In 1775, the physician and botanist William Withering (1741-99) was informed of a folk cure for dropsy that had as its active ingredient the plant foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Ten years later, after thorough trials on more than 150 patients, Withering published this monograph on the medicinal applications of the plant, not least to keep less experienced doctors from administering it to patients without the proper caution, given the plant's toxicity. Withering was the first doctor to employ foxglove as a remedy for congestive heart failure, which is now the primary disease treated by foxglove-derived pharmaceuticals, and the results from his trials broadly reflect those produced by modern physicians. Withering's first major publication, A Botanical Arrangement of All the Vegetables Naturally Growing in Great Britain (1776), which includes observations on the medicinal applications of British plants, is also reissued in this series.

The provision and use of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been growing globally over the last 40 years. As CAM develops alongside - and sometimes integrates with - conventional medicine, this handbook provides the first major overview of its regulation and professionalization from social science and legal perspectives. The Routledge Handbook of Complementary and Alternative Medicine draws on historical and international comparative research to provide a rigorous and thematic examination of the field. It argues that many popular and policy debates are stuck in a polarized and largely asocial discourse, and that interdisciplinary social science perspectives, theorising diversity in the field, provide a much more robust evidence base for policy and practice in the field. Divided into four sections, the handbook covers: analytical frameworks power, professions and health spaces risk and regulation perspectives for the future. This important volume will interest social science and legal scholars researching complementary and alternative medicine, professional identify and health care regulation, as well as historians and health policymakers and regulators.

Painful bladder syndrome is a common and highly debilitating condition that Western medicine finds notoriously difficult to treat. Blending ancient and modern holistic medical traditions from both East and West, Philip Weeks guides the reader through the process of managing their symptoms effectively using a simple yet powerful combination of natural techniques, nutrition and herbal medicine. Applying his deep understanding of the principles of Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, he provides holistic medical perspectives on the causes of PBS, as well as clear explanations of specific holistic methods and techniques for bringing symptoms under control, along with step-by-step instructions for introducing them to daily life. The book also looks in a holistic way at effective natural treatments for common co-existing conditions, including allergies, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue. The book ends with an easy-to-follow seven point protocol for recovery from PBS. This pragmatic and compassionate self-help guide will empower those with interstitial cystitis to gain control over their symptoms and achieve greater physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. It will also be of interest to complementary, alternative and mainstream health practitioners involved in treating or supporting those with the condition.

This book investigates the ways in which the evidence base is influencing complementary and alternative medicine in general and Ayurveda and allied health practices in particular. The latter have traditionally been prevalent in Asia and are now increasingly attracting interest worldwide. The book is divided into four sections, the first of which examines issues related to acquisition and evaluation of the evidence base. Evidence-based approaches to Ayurvedic diagnosis and therapy are then examined, with a special focus on management of cardiovascular and rheumatological diseases, dental care, and rejuvenating treatments. The final section explores further the challenges of applying evidence-based practice in contemporary and alternative medicine and Ayurveda with a focus upon the issues requiring urgent attention in ongoing decade. The same involves encompassing areas such as Ayurvedic pharmaceutics, practice, education and research within an evidence-based perspective.

Acupuncture for Pain Management is intended as the premier resource for learning the fundamentals of the art of medical acupuncture. Edited by top pain medicine specialists at Harvard and UCLA, and based on their popular annual workshop at the American Society for Anesthesiologists, the book is the perfect synthesis of Western and Chinese medicine. Anesthesiologists, pain medicine specialists, primary care physicians, osteopaths, neurologists, psychiatrists, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, and other health professionals looking to add acupuncture to their repertoire will benefit from the concise and practical approach of the book. Features: Each individual meridian discussed in detail Acupuncture for 25 clinical conditions, including headache, menstrual pain, low back pain, insomnia, and more Aimed at acupuncturists as well as practitioners who want to add acupuncture to their clinical armamentarium

First published almost a century ago, Malay Poisons and Charm Cures remains a classic and still definitive reference on the pharmacopoeia and practices of Malay healers, shamans (bomoh) and sorcerers (pawing). Gimlette, a British physician, resided in the Malay State of Kelantan for over a decade, during which he gathered the data that comprises the core of this work. Intended as a medical reference for the Colonial Administration, Gimlette's observations were far more widely encompassing, shedding light not only on traditional pharmacology and toxicology, native theories of disease, medical practice, religious ritual and superstition, but also on Malay anthropology generally. With the present revival in interest in traditional medicine, herbal toxins and treatments, as well as in shamanic practice, Gimlette's work offers rich rewards for a new generation of readers.

An extraordinary compendium of information on herbal medicine, Medicinal Plants of the World, Volume 2 comprehensively documents the medicinal value of twenty-four major plants species widely used around the world in medical formulations. The book's exhaustive summary of available scientific data for the plants provides detailed information on how each plant is used in different countries, describing both traditional therapeutic applications and what is known from its use in clinical trials. A comprehensive bibliography of over 3000 references cites the literature available from a wide range of disciplines. This book offers an unprecedented collection of vital scientific information for pharmacologists, herbal medicine practitioners, drug developers, medicinal chemists, phytochemists, toxicologists, and researchers who want to explore the use of plant materials for medicinal and related purposes.

In simple, plain English style, this book will guide you through the entire subject - the theories underlying hypnosis, the disorders it can be used to treat, the wide range of procedures and the protocols for treating different conditions. You will find step-by-step guidance on how to conduct a course of hypnotherapy, from the initial consultation, through establishing rapport with the client, taking a case history, deciding on the appropriate techniques to use, setting realistic therapy aims and objectives, psycho-education, gathering of therapy resources, induction, deepening, therapeutic intervention, ego strengthening to wakening the patient. There is even a chapter that deals with all aspects of managing a successful therapy practice.

Rather than physiological health only, complementary and alternative medicines aim at the production of wellbeing. This book explores how the increasing proliferation of holistic health methods are intimately connected with changing configurations of selfhood, gender and class.

All practitioners and pharmacists interested in treatment with herbal remedies should have this book at their disposal. It is the definitive practice-oriented introduction - now in its fifth edition - to phytotherapy. Methodically classified by organic systems and fields of application, the text provides a quick insight into dosage, form of application and effects of the most important herbal remedies. Only those herbal remedies that are of pharmacological and clinical efficiency have been considered. The authors are highly experienced in the field of postgraduate medical education, and, with this work, present an indispensable reference book for the medical practice.

Globally, natural medicine has been considered as an important alternative to modern allopathic medicine. Although natural medicines are popular in society, only limited medicinal herbs have been scientifically evaluated for their potential in medical treatment. This book connects various aspects of the complex journey from traditional medicine to modern medicine. It provides information on topics including global regulations and regulatory hurdles, diverse nutritional challenges and potential health benefits, novel food innovations especially seed-to-clinic approaches, and future trends. FEATURES * Provides information on sustainable use of natural products in the development of new drugs and clinically validated herbal remedies * Discusses issues on evaluation and clinical aspects of herbal medicine, promotion and development, safety evaluation, metabolite profiling, biomarker analysis, formulation, and stability testing * Describes traditional uses of natural medicine through identification, isolation and structural characterization of their active components * Elucidates mechanisms of biological action, adverse effects and identification of their molecular targets of natural medicine * Multidisciplinary appeal including chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacognosy and cell and molecular biology, as well as integration with clinical medicine This book serves as an essential guide for individuals researching natural medicines, and industry employees in areas including drug development, pharmacology, natural products chemistry, clinical efficacy, ethnopharmacology, pharmacognosy, phytotherapy, phyto-technology and herbal science.