Rational Phytotherapy

1 Medicinal Plants, Phytomedicines, and Phytotherapy.- 1.1 Common Roots of Pharmacotherapy.- 1.2 Making Medicines Safer by Isolating and Modifying Plant Constituents.- 1.3 Pharmaceutical Preparation of Phytomedicines.- 1.3.1 What are Extracts?.- 1.3.2 Standardization of Extracts.- 1.3.2.1 Quality of the Herbal material.- 1.3.2.2 Production Methods.- 1.3.2.3 Adjustment of Quality.- 1.3.2.4 Analytical Quality Control.- 1.4 Phytomedicines.- 1.4.1 Liquid Dosage Forms.- 1.4.1.1 Tinctures, Glycerites, and Related Products.- 1.4.1.2 Syrups.- 1.4.1.3 Medicinal Oils.- 1.4.1.4 Medicinal Spirits.- 1.4.1.5 Plant Juices.- 1.4.2 Solid Dosage Forms.- 1.4.2.1 Granules.- 1.4.2.2 Uncoated Tablets.- 1.4.2.3 Coated Tablets.- 1.4.2.4 Capsules.- 1.4.2.5 Lozenges.- 1.4.3 Packaging.- 1.4.4 Herbal Combination Products.- 1.5 Phytotherapy.- 1.5.1 Pharmacologic Characteristics.- 1.5.1.1 Therapeutic Range.- 1.5.1.2 Onset of Action.- 1.5.2 Pharmacologic and Clinical Research.- 1.5.3 Indications for the Use of Phytomedicines.- 1.5.4 What Physicians Require from Phytomedicines.- 1.5.5 Hopes and Expectations of the Patients.- 1.5.6 Benefits and Risks of Phytomedicines Compared with Other Therapies.- 1.6 Medicinal Teas Today.- 1.6.1 Origin of the Word Tea. Medicinal and Nonmedicinal Teas.- 1.6.2 Medicinal Teas and Their Actions.- 1.6.3 Various Forms of Medicinal Teas.- 1.6.3.1 Mixtures of Cut and Dried Herbs.- 1.6.3.2 Tea-bag Teas.- 1.6.3.3 Soluble Teas.- 1.6.4 Standard Approval for Tea Mixtures.- 1.6.5 Teas Compounded as prescribed by a Physician.- 1.6.6 Guidelines for Tea Preparation.- 1.6.7 Teas for Infants and children.- 1.6.8 Adverse Effects and Risks.- 2 Central Nervous System.- 2.1 Ginkgo in the Treatment of Cognitive Deficiency.- 2.1.1 Introduction.- 2.1.2 Botanical Description.- 2.1.3 Crude Drug and Extract.- 2.1.4 Key Constituents, Analysis, Pharmacokinetics.- 2.1.5 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 2.1.6 Clinical Efficacy in Patients with Cognitive Deficiency.- 2.1.7 Indications, Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 2.1.8 Therapeutic Significance.- 2.1.9 Drug Products.- 2.2 ST. John's Wort as an Antidepressant.- 2.2.1 Introduction.- 2.2.2 Botanical Description.- 2.2.3 Crude Drug and Extract.- 2.2.4 Key Constituents, Analysis, Pharmacokinetics.- 2.2.5 Pharmacology.- 2.2.5.1 Biochemical Models 6l.- 2.2.5.2 Behavioral Models in Animals.- 2.2.6 Toxicology, Photosensitization.- 2.2.7 Clinical Efficacy in Depressed Patients.- 2.2.8 Indications, Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 2.2.9 Therapeutic Significance.- 2.2.10 Drug Products.- 2.3 Kava as an Anxiolytic.- 2.3.1 Introduction.- 2.3.2 Botanical Description.- 2.3.3 Crude Drug and Extract.- 2.3.4 Key Constituents, Analysis, Pharmacokinetics.- 2.3.5 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 2.3.6 Clinical Efficacy.- 2.3.7 Side Effects and Risks.- 2.3.8 Indications and Dosages.- 2.3.9 Therapeutic Significance.- 2.3.10 Drug Products.- 2.4 Restlessness and Sleep Disturbances.- 2.4.1 Valerian.- 2.4.1.1 Medicinal Plant.- 2.4.1.2 Crude Drug and Extract.- 2.4.1.3 Key Constituents, Analysis, Pharmacokinetics.- 2.4.1.4 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 2.4.1.5 Pharmacologic Effects in Humans and Clinical Efficacy in Patients.- 2.4.1.6 Indications, Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 2.4.1.7 Therapeutic Significance.- 2.4.2 Hops, Lemon Balm, Passion Flower, and Lavender.- 2.4.2.1 Hop Strobiles and Hop Glands.- 2.4.2.2 Balm Leaves.- 2.4.2.3 Passion Flower.- 2.4.2.4 Lavender.- 2.4.3 Sedative Teas.- 2.4.4 Drug Products.- 3 Cardiovascular System.- 3.1 Heart Failure and Coronary Insufficiency.- 3.1.1 Hawthorn.- 3.1.1.1 Introduction.- 3.1.1.2 Medicinal Plant.- 3.1.1.3 Crude Drug and Extract.- 3.1.1.4 Key Constituents, Analysis, Pharmacokinetics.- 3.1.1.5 Pharmacology.- 3.1.1.6 Toxicology.- 3.1.1.7 Clinical Efficacy.- 3.1.1.8 Indications. Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 3.1.1.9 Therapeutic Significance.- 3.1.1.10 Drug Products.- 3.1.2 Herbs Containing Digitaloids.- 3.1.2.1 False Hellabore.- 3.1.2.2 Lily-of-the-Valley.- 3.1.2.3 Squill Powder.- 3.1.2.4 Oleander Leaves.- 3.1.2.5 Drug Products.- 3.1.3 Other Cardioactive Plant Drugs.- 3.2 Hypotension and Hypertension.- 3.2.1 Phytotherapy of Hypotension.- 3.2.1.1 Caffeine-Containing Herbs and Beverages.- 3.2.1.2 Essential Oils.- 3.2.2 Phytotherapy of Hypertension.- 3.3 Atherosclerosis and Arterial Occlusive Disease.- 3.3.1 Garlic.- 3.3.1.1 Historical Background.- 3.3.1.2 Botanical Description.- 3.3.1.3 Crude Drug.- 3.3.1.4 Key Constituents, Analysis, Pharmacokinetics.- 3.3.1.5 Experimental Pharmacology.- 3.3.1.5.1 Effects on Atherogenesis and Lipid Metabolism.- 3.3.1.5.2 Effects on Vascular Resistance, Fibrinolysis, and Platelet Aggregation.- 3.3.1.5.3 Cardioprotective and Antioxidative Effects.- 3.3.1.5.4 Other Actions.- 3.3.1.6 Toxicology.- 3.3.1.7 Clinical Studies.- 3.3.1.7.1 Reduction of Elevated Blood Lipids.- 3.3.1.7.2 Blood Pressure Reduction.- 3.3.1.7.3 Inhibiting the Progression of Atherosclerosis in Humans.- 3.3.1.7.4 Other Clinical Studies.- 3.3.1.8 Side Effects and Garlic Odor.- 3.3.1.9 Indications, Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 3.3.1.10 Therapeutic Significance.- 3.3.1.11 Drug Products.- 3.3.2 Gingko Special Extract for Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease.- 3.3.3 Other Herbs with Antiatherosclerotic Properties.- 3.3.3.1 Red Yeast Rice.- 3.4 Chronic Venous Insufficiency.- 3.4.1 Horse Chestnut Seed Extract.- 3.4.1.1 Introduction.- 3.4.1.2 Crude Drug and Extract.- 3.4.1.3 Chemistry and Pharmacokinetics of Aescin.- 3.4.1.4 Pharmacology.- 3.4.1.5 Toxicology16l.- 3.4.1.6 Actions and Efficacy in Subjects and Patients16l.- 3.4.1.6.1 Studies in Healthy Subjects.- 3.4.1.6.2 Therapeutic Studies in Patients16l.- 3.4.1.7 Indications, Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 3.4.1.8 Therapeutic Significance.- 3.4.2 Topical Venous Remedies.- 3.4.3 Drug Products.- 4 Respiratory System.- 4.1 Cold Syndrome (Flulike Infection).- 4.1.1 Risk Factors.- 4.1.2 Viruses and Host Defenses.- 4.2 General Phytotherapeutic Measures.- 4.2.1 Teas for Cold Relief.- 4.2.1.1 Elder Flowers.- 4.2.1.2 Linden Flowers.- 4.2.1.3 Meadowsweet Flowers.- 4.2.1.4 Willow Bark and Salicylates.- 4.2.1.5 Tea Formulas.- 4.2.2 Essential Oils.- 4.2.2.1 Nasal Ointments and Nosedrops.- 4.2.2.2 Inhalation Therapy.- 4.2.2.3 Lozenges, Troches and Gargles.- 4.3 Herbal Cough Remedies.- 4.3.1 Mucilaginous Herbs.- 4.3.2 Essential Oils in Cough Remedies.- 4.3.3 Ephedra.- 4.4 Herbal Expectorants.- 4.4.1 Mechanisms of Action.- 4.4.1.1 Reduction of Mucus Viscosity by Water.- 4.4.1.2 Neural Mechanism Based on the Gastropulmonary Reflex.- 4.4.1.3 Liquefaction of Secretions by Direct Action on the Bronchial Glands.- 4.4.2 Saponin-Containing Herbs.- 4.4.3 Essential Oils as Expectorants.- 4.4.3.1 Dosage Forms.- 4.4.3.2 Cineole (Eucalyptol).- 4.4.3.3 Myrtol.- 4.4.3.4 Anise Oil and Anethole.- 4.4.4 Licorice Root.- 4.4.5 Suggested Formulations.- 4.5 Phytotherapy of Sinusitis.- 4.6 Drug Products.- 5 Digestive System.- 5.1 Anorexia and Dyspepsia.- 5.1.1 Introduction.- 5.1.2 Bitter Herbs (Bitters).- 5.1.2.1 Wormwood (Absinth).- 5.1.2.2 Other Bitter Herbs.- 5.1.3 Biliary Remedies (Cholagogues).- 5.1.3.1 Artichoke Leaves.- 5.1.3.2 Other Cholagogues.- 5.1.4 Digestive Enzymes.- 5.1.5 Suggested Formulations.- 5.1.6 Drug Products.- 5.2 Bloating and Flatulence.- 5.2.1 Definition and Actions of Carminatives.- 5.2.2 Typical Carminative Herbs.- 5.2.3 Suggested Formulations.- 5.3 Gastritis and Ulcer Disease.- 5.3.1 Chamomile.- 5.3.2 Licorice Root.- 5.3.3 Drug Products.- 5.4 Irritable Bowel Syndrome.- 5.4.1 Symptoms, Epidemiology, and Approaches to Treatment.- 5.4.2 Peppermint.- 5.4.2.1 Crude Drug and Constituents.- 5.4.2.2 Peppermint Oil.- 5.4.2.3 Pharmacokinetics.- 5.4.2.4 Pharmacology.- 5.4.2.5 Therapeutic Efficacy.- 5.4.2.6 Risks and Side Effects.- 5.4.2.7 Indications, Dosages, and Contraindications.- 5.5 Acute Diarrhea.- 5.5.1 Tannin-Containing Herbs.- 5.5.1.1 Green and Black Tea.- 5.5.1.2 Other Tannin-Containing Herbs.- 5.5.1.3 Tannic Acid and Albumin Tannate.- 5.5.2 Pectins.- 5.5.3 Live Dried Yeast.- 5.5.3.1 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 5.5.3.2 Therapeutic Efficacy.- 5.5.3.3 Indications, Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 5.5.4 Other Herbal Antidiarrheals.- 5.5.5 Suggested Formulations.- 5.6 Constipation.- 5.6.1 Symptoms, Causes, General Measures.- 5.6.2 Bulk-Forming Agents.- 5.6.2.1 Mechanism of Action.- 5.6.2.2 Linseed.- 5.6.2.3 Wheat Bran.- 5.6.2.4 Psyllium Seed and Husk.- 5.6.2.5 Agar and Karaya Gum.- 5.6.3 Osmotic Agents.- 5.6.4 Anthranoid-Containing Herbs.- 5.6.4.1 Rhubarb Root.- 5.6.4.2 Buckthorn Bark.- 5.6.4.3 Senna Pods and Leaves.- 5.6.4.4 Aloe.- 5.6.5 Castor Oil.- 5.6.6 Suggested Formulations.- 5.7 Liver Diseases.- 5.7.1 Milk Thistle Fruits, Silymarin.- 5.7.1.1 Medicinal Plant and Crude Drug.- 5.7.1.2 Components and Active Constituents.- 5.7.1.3 Pharmacokinetics.- 5.7.1.4 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 5.7.1.5 Therapeutic Efficacy in Chronic Liver Diseases.- 5.7.1.6 Use in Mushroom Poisoning.- 5.7.1.7 Indications, Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 5.7.2 Soybean Phospholipids.- 5.7.3 Drug Products.- 6 Urinary Tract.- 6.1 Inflammatory Diseases of the Urinary Tract.- 6.1.1 Uva Ursi Leaves.- 6.1.2 Petasite Rhizome.- 6.2 Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.- 6.2.1 Saw Palmetto Berries.- 6.2.2 Nettle Root.- 6.2.3 Pumpkin Seeds.- 6.2.4 Grass Pollens.- 6.2.5 Phytosterols from Hypoxis rooperi.- 6.2.6 Pygeum.- 6.3 Therapeutic Significance.- 6.4 Drug Products Other than Teas.- 6.5 Bladder and Kidney Teas.- 7. Gynecologic Indications for Herbal Remedies.- 7.1 Chasteberry.- 7.2 Black Cohosh.- 7.3 Phytoestrogens.- 7.4 Other Herbs.- 7.5 Therapeutic Significance.- 7.6 Drug Products.- 8 Skin, Trauma, Rheumatism, and Pain.- 8.1 Dosage Forms and Preparations.- 8.2 Inflammations and Injuries of the Skin.- 8.2.1 Chamomile Flowers.- 8.2.1.1 Crude Drug, Constituents, and Preparations.- 8.2.1.2 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 8.2.1.3 Therapeutic Efficacy.- 8.2.1.4 Indications, Dosages, Side Effects, and Risks.- 8.2.2 Witch Hazel and Other Tannin-Containing Herbs.- 8.2.3 Evening Primrose Oil.- 8.2.4 Other Dermatologic Herbs.- 8.3 Post-traumatic and Postoperative Conditions.- 8.3.1 Bromelain.- 8.3.2 Comfrey.- 8.3.3 Arnica.- 8.4 Rheumatic Conditions and Degenerative Joint Diseases.- 8.4.1 Devil's Claw.- 8.4.2 Willow Bark, Ash, Aspen.- 8.4.3 Nettle Tops.- 8.4.4 Boswellia serrata.- 8.5 Treatment of Pain.- 8.5.1 Peppermint Oil and Tension Headache.- 8.5.2 Capsicum (Paprika) for Local Pain Relief.- 8.6 Formulations.- 8.7 Drug Products.- 9 Agents that Increase Resistance to Diseases.- 9.1 Adaptogens.- 9.1.1 Ginseng.- 9.1.1.1 Plant, Crude Drug, and Constituents.- 9.1.1.2 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 9.1.1.3 Clinical Studies in Humans.- 9.1.1.4 Indications, Dosages, Risks, and Contraindications.- 9.1.2 Eleutherococcus Root.- 9.1.3 Other Adaptogenic Drugs.- 9.1.3.1 Cordyceps.- 9.1.3.2 Ashwagandha.- 9.1.3.3 Gotu Kola.- 9.1.3.4 Astragalus.- 9.1.3.5 Cat's Claw.- 9.1.3.6 Botanical Antioxidants (Grape Seed, Green Tea, Pine Bark).- 9.1.3.6.1 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 9.1.3.6.2 Clinical and Epidemiological Studies.- 9.1.3.6.3 Indications and Dosage.- 9.2 Immune Stimulants.- 9.2.1 Coneflower (Echinacea).- 9.2.1.1 Plant, Crude Drug, and Constituents.- 9.2.1.2 Pharmacology and Toxicology.- 9.2.1.3 Studies on Therapeutic Efficacy.- 9.2.1.4 Indications, Dosages, and Risks.- 9.2.2 European Mistletoe.- 9.2.2.1 Plant, Constituents, and Actions.- 9.2.2.2 Clinical Efficacy Studies.- 9.2.2.3 Indications, Dosages, and Risks.- 9.2.3 Medicinal Yeasts.- 9.2.4 Goldenseal.- 9.3 Therapeutic Significance.- 10 Appendix The 100 Most Commonly Prescribed Herbal Medications in Germany.