Syzygium is a well-known source of the globally traded clove as well as the widely cultivated jambolan, water apple, rose apple, wax apple, mountain apple, and several other underutilized species. These plants have multiple uses as edible fruits, medicine, spice, food colorants, and flavorings. The Genus Syzygium: Syzygium cumini and Other Underutilized Species provides an updated, comprehensive account of S. cumini and other underutilized species from a multidisciplinary perspective. This book covers all relevant aspects including the botany, systematics, phylogeny, life history, traditional medicinal uses, phytochemical constituents, pharmacology, pharmacopeia standards, horticulture, genetic resource conservation, biocontrol, and bioremediation values. It demonstrates how Syzygium cumini and other underutilized species hold great prospect for global pharmaceutical and horticultural trade. The Genus Syzygium will serve as the standard reference for a broad range of researchers interested in the various uses of S. cumini and eight underutilized Indo-Malaysian and Australasian species of Syzygium.

Recent global cancer statistical data has clearly indicated that prostate cancer is currently the second most frequently diagnosed cancer (at 15% of all male cancers) and globally the sixth leading cause of cancer death in males. This book is a summary of prostate cancer, covering its incidence, epidemiology, and current treatment options. It also serves as an up-to-date review of the status of currently available alternative and complementary medicines for treating prostate cancer, including various plant extracts, herbal formulations, natural products, yoga, acupuncture, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and Siddha medicines used in prostate cancer therapy.

Significant advances made by Western medicine in the treatment of cancer are well-documented, but little has been written in English on complementary holistic treatment with Chinese medical methods that manage its symptoms and ameliorate the side effects of surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This book explains the complementary approach using cases from the medical files of Professor Rencun Yu, who was trained in Western medical oncology but also practices Chinese medicine. In addition, introductory chapters explain the basic principles of Chinese medicine, while other chapters cover the prevention of cancers through appropriate nutrition and living habits. The book should command the attention of medical professionals as well as the layperson interested in preventing and understanding the illness. There is no equivalent book in English that so skillfully combines an introduction to Chinese medical principles and cancer management for the general reader with detailed clinical studies of the crucial complementary role played by Chinese medicine in Western treatments for cancer patients.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account of the HPLC technology and fingerprints of commonly-used Chinese herbs. It contains HPLC fingerprints of over 40 traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and details of their sources, production and quality control. The book provides a practical review of the techniques, relevant materials, and the particular demands for using HPLC in traditional Chinese medicinal herb applications. It also covers HPLC methods used to analyze the herbs.High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is increasingly used in the field of traditional Chinese medicine for obtaining fingerprints of Chinese medicinal herbs. Advantages such as high speed, high resolution, high sensitivity, stability, accuracy, and automation make it one of the leading techniques used for quality control, standardization of planting, and new drug development in traditional Chinese medicine.To date, no other books on HPLC fingerprints of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs have been published in English. This is the first book in English devoted to providing readers with state-of-the-art information on HPLC applied in the analysis of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs.

Alternative medicine is not a fashionable new trend but an established cultural strategy, as well as a dynamic feature of mainstream contemporary medicine, in which elements of folk traditions are often blended with western scientific approaches.The Anthropology of Alternative Medicine is a concise yet wide-ranging exploration of non-biomedical healing. The book addresses a broad range of practices including: substance, energy and information flows (e.g. helminthic therapy); spirit, consciousness and trance (e.g. shamanism); body, movement and the senses (e.g. reiki and aromatherapy); as well as classical medical traditions as complements or alternatives to Western biomedicine (e.g. Ayurveda). Exploring the cultural underpinnings of contemporary healing methods, while assessing current ideas, topics and resources for further study, this book will be invaluable to undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology, sociology, psychology, and health related professions such as nursing, physical and occupational therapy, and biomedicine.

This book deals with the creation of the algorithmic backbone that enables a computer to perceive humans in a monitored space. This is performed using the same signals that humans process, i.e., audio and video. Computers reproduce the same type of perception using sensors and algorithms in order to detect and track multiple interacting humans, by way of multiple cues, like bodies, faces or speech. This application domain is challenging, because audio and visual signals are cluttered by both background and foreground objects. First, particle filtering is established as the framework for tracking. Then, audio, visual and also audio-visual tracking systems are separately explained. Each modality is analyzed, starting with sensor configuration, detection for tracker initialization and the trackers themselves. Techniques to fuse the modalities are then considered. Instead of offering a monolithic approach to the tracking problem, this book also focuses on implementation by providing MATLAB code for every presented component. This way, the reader can connect every concept with corresponding code. Finally, the applications of the various tracking systems in different domains are studied.

Using original sources, this significant text looks at the transformation of Chinese medicine from a marginal, side-lined medical practice of the early twentieth century, to an essential and high-profile part of the national health-care system under the Chinese Communist Party. The political, economic and social motives which drove this promotion are analyzed and the extraordinary role that Chinese medicine was meant to play in Mao Zedong's revolution is fully explored for the first time, making a major contribution to the history of Chinese medicine.

Would you use complementary and alternative medicines (CAMS)? Well, research has shown that up to three quarters of patients with cancer may at least supplement their treatment with such therapies, spending as much on CAMS as conventional drugs. How do you decide? This book provides a full range of perspectives on CAMS from patients and CAMS practitioners to conventional doctors who oppose the use of these alternative treatments because of the lack of evidence of efficacy and safety. Then there are the CAMS researchers, educators and regulators who view CAMS from different perspectives. The broad array of opinions build a complete picture of the issues for discerning readers to be adequately informed to make up their minds and draw their own conclusions.

The genus Phyllanthus has over 1,000 species distributed worldwide, many of which have been used indigenously for the treatment of a variety of ailments for generations. Researchers have developed ways to analyze the potential of these plants and demonstrated the pharmacological action and various chemical entities present in each of them. They have validated the folklore claims and used this knowledge to design cost-effective and reliable sources of medicine.

The first book to exclusively examine the genus Phyllanthus, Phyllanthus Species: Scientific Evaluation and Medicinal Applications begins with a systematic classification and identification manual for various plants in the genus, followed by the scientific evaluation of the species for modern medicinal use. This reference compiles cutting edge research from countries around the world, including the UK, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Spain, Cuba, and China. Topics covered include phylogenetic analysis of Phyllanthus, chemistry of the genus, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and chemo- protective effects, genotoxicity, clinical trials involving Phyllanthus, and various formulations containing different plants from the genus Phyllanthus.

Phyllanthus Species: Scientific Evaluation and Medicinal Applications describes in detail the taxonomy, cultivation, and marketing, identification of geographic and genetic hot spots, chemistry, scientific evaluation, and clinical trials of various species of Phyllanthus. Written for researchers and educators in academia, industry, agriculture, and the interested general public, this book's up-to-date references make it a powerful resource providing first-hand information on Phyllanthus.

Reduced production of DHEA associated with the diseases that accompany aging has led to its use as a nutritional supplement for antiaging, metabolic support, and other purposes. While animal studies have clearly shown substantial benefits of DHEA in combating various disease states, the effect of low levels of DHEA in humans is less established, and the mechanisms of action and potential involvement in illnesses remain unclear. DHEA in Human Health and Aging reviews the past ten years of research into this hormone and explores its potential for future study.

With contributions from a cadre of international experts, this volume examines:

• The biology of DHEA relevant to health in humans
• Areas of potential clinical importance concerning low levels of DHEA related to age or physiological change
• Prevention as well as treatment of various human disease states by changing DHEA levels
• The use of DHEA levels in predicting the risk of disease
• The role of DHEA in diabetes, fitness, infectious disease, cancer, AIDS, bone health, cardiovascular diseases, autism, and mental health
• Animal models and their relation to studies done on humans
• The effects of loss of adrenal gland function, the subsequent reduction in DHEA production, and its replacement as therapy
• Adverse effects in DHEA-supplemented women
• Mechanisms of action of DHEA in prostate and ovarian health, vascular modification, stress, memory, aggression, and Alzheimer's disease

Covering a wide range of topics, the book is compiled from contributions of experts who have each studied some aspect of DHEA and human or animal health or disease. Every chapter is self-contained, allowing for focused study on individual topics. Edited by one of the leading experts in the field of nutrition, the book presents a compelling view of the state of the science in DHEA.

Pengelly's user friendly text will encourage educators in medical science to consider using this material in the complementary medicine/nutraceuticals areas May I congratulate Andrew Pengelly for writing this text as it is going to be very popular with undergraduate students as well as more experienced readers.' D. Green, London Metropolitan University, UK This unique book explains in simple terms the commonly occurring chemical constituents of medicinal plants. The major classes of plant constituents such as phenols, terpenes and polysaccharides, are described both in terms of their chemical structures and their pharmacological activities. Identifying specific chemical compounds provides insights into traditional and clinical use of these herbs, as well as potential for adverse reactions. Features include: * Over 100 diagrams of chemical structures * References to original research studies and clinical trials * References to plants commonly used throughout Europe, North America and Australasia. Written by an experienced herbal practitioner, The Constituents of Medicinal Plants seriously challenges any suggestion that herbal medicine remains untested and unproven, including as it does hundreds of references to original research studies and trials. Designed as an undergraduate text, the first edition of this book became an essential desktop reference for health practitioners, lecturers, researchers, producers and anyone with an interest in how medicinal herbs work. This edition has been extensively revised to incorporate up-to-date research and additional sections, including an expanded introduction to plant molecular structures, and is destined to become a classic in the literature of herbal medicine.

This third book in the three-volume Plant Secondary Metabolites examines the relationship between environmental stress and the physiology of plants, leading to stimulation of secondary metabolites. Various stressors are discussed, including plant and soil interfaces, changing climate elements, essential plant nutrients, pest insects, plant pathogens and microrganisms, and more. The chapters, written by experienced experts, also address the diverse utilization of plant-originated secondary metabolites and more.

Techniques for cultivation and harvesting hallucinogenic and psychoactive plants. Written in careful detail by an expert horticulturist. This hard to obtain cult classic is once again available. Glossary.

The popularity of Tibetan medicine plays a central role in the international market for alternative medicine and has been increasing and extending far beyond its original cultural area becoming a global phenomenon. This book analyses Tibetan medicine in the 21st century by considering the contemporary reasons that have led to its diversity and by bringing out the common orientations of this medical system. Using case studies that examine of the social, political and identity dynamics of Tibetan medicine in Nepal, India, the PRC, Mongolia, the UK and the US, the contributors to this book answer the following three, fundamental questions:

• What are the modalities and issues involved in the social and therapeutic transformations of Tibetan medicine?
• How are national policies and health reforms connected to the processes of contemporary redefinition of this medicine?
• How does Tibetan medicine fit into the present, globalized context of the medical world?

Written by experts in the field from the US, France, Canada, China and the UK this book will be invaluable to students and scholars interested in contemporary medicine, Tibetan studies, health studies and the anthropology of Asia.

'Winner of the ICAS Colleagues Choice Award 2009"

A debilitating disease of pain, inflammation, and loss of mobility and quality of life, arthritis takes victims of all ages, from young children to seniors. Usually chronic, the broad term arthritis refers to nearly 100 distinct manifestations, each with their own etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment. With medical research getting so much attention, it is no wonder there have been recent leaps in the investigation into arthritis treatment. It is important to have a high quality, trusted compendium to capture the breadth and depth of new information in the field. Covering cutting-edge information on arthritic diseases and their treatment, Arthritis: Pathophysiology, Prevention, and Therapeutics details the intricacies of arthritis and inflammatory responses, their consequences, their economic burden, and their impact on society. Offering a mechanistic approach to pathophysiology and treatment, the book begins with an overview of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. Section Two highlights the consequences of arthritis and the link between arthritis and obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as well as other related disabilities. The third section focuses on antiarthritic drugs, including an overview and update on antiarthritic drug development by Dr. Micheal G. Lyon from Stanford University School of Medicine, and a chapter on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Other chapters cover biologics in arthritis treatment, topical applications, and the use of hyaluronan and hyaluronic acid in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Sections Four and Five are devoted to natural therapeutic and orthopedic interventions such as glucosamine and chondroitin, MSM, capsaicin, shark cartilage, and fish oil, while Section Six discusses nonpharmacological approaches including physical exercise and acupuncture. The final section provides a commentary on the correlation between a

In August 2004, South Africa officially legalized the practice of traditional healers. Largely in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and limited both by the number of practitioners and by patients' access to treatment, biomedical practitioners looked toward the country's traditional healers as important agents in the development of medical education and treatment. This collaboration has not been easy. The two medical cultures embrace different ideas about the body and the origin of illness, but they do share a history of commercial and ideological competition and different relations to state power. "Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948 "provides a long-overdue historical perspective to these interactions and an understanding that is vital for the development of medical strategies to effectively deal with South Africa's healthcare challenges.
Between 1820 and 1948 traditional healers in Natal, South Africa, transformed themselves from politically powerful men and women who challenged colonial rule and law into successful entrepreneurs who competed for turf and patients with white biomedical doctors and pharmacists. To understand what is "traditional" about traditional medicine, Flint argues that we must consider the cultural actors not commonly associated with African therapeutics: white biomedical practitioners, Indian healers, and the implementing of white rule.
Carefully crafted, well written, and powerfully argued, Flint's analysis of the ways that indigenous medical knowledge and therapeutic practices were forged, contested, and transformed over two centuries is highly illuminating, as is her demonstration that many "traditional" practices changed over time. Her discussion of African and Indian medical encounters opens up a whole new way of thinking about the social basis of health and healing in South Africa. This important book will be core reading for classes and future scholarship on health and healing in South Africa.

Medicinal plants are accumulating impurities from increasing environmental pollution. Pollutants have altered growth features, gas exchange parameters, biochemical attributes, bioactive substances, antioxidant activity, and gene expression. This book brings to light these conditions and a need to alter them. Plants are the natural source of medicines mainly due to the presence of secondary metabolites and have been used as medicine in crude extract form. They have been used to isolate the bioactive compounds in modern medicine as well as in herbal medicine systems and are used worldwide as a valuable source for new drug formulations. This book focuses on secondary metabolites, phytochemicals, and bioactive compounds associated with medicinal plants growing in contamination conditions. There is no existing book on this topic.

Readers who suffere from low thyroid, or think they might, can find the missing answers. For the person who's been told "it's not your thyroid," without then being told convincingly what the problem is. This book provides readers with the knowledge needed to communicate and work with their docteors to get the treatment they deserve.

Frank Murray opens the narrative with a history of acupuncture, then co-author Dr. Jun Xu explains how acupunctures "magic needles" release a natural energy that can alleviate even longstanding health conditions - including asthma, bronchitis, substance abuse, headaches, and hypertension. He continues with a discussion of how acupuncture works, what conditions are most responsive to it, and which treatments are approved by physicians and health organziations. Case histories, tips for practitioners, a glossary of terms, and a reference section is included.

Dr. Fuchs has gathered the mmost relevant healing secrets she's come across in her years of unrelenting detective work.

Readers who suffere from low thyroid, or think they might, can find the missing answers. For the person who's been told it's not your thyroid, without then being told convincingly what the problem is. This book provides readers with the knowledge needed to communicate and work with their docteors to get the treatment they deserve.

Effective, safe, affordable, and free of chemical side effects-the benefits of homeopathy are endless! Already established in the national health care systems of England, France, and the Netherlands, homeopathic treatments are used by over five hundred million people worldwide. Alan Schmukler's Homeopathy discusses the history and science of this alternative medicine and provides a comprehensive list of proven remedies-safe for people and animals. Packed with homeopathic treatments for arthritis, colds, food poisoning, insomnia, Lyme disease, morning sickness, wounds, and a host of other ailments and injuries, this handy reference guide also includes information on homeopathic immunization and first aid. Schmukler gives helpful instructions for matching remedies with symptoms, ingesting them correctly, making remedies at home, and stretching your supply. Praise: "This book is a joy to read, easy to understand, comfortable to use. Whether you are a neophyte or an old-hand in your knowledge of homeopathy, you will benefit from having this book in your library. It is one of the most comprehensive acute care books on the market."--Lilipoh Magazine "Schmuckler's handbook is a comprehensive modern look at the 200 most commonly used remedies that should help satisfy everyone's health questions through homeopathy."--Alive Magazine "Heaven forbid we should find ourselves responding to a life-threatening or cataclysmic event, but if we did, this book would be a godsend! Alan believes homeopathy is 'magical, exciting, and empowering.' Having his book, already dog-eared and visibly well-loved, certainly makes me feel empowered!"--Homeopathy Today

Originally published in 1986, this volume deals with the historical, philosophical and psychological concepts found in Islamic medical practices, and covers Islamic ideas on physiological, pathological, curative and preventative medicine. This was the first systematic study of Islamic medicine to be published in the English language and continues to have much relevance at a time when interest both in Islamic thought and in alternatives to conventional medicine is strong.