So now you feel you've read enough books, but you're still glassy-eyed from reading the 'constituents' -part of the books (or the various ailment descriptions) - time to go shopping for some (literally) (pun intended) heavier stuff:
If you're a practising herbalist:
- Harvey Wickes Felter, John Uri Lloyd: King's American Dispensatory, in two volumes.
1898, 18th edition, 3rd revision. Reprinted 1993, Eclectic Medical Publications, OR, USA. Phone 1-800-332-4372. No ISBN number. http://www.eclecticherb.com/emp/historicalresearch.html Listprice USD 285.
This one lists everything they knew about plants (and chemicals used in medicine) back then, and does it exhaustively. It is REALLY good.It's online here: http://henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/kings/intro.html - that's all plant-related entries.
If you're a pharmacognosist or pharmacist with an interest in herbs:
- Norman Grainger Bisset (Ed.): Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals, A Handbook for Practice on a Scientific Basis.
Translation of Max Wichtl (Ed.): Teedrogen (see next entry).
1994, CRC Press. Very expensive.
This book has 181 monographs on European herbs with descriptions and photographs of the herbs, with lists of constituents, indications, side-effects, delivery system, method for authenticating the herb (usually a TLC), and the quantitative standards of the European pharmacaopeias where it is listed as official. Although it does not explain mode of action, this is a technical, and scientific book of excellent quality and a must for serious herbal students. It is also expensive as are all CRC books. (kathjokl.aol.com) - Max Wichtl (Hrsg.): Teedrogen, ein Handbuch fuer die Praxis auf wissenschaftlicher Grundlage. 2., erweiterte, ueberarbeitete Auflage
1989, Wissensch.VG., Stuttgart, Germany. ISBN 3-8047-1009-3, listprice DEM 198.
It's expensive in the original, too, but still a good reference for pharmacognosists and pharmacists. - Trease + Evans: Pharmacognosy, 13th edition.
1989, Bailliere Tindall, London.
There is a great deal of chemistry involved in this book but again it is an excellent reference if this is the type of information you want. (kathjokl.aol.com)
Then you might want:
- A basic chemistry textbook.
- A good biochemistry textbook.
- A good anatomy/physiology textbook (good to put you to sleep, too).
- The Anatomy Coloring Book.
- The Physiology Coloring Book.
- The latest Merck Manual, which lists main illnesses plaguing mankind - not for us hypochondriacs. You might need a Medicinese - English dictionary to understand it. The Merck Manual (17th edition) is now on the web: http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/sections.htm