs, based on the latest scientific research.

Provides extensive coverage of hundreds of conditions and their remedies, including their sources and symptoms. In-depth explanations of today's most popular alternative therapies are enhanced by step-by-step photos.

Andrew Chevallier, FNIMH, is an experienced medical herbalist and Senior Lecturer in Herbal Medicine at Middlesex University. He runs a busy private practice in London and is involved in clinical and laboratory research in herbal medicine. He is a past president of the National Institute of Medicinal Herbalists, and author of several other books on herbal medicine, including Hypericum: The Natural Antidepressant and More and Flaxseed. Established in 1971, Natural Health is the longest running and most respected periodical in the field of natural self-care. Read by more than a million health-conscious readers each issue, Natural Health is a trusted leader, providing credible information, guidance, and inspiration to both core devotees of natural healing and to the growing legions of new natural health enthusiasts. Published by Weider Publications, Inc., Natural Health's Editorial Advisory Board includes such esteemed authorities as Dean Ornish, Carolyn Dean, and Andrew Weil.