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Handbook of Chinese Medicinal Plants: Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology

Gerhard Eisenbrand, Weici Tang

Hardcover, 1296 Pages
First Edition, 2010
ISBN: 978-3-527-32226-8
Wiley-VCH

Description

Synergizing herbal medicine with clinical science, this two-volume guide combines the medicinal applications of a comprehensive range of herbs from traditional Chinese medicine with modern day scientific information. In a rapid access, A-Z format, this ready reference contains more than 300 chemical structures of active ingredients, supported by chemical, pharmacological and toxicological data, and backed by some 8,000 literature citations.

With its listing of the complete Materia Medica of plant origin from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, this work is highly relevant to experimental practitioners in the medicinal and pharmaceutical fields and the only one to provide such a wealth of chemical data.

Editorial Review

The "Handbook of Chinese Medicinal Plants: Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology" is encyclopedic at first glance, since hundreds of herbs and plants along with their constituents are described in more than a thousand pages in two books. Closer examination reveals a wealth of information that is second to none, but which may not be fully accessible.

Gerhard Eisenbrand and Weici Tang present important medicinal plants that are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine in alphabetic order. A black and white line drawing of the plant is followed by a brief discussion of how active ingredients are obtained and analyzed, thus a very brief summary from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Also included are chemical structures of the most important natural product constituents, and a detailed accounting of their effects and side effects. This information is reported in dense, matter-of-fact medical language, so that approx. 50 citations to the scientific literature are given for the roughly 5 pages per plant.

The topic of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is of no small interest, since the active ingredients from the medicinal plants described can indeed be used as lead structures in modern medicinal chemistry. It should be added that Chinese medicine has been perfected over thousands of years, and the described recommendations have thus been established without any thought given to the molecular agents. The precise molecular underpinnings have only been researched in recent years, and have already led to several interesting lead structures, or in some cases pointed to definite contraindications for the traditional preparations. Precise, technically-based descriptions of the pharmacological and toxicological properties are now available for hundreds of preparations and their contained active ingredients, so that professionals can now utilize the data from thousands of publications directly in their research.

Those who are interested in particular plants will find a comprehensive compilation in this handbook, and can gather important technical literature references within a reasonable amount of time. Coverage of the active ingredients is also good, as the second volume offers an index that covers both the medicinal plants and the trivial names of the natural products. However, it is questionable whether the persons interested in specific diseases or molecular targets will be fully satisfied with this book in its present form. Since the index does not offer coverage comprehensive enough to address such questions easily, it might be more expedient if the full text or even chemical structures could be searched electronically.

The terse formulation and high information content make the book an extremely interesting reference work for everyone who is interested in Chinese medicinal plants and their active ingredients, thus also physicians, pharmacists and toxicologists. The books are especially recommended for the libraries of research institutions and research groups that are focused on natural products, medicinal chemistry, or traditional healing methods. The scope of the "Handbook of Chinese Medicinal Plants" and its highly condensed text, though, mean that it cannot be recommended as a book to be read through in its entirety.

Contents

Volume 1.
Preface.
Abrus cantoniensis.
Acanthopanax gracilistylus.
Acanthopanax senticosus.
Achyranthes bidentata.
Aconitum carmichaeli and Aconitum kusnezoffii.
Acorus calamus and Acorus tatarinowii.
Agrimonia pilosa.
Ailanthus latissima.
Akebia quinata, Akebia trifoliata and Akebia trifoliata var. australis.
Albizia julibrissin.
Alisma orientalis.
Alluim satvium.
Aloe barbadensis and Aloe ferox.
Alpinia galanga.
Alpinia katsumadai.
Alpinia officinarum.
Alpinia oxyphylla.
Amomum compactum, Amomum kravanh and Amomum tsao-ko.
Andrographis paniculata.
Anemarrhena asphodeloides.
Angelica dahurica and Angelica dahurica var. formosana.
Angelica pubescenes f. biserrata.
Angelica sinensis.
Apocynum venetum.
Arctium lappa.
Ardisia japonica and Ardisia crenata.
Areca catechu.
Aristolochia contorta and Aristolochia debilis.
Arnebia euchroma and Arebia guttata.
Artemisia annua.
Artemisia argyi.
Artemisa capillaris and Artemisia scoparia.
Asarum heterotropoides var. mandshuricum, Asarum sieboldii and Asarium sieboldii var. seoulense.
Asparagus cochinchinensis.
Aster tataricus.
Astragalus membranaceus and Astragaslus membranceus var. mongholicus.
Atractylodes chinensis, Atractylodes lancea and Atractylodes macrocephala.
Belamcanda chinensis.
Bolbostemma paniculatum.
Brassica juncea and Sinapis alba.
Brucea javanica.
Buddleja officinalis.
Bupleurum chinense and Bupleurum scorzonerifolium.
Caesalpinia sappan.
Carthamus tinctorius.
Cassia acutifolia and Cassia angustifolia.
Cassia obtusifolia and Cassia tora.
Celosia argentea and Celosia cristata.
Centella asiatica.
Centipeda minima.
Chrysanthemum indicum.
Chrysanthemum morifolium.
Cimicifuga dahurica, Cimicifuga foetida and Cimicifuga heracleifolia.
Cinnamomum cassia.
Cissampelos pareira var. hirsuta.
Cistanche deserticola and Cistanche tubulosa.
Citrus aurantium and Citrus sinensis.
Citrus reticulata.
Clematis chinensis, Clematis hexapetala and Clematis manshurica.
Cnidium monnieri.
Codonopsis pilosula, Codonopsis pilosula var. modesta and Codnopsis tanghsen.
Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen.
Coptis chinensis, Coptis deltoidea and Coptis teeta.
Coriolus versicolor.
Cornus officinalis.
Corydalis bungeana and Corydalis decumbens.
Corydalis yanhusuo.
Crocus sativus.
Croton tiglium.
Curculigo orchioides.
Curcuma kwangsiensis, Curcuma longa, Curcuma phaeocaulis and Curucma wenyujin.
Cuscuta chinensis.
Cyperus rotundus.
Dalgergia odorifera.
Daphne genkwa.
datura metel.
Dendrobium candium, Dedrobium fimbriatum var. oculatum and Dendrobium nobile.
Desmodium styracifolium.
Dianthus chinensis and Dianthus superbus.
Dictamus dasycarpus.
Dioscorea futschauensis, Dioscorea hypoglauca, Dioscorea nipponica, Dioscorea opposita and Dioscorea septembloba.
Dipsacus asperoides.
Eclipta prostrata.
Ephedra equisentia, Ephedra intermedia and Ephedra sinica.
Epimedium brevicornum, Epimedium koreanum, Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium sagittatum and Epimedium wushanense.
Erigeron breviscapus.
Eriobotrya japonica.
Eucommia ulmoides.
Eugenia caryophyllata.
Eupatorium fortunei.
Euphorbia kansu and Euphorbia pekinensis.
Euphorbia lathyris.
Evodia rutaecarpa, Evodia rutaecarpa var. bodinieri and Evodia rutaecarpa var. officinalis.
Foeniclum vulgare.
Forsythia suspensa.
Fraxinus chinensis, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Fraxinus stylosa, and Fraxinus szaboana.
Fritillaria cirrhosa, Fritillaria delavayi, Fritillaria przewalksii and Fritillaria unibracteata.
Ganoderma lucidum and ganoderma Sinense.
Gardenia jasminoides.
Gastrodia elata.
Gentiana crassicaulis, Gentiana dahurica, Gentiana marcrophylla, Gentiana manshurica, Gentiana rigescens, Gentiana scabra, Gentiana straminea, and Gentiana triflora.
Ginkgo biloba.
Glehnia littoralis.
Gycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza inflata and Glycyrrhiza uralensis.
Gynostemma pentaphyllum.
Hedysarum polybotrys.
Hippophae rhamnoides.
Houttuynia cordata.
Huperzia serrata.
Ilex chinensis and Ilex cornuta.
Illicium verum.
Inula britannica, Unula heleium, Unula japonica and Inula linariifolia.
Isatis indigotica.
Juncus effusus.
Kaempferia galanga.
Kochia scoparia.
Volume 2.
Laminaria japonica and Ecklonia kurome.
Lamiophlomis rotata.
Lentinus edodes.
Leonurus japonicus.
Ligusticum chuanxiong.
Ligustrum lucidum.
Linum Usitatissimum.
Liriope muscari and Liriope spicata var. prolifera.
Lonicera confusa, Lonicera hypoglauca, Lonicera japonica and Lonicera macranthoides.
Luffa cylindrica.
Lycium barbarum and Lycium chinense.
Lycopus lucidus var. hirtus.
Magnolia biondii, Magnolia denudata and Magnolia sprengeri.
Magnolia officinalis and Magnolia officinalis var. biloba.
Melia azedarach and Lelia toosendan.
Menispermum dauricum.
Mentha haplocalyx.
Momordica cochinchinensis.
Momordica grosvenori.
Morinda officinalis.
Morus alba.
Myristica fragrans.
Nardostachys chinensis and Nardostachys jatamansi.
Nelumbo nucifera.
Notopterygium forbesii and Notopterygium incisum.
Oldenlandia diffusa.
Ophiopogon japonicus.
Oryza sativa.
Paeonia lactiflora and Paeonia veitchii.
Paeonia suffruticosa.
Panax ginseng.
Paris polyphylla var. chinensis and Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis.
Perilla frutescens.
Periploca sepium.
Peucedanum praeruptorum.
Phellodendron amurense adn Phellodendron chinense.
Phyllanthus emblica.
Phsyalis alkekengi var. franchetii.
Phytolacca acinosa and Phytolacca americana.
Picrasam quassioides.
Picria fel-terrae.
Picrohiza scrophulariiflora.
Pinellia ternata.
Piper kadsura.
Piper longum and Piper nigrum.
Plantago asiatica and Plantago depressa.
Platycladus orientalis.
Platycodon grandiflorum.
Pogostemon cablin.
Polygala sibirica and Polygala tenuifolia.
Polygonatum cyrtonema, Polygonatum kingianum, Polygonatum odoratum and Polygonatum sibiricum.
Polygonum cuspidatum.
Polygonum multiflorum.
Polyporus umbellatus.
Poria cocos.
Portulaca oleracea.
Prunella vulgaris.
Prunus spp.
Pseudolarix kaempferi.
Pseudostellaria heterophylla.
psoralea corylifolia.
Pterocarpus santalinus.
Pueraria lobata and Pueraria thomsonii.
Pulsatilla chinensis.
Punica granatum.
Pyrola calliantha and Pyrola decorata.
Pyrrosia lingua, Pyrrosia petiolosa and Pyrrosia sheareri.
Rabdosia rubescens.
Raphanus sativus.
Rehmannia glutinosa.
Rhaponticum uniflorum.
Rheum officinale, Rheum palmatum and Rheum tanguticum.
Rhododendron dauricum and Rhododendron molle.
Ricinus communis.
Rosa chinensis, Rosa laevigata and Rosa rugosa.
Rubia cordifolia.
Salvia miltiorrhiza.
Sanguisorba officinalis and Sanguisorba officinalis var. longifolia.
Snatalum album.
Saposhnikovia divaricata.
Sarcandra glabra.
Saururus chinensis.
Schisandra chinensis and Schisandra sphenanthera.
Schizonepeta tenuifolia.
Scrophularia ningpoenis.
Scutellaria baicalensis.
Scutellaria barbata.
Sedum sarmentosusm.
Selaginella pulvinata and Selaginella tamariscina.
Senecio scandens.
Seamum indicum.
Siegesbeckia glabrescens, Siegesbeckia orientalis and Siegesbeckia pubescens.
Sinomenium acutum and Sinomenium acutum var. cinereum.
Smilax glabra.
Sophora flavescens.
Sophora japonica.
Spatholobus suberectus.
Stemona japonica, Stemona sessilifolia and Stemona tuberosa.
Stephania cepharantha.
Stephania tetrandra.
Tribulus terrestris.
Trichosanthes kirilowii and Trichosanthes rosthornii.
Trigonella foenum-graecum.
Tussilago farfara.
Typha angustifolia and Typha orientalis.
Uncaria hirsuta, Uncaria macrophylla, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Uncaria sessilifructus and Uncaria sinensis.
Vaccarai segetalis.
Verbena officinalis.
Viscum coloratum.
Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia, Vitex trifolia, and Vitex trifolia var. simplicifolia.
Zanthoxylum bungeanum and Zanthoxylum schinifolium.
Zanthoxylum nitidum.
Zingiber officinale.
Ziziphus jujuba and Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa.