Nature's Pharmacopeia. 2016. 187 col. figs. 432 p. Hardcover.

Due February 2016. Orders will be recorded. -This beautifully illustrated, elegantly written textbook pairs the bestresearch on the biochemical properties and physiological effects ofmedicinal plants with a fascinating history of their use throughouthuman civilization, revealing the influence of nature's pharmacopeiaon art, war, conquest, and law. By chronicling the ways in whichNature's Pharmacopeia also builds an unparalleled portrait of thesespecial herbs as they transitioned from wild flora and botanicalcuriosities to commodities and potent drugs. The book opens withanoverview of the use of medicinal plants in the traditionalpractices and indigenous belief systems of people in the Americas,Africa, Asia, and ancient Europe. It then connects medicinal plantsto the growth of scientific medicine in the West. Subsequentchapters cover the regulation of drugs; the use of powerful plantchemicals--such as cocaine, nicotine, and caffeine--in variousmedical settings; and the application of biomedicine's intellectualframeworks to the manufacture of novel drugs from ancienttreatments. Geared toward nonspecialists, this text fosters a deepappreciation of the complex chemistry and cultural resonance ofherbal medicine, while suggesting how we may further tap the vastrepositories of the world's herbal knowledge to realize more novelpharmaceuticals.