Book Description
The new 3rd edition of Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica is designed to give practitioners the information they need to practice Chinese herbal medicine with greater understanding and confidence. It provides a wealth of new information -- more than twice the content of the previous edition -- and practical insight into more than 530 of the most commonly used herbs in the Chinese pharmacopoeia.
Drawing from a wide range of sources, both classical and modern, this edition provides unparalleled perspective and detail that goes far beyond what is available elsewhere to the Western practitioner.
Herbs are grouped in chapters by function, with expanded summaries and tables for contrast and comparison. Each herb is identified by its pharmaceutical, pinyin, botanical, and family names, as well as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and English common names.
Key characteristics are provided at the beginning of each entry, along with dosage, properties, channels entered, and relevant cautions and contraindications. This provides a quick overview of essential information.
Actions and indications are integrated with important combinations that illustrate the range of an herb's functions, with references to appropriate formulas. This presents a more three-dimensional picture of how each herb is actually used.
Expanded commentary offers in-depth analysis and places each herb in its clinical context through rich historical references. The mechanisms of action underlying important combinations, and comparisons with similar herbs, provide a broader context for understanding how the herb can be used with optimal effect.
A section devoted to nomenclature and preparation describes the most important methods of processing and preparing each herb, and the advantages of each method. It also provides information about other commonly-used names and historical background.
Safety is an important focus of this edition, with an emphasis on proper herb identification. Issues concerning standardized products, desirable qualities, variants, and adulterants are explained for each herb. There is also extensive information on toxicity, as well as chemical constituents.
The utility of this book is enhanced by its wide range of appendices, among which are color photographs comparing the standard and adulterant forms of over 20 common herbs; tables of herbs that are indicated for specific pathologies of the five yin organs; and extensive cross references of the herbs by taxonomy, pinyin, pharmaceutical name, and other East Asian languages. There are also comprehensive indices of both herbs and formulas, as well as a general index.
Customer Reviews:
Chinese Herbal Medicine.......2007-09-12
This is by far the best Chinese Herbal Medicine referral book I have come across in my studies.
Daunting at first, but then easier to come to terms with later.......2007-05-29
Well, what can you say about this book? This is a hefty, giant book, and could certainly induce some kind of cerbral damage if dropped out of a third story window. :) No, in all seriousness, this is a great, concise book, and as the title of this review implies, it becomes more manageable after you get used to it. Used solely by itself, it will probably not help the student of Chinese herbology to ace any exams, but used in accordance with other study techniques, it will furter deepen and reinforce the studying of the herbs.
The Internet is a nice source of Information, too.......2007-04-23
Well,
Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS), with the generous support from the Macao SAR Government and University of Macau, was founded in 2002.
Dan Bensky is a graduate of the Macau Institute of Chinese Medicine (Oriental Medicine Diploma, 1975)
Exactly what I wanted.......2007-03-09
My book arrived sooner than expected and in perfect shape. Thank you!
Essential Reference Material.......2007-03-08
Bensky's herbal reference texts are industry standards. Buy this book or risk ridicule.
Book Description
The companion volume to Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, this book of Chinese medicinal formulas in English serves as both a textbook for students and a major reference source for practitioners. Included are nearly 600 Chinese medicinal formulas arranged in 18 functional categories.
For each of the 250-plus principal formulas there is a discussion of its therapeutic actions and indications, analysis of the functions and interactions of the ingredients, method of preparation, and a list of modifications to customize the formula in the clinic. Commentary explains different interpretations of the formulas, compares them with related formulas, and discusses their application in treating biomedically-defined disorders. Almost 350 variations and associated formulas offer additional options for the practitioner in the clinic. An informative introduction traces the historical evolution of the formulas, and provides practical pointers for their preparation and use.
Customer Reviews:
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas and Strategies.......2005-11-08
As a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine I can attest to the value of this book's information. It is a fantastic reference book and provides practitioners with detailed formulae descriptions, analysis of formulae and is invaluable to any Chinese medicine practitioner.
I would not recommend this book to non-practitioners as it is very in-depth and does assume an detailed understanding of traditional Chinese medicine.
I have used this book extensively in my own practice for many years and still use it on a very regular basis.
Bensky's Formuales & Strategies.......2004-09-26
This is a classical book about Herbal Formulaes. I have read it several times and consult it often. I believe Strategy refers to how an herbologist will be able to use the book to add or modify ingridient and dosage. Unlike the review I wrote for "Material Medica", I find this is a useful book with much needed information to come up with a prescription. Needless to say the translation of this book is choppy in many places. The authors can keep the terms more to the point. These flowerly terms used is a minus.
The original source of these prescriptions are of interest to the medical historians only as modern pharmacologist are more concerned with the chemical interactions and its function. The lack of modern Chinese and western sources also shows this is just a compilation of old sources. In that respect there are many formula prescription books out in Chinese which can be translated nicely into English. The book does have IDs showing important formulas required for certain state or national examinations. However, these required formulas are not always detailed enough or exist to explain in details what they really are. Similar to Material Medica it also has PinYin flaws in many places showing its obvious lack of proof reading capability using modern Chinese word processors. All in all, this is still an authorative English language source on the subject of Formulaes.
Reviewed by Sam Shueh, medical librarian
No contenders.......2004-01-30
The fact that no real contenders have emerged in more than 13 years since this book's publication is sufficient testimony to its quality.
Formulas and Strategies is used in virtually every formal program in Chinese herbal medicine in the English-speaking world. It is by no means exhaustive, but it is more than sufficient as basic classroom text, and the quality of the content, while inconsistent, is on balance very high indeed. The book has not been updated in a while, so some information about herb-drug interactions is not reflected here, but there is not enough new information of that sort that its absence detracts in any major way from the book's value as a textbook. Any good teacher will be able to fill in those few blanks, and numerous journal articles have been written about the errors and omissions in Formulas and Strategies. To summarize, there are few errors and omissions for a work of its size, and the ones that are present are minor.
Some disagree with Bensky over translational matters, but it should be pointed out that he did provide a glossary of terms as an appendix. It is possible, with some effort, to get back to most of the Chinese terms he has translated.
A strength and a weakness of Formulas and Strategies is that Bensky chose, whenever possible, to go back to the original source where each formula first appears in history. This is actually very interesting in some ways and difficult in others, because many formulas have been used in different ways over the course of their history. It would have been nice to see more of that type of information, but the book is already quite large, and it is clear that some editorial decision had to be made. A much larger work would have been too expensive too produce and would not have sold well.
Formulas and Strategies has so far stood the test of time admirably. While it would be nice to see more competition in this area, Formulas and Strategies is just the sort of book you like to see in a market that is dominated by just one book. It is much better than it has to be to be the only one out there.
Still the Standard.......2002-04-03
Regardless of its very few flaws, this is still the standard reference for basic chinese herbal formulas. Many books have formulas with herbs and dosages, but none speak so extensively of how each herb within the formula works. This is an indispensable tome for the OM student. As for whether the general public will appreciate it, I doubt it. This is the kind of book needed by those who aspire to writing personalized modifications of classical formulas... but no one else except the extremely curious patient will find it worth the price.
Strategy and Formulas, Dan Bensking.......2000-04-03
Is excellente book very usefull for practitionars and for any herbalist one to know about CHM.
Customer Reviews:
Lao's review.......2001-02-24
A "half-way" manual for those who want a step up from the Chinese Food Cures book. Black and white botanical plates, with focus on traditional Chinese use of medicinal herbs. The book is organized by complaint, with medicinals listed by Chinese names in no discernable order. This makes it harder for Americans to use, but gives a better understanding of the Chinese theory of healing.
Simple remedies from a complex society.......1998-03-07
Great book that exposes some of the herbal secrets handed down over the centeries in Chinese culture. Excellent section on Ginseng. Book is well organized, with lots of references. Index could be a bit more thorough.
Book Description
A clearly written, concise and complete resource of Chinese herbs with an overview of Oriental Medicine theory. Included are in-depth descriptions of each herb category, extensive tables of individual herbs and their uses, and indexes of Pin Yin and Latin pharmaceutical names. Three hundred black and white photographs and a complete bibliography.
Customer Reviews:
Made Easy For Whom?.......2007-02-23
This book has a few problems and I still recommend that you buy it. The first problem is that it uses the words "made easy". That would be true if you already have knowledge of Chinese herbs and treatments. Next is it talks about the 300+ photographs. Ok, these photographs do indeed exist, but they are all black and white, of poor quality, and are thumbnail photos. Next we have the fact that this book has a beautiful cover. That is that last beautiful thing you will see. Inside the book is nothing more than typewriter mimeograph machine style notes like a professor would use as a syllabus in a college course... a college course in 1950! I expected so much more. Now on the the factual content. It is good. The price for the book is too high, even on sale, because of the lack of quality. But does it cover the information needed to pass the California Board? Some say so. If you are only going to buy one book on Chinese Herbs DO NOT buy this one. If you are going to buy 3-4 other better books, then buy this one, too. Shame on the publisher for doing such a diservice to Dr. Maoshing Ni.
Book Description
Two Western doctors assembled this updated edition of a massive sixteenth-century document, annotating their translation with their own observations. A treasury of tried-and-true wisdom from centuries of practical experience, it has served as a basis for modern-day organic medicine and has enormous value for practitioners of alternative healing methods.
Average customer rating:
- Engrossing trawl through the history and business of ginseng
- A fascinating read
- Who knew ginseng could be so interesting?
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Ginseng, the Divine Root: The Curious History of the Plant That Captivated the World
David Taylor
Manufacturer: Algonquin Books
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Ginseng Dreams: The Secret World of America's Most Valuable Plant
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ASIN: 1565124014 |
Book Description
The story behind ginseng is as remarkable as the root itself. Prized for its legendary curative powers, ginseng launched the rise to power of China's last great dynasty; inspired battles between France and England; and sparked a boom in Minnesota comparable to the California Gold Rush. It has made and broken the fortunes of many and has inspired a subculture in rural America unrivaled by any herb in the plant kingdom.
Today ginseng is at the very center of alternative medicine, believed to improve stamina, relieve stress, stimulate the immune system, enhance mental clarity, and restore well-being. It is now being studied by medical researchers for the treatment of cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease.
In Ginseng, the Divine Root, David Taylor tracks the path of this fascinating plant—from the forests east of the Mississippi to the bustling streets of Hong Kong and the remote corners of China. He becomes immersed in a world full of wheelers, dealers, diggers, and stealers, all with a common goal: to hunt down the elusive "Root of Life." Weaving together his intriguing adventures with ginseng's rich history, Taylor uncovers a story of international crime, ancient tradition, botany, herbal medicine, and the vagaries of human nature.
Customer Reviews:
Engrossing trawl through the history and business of ginseng.......2007-04-12
Let's see, what do I know about ginseng? It's a supposed herbal panacea, from China (or was that Korea?). It began invading New Age consciousness and health food stores around the time of Woodstock. It has quite a nasty, bitter taste. Oh, and didn't some clever American farmers recently start growing ginseng and selling it back to the Chinese? Clearly what I knew was not a lot, and after reading Ginseng, the Divine Root, I realized half of that was completely wrong. Two facts underpin David A. Taylor's fascinating book: ginseng has been growing in North America for 70 million years; and North Americans have been selling ginseng to the Chinese for almost 300 years.
Treasured by Chinese as a tonic for thousands of years, ginseng had been pushed towards extinction in China when half way around the globe a Jesuit missionary made a fortuitous discovery. In Quebec Joseph-François Lafitau was ministering to Mohawk converts, but in that great theology/science duality so characteristic of his order, he was also intently studying the Iroquois. While there he happened on an article by a fellow French missionary who had travelled extensively in China. Lafitau was intrigued. The article described ginseng, its use and value in Chinese medicine. He then, rather remarkably, set out to see if he could find the plant locally. In 1716 after only three months of searching, Lafitau with the help of the Mohawk, had identified Panax quinquefolium, American ginseng, virtually identical to Asian ginseng. The root had long been used medicinally by the Mohawk and other Native Americans but never with the same passion as the Chinese.
So began a rush for 'forest gold' as thousands in Canada combed the woodlands for wild roots, all destined for a lucrative market on the far edges of the Pacific Ocean. As ginseng fever spread, even Daniel Boone was later involved in the trade down in West Virginia. Ginseng, writes the author, became the United States' first major export to China.
Taylor weaves together the many threads of the ginseng story, a tale that straddles two continents with vastly contrasting cultures. This is reflected, in the differing ways ginseng is valued and used in each. "In Chinese medicine," writes the author, "it's an all-purpose tonic, often blended with more toxic herbs to mellow their effects. In Western medicine it's gaining converts for relieving severe fatigue."
The book reads like an adventure as Taylor follows the American ginseng trail throughout one season, meeting farmers, traders, and various experts, even joining a ranger on a night stakeout in a national park trying to nab poachers of wild ginseng. The story is perhaps most interesting when Taylor joins diggers in the 'hunt' for the root in Appalachia. Wild ginseng is such an idiosyncratic plant that the search for it is considered more akin to hunting - it can, for instance remain dormant underground for several years, waiting for the right conditions before sending up a new shoot. Some diggers claim the plant can camouflage itself or even move! What is more certain is that its relative scarcity these days only adds to the challenge of finding it, and no doubt, to its market value.
It was not until the Seventies, more than 250 years after Lafitau identified the plant that ginseng started to become widely known in the United States. Now Americans spend more than $100 million annually on products listing it as an ingredient.
There are three types of ginseng (in descending order of value): wild, wild simulated, and cultivated. Such is the value of ginseng that 'ginsengers' protect their plants like gold prospectors defend a claim. Even cultivated ginseng, the most common form, is difficult to work with and requires six to eight years to reach the size desired by Asian markets. Wisconsin-grown ginseng is now considered the world's best, and fetches a correspondingly high price. Wisconsin is also the leading exporter.
As quickly as the newer markets for ginseng are growing, China will likely remain the primary market, and not just because of China's huge population and expanding economy. In the West, for every ginseng buff there is a cynic, and five others who couldn't care less. In China by contrast, so strong is the underlying traditional belief in the restorative powers of ginseng. that just about everyone is at least an occasional user.
The book is aimed at the general reader, but industry types might also learn a thing or two given the secretive nature of the business Taylor describes. Readers who are not utter ginseng devotees might find the middle section of Ginseng a little slow, but most of us will be swept through anyway by Taylor's enthusiasm. One chapter though, Served by the Finest Chefs, focusing on ginseng and food, somewhat misses its mark because the central figure, celebrity chef Ming Tsai unlike the other major characters in the book, is not strongly connected to ginseng, at least professionally. He does not cook with the root in his own restaurant, and is surprisingly, unaware of American ginseng.
Taylor winds up this highly engrossing trawl through the history and business of ginseng in Hong Kong and China, meeting with ginseng merchants and visiting specialist markets. We learn, somewhat fittingly for the times, that in China both Asian and American ginseng is now cultivated using modern American methods. That is good news for consumers, but the lasting allure of 'forest gold' has placed the wild root under threat in America, as well as China.
A fascinating read.......2007-02-27
This book is amazing. The writer takes a complex subject and makes it understandable and enjoyable. I found the links between cultures and tradtions to be fascinating--especially the geographic and plant connections between China and Appalachia. I can't wait for David's next book.
Who knew ginseng could be so interesting?.......2006-07-27
Great book, full of colorful characters and interesting stories and facts. The author obviously enjoyed talking with all these people (diggers and traders, herbalists and doctors, smugglers and park rangers and many more) and I really enjoyed reading about them and about ginseng. Fascinating book and plant. I need to go plant me some!
Average customer rating:
- Not worth the money, Nothing you cannot find on pubmed.com
- Concise guide to the scientific base of major herbal drugs
- Thorough...a bit pricy, but well worth the expense.
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The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs
Kee Chang Huang
Manufacturer: CRC
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Binding: Hardcover
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Accessories:
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RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
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Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
ASIN: 0849316650 |
Book Description
Records cataloging the healing powers of natural substances - plants, minerals, and animal byproducts - date back more than 4,000 years. There is no denying the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine, yet - until recently - the roots of this knowledge were largely lost in superstition and folklore. However, the use of herbs as an alternative medical treatment for many illnesses has increased steadily over the last decade, particularly since such herbs are categorized as "Natural Food Products" and are not yet subject to strict control by the FDA. Reports published in 1996 indicate that more than 10% of the US population has used herbal remedies. This book does not debate the value of Eastern or Western medicine but brings together Chinese herbal lore and Western scientific methods in a current, comprehensive treatise on the pharmacology of Chinese herbs. This second edition of The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs presents the chemical composition, pharmacological action, toxicity, and therapeutic value of 473 herbs. The book: · Classifies herbs according to their therapeutic value · Informs how active ingredients in herbs may adversely interact with other herbs or drugs · Evaluates which herbs have the potential for more investigation and possible use as drugs · Describes the pharmacological action of each herb based on recent scientific study and describes each herb according to Chinese pharmacopoeia and folk medicine · Provides a review of Chinese medical history · Presents information on how to use modern chemical techniques for enhancing or modifying herbal ingredients into better agents with more strength and activity What's New in the Second Edition Discussions on: · Herbs and their specific effects on the immune system · Herbs and fertility/infertility · Anti-cancer herbs · Anti-HIV herbs · Anti-malarial herbs · Ginseng and ginsenosides · Anti-Alzheimer herbs · Herbs affecting the nervous system
Customer Reviews:
Not worth the money, Nothing you cannot find on pubmed.com.......2004-04-29
I'm shipping this book back. It isn't worth the price tag given the info it provides. It is basically a regurjitation of pubmed.com research and abstracts. In fact with some of the entries I can almost read verbatim the abstract that it references. (In general I find CRC press books too pricey)
Concise guide to the scientific base of major herbal drugs.......1999-11-10
Very outstanding among the books on chinese herbs written in English (to be fair, many better books in Chinese exist but not well translated!)
Starting from the chemistry and ending with the toxicology, each important herbs included are presented in a well-balanced format; the therapeutic values are thus projected clearly on the empirical grounds.
The new edition is an updated gist of those related scientific works done but could not be tracked on the great MedLine due to the language barrier.
Thorough...a bit pricy, but well worth the expense........1998-12-09
As a Ph.D. student in biochemistry I have sought out critical references that would be accurate and legitimate treatises on the biochemistry and pharmacology of herbs. If one is truly interested in understanding the biochemistry and pharmacology of Chinese herbs, then this is the reference to purchase. Very intelligently presented in a concise scientific journal format, presenting critical and relevant studies on the herbs as they are currently understood with many references to the original research papers. I would certainly purchase other titles similar to this if their coverage of other herbs (e.g. South American, Ayurvedic) were as comprehensive, relevant, and credible as this one. Not for the herbologist interested in a hokey metaphysical distortion of truth. Ideal for the intelligent and/or educated layman that really wants to know what compounds are present in various Chinese herbs and what their activities are.
Pitfalls: Some listings are very brief (less than a page) For instance the discussion of Centella asiatica is only 1/2 page and listed under antipyretic herbs and makes no mention of nootropic effects if they, in fact, exist-Nobody's perfect.
Average customer rating:
|
Chinese materia medica: Vegetable kingdom
G. A Stuart
Manufacturer: Gordon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Pharmacology
| Medicine
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| Drug Guides
| General
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| Toxicology
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ASIN: 0879684690 |
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