Sacred Mushroom of Visions: Teonanácatl. Ralph Metzner and Diane Conn Darling, eds. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press; 2006. 293 pages, softcover, contents, b&w photos, figures, references. $16.95. ISBN 1-59477-044-1.
Surveys the history of mushrooms that contain the psychoactive substances psilocybin and/or psilocin. Offers an assortment of information on ancient Aztec traditions, twentieth-century scientific studies and psychotherapy, as well as many detailed personal accounts of mushroom ingestion by individuals desiring enhancement of their spirituality and consciousness. Additionally explains the global distribution, biochemistry, and neuropharmacology of these types of mushrooms.
Aromatherapy Science: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. Maria Lis-Balchin. London: Pharmaceutical Press; 2006. 462 pages, hardcover, contents, bibliography, appendices, index. $69.95. ISBN 0-85369-578-4.
Provides healthcare professionals with science-based information pertaining to aromatherapy. Provides detailed, scientific monographs on the essential oils and absolutes available in the United States and Europe. Introduces basic concepts of aromatherapy along with historical, chemical, and biological background information. Covers safety issues and clinical trials.
Dictionary of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods. N.A. Michael Eskin, PhD, and Snait Tamir, PhD. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group; 2006. 507 pages, hardcover, 172 chemical structures, 102 figures, 73 schemes, and 64 tables, references. $79.95. ISBN 0-8493-1572-7.
Defines more than 470 nutraceuticals and phytocompounds and provides the latest facts and research for each entry. Gives the biological and chemical activities that constitute the health and disease-modifying properties for each herb, plant, vitamin, or compound. Each entry is followed by authoritative references.
Medicinal Spices: A Handbook of Culinary Herbs, Spices, Spice Mixtures and Their Essential Oils. Eberhard Teuschner. Edited and translated by Josef Brinckmann and Michael Lindenmaier. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group; 2006. 459 pages, hardcover, contents, list of abbreviations, 173 full-color illustrations, 36 b&w illustrations, 498 chemical structures, index of general references, subject index, photo credits. $149.95. ISBN 0-8493-1962-5. Purchase from ABC's Catalog.
Describes 300 plants and the spices that are obtained from them. Provides comprehensive monographs on 84 culinary herbs and spices. Extensive information on chemical constituents, pharmacological actions, sensory properties, potential toxicity, as well as culinary and medicinal uses. Covers the production of spices from breeding and cultivation to quality standards and governmental regulations.
Pocket Guide to Herbal Medicine. Karin Kraft, MD, and Christopher Hobbs, LAc, AHG. Stuttgart, Germany: Georg Thieme Verlag; 2004. 503 pages, softcover, contents, 5 tables, 11 b&w illustrations, appendix with Latin-English plant glossary, dosages, addresses, references, and index. $34.95. ISBN 1-58890-063-0 (US), ISBN 3-13-126991-X (Germany).
Provides plant summaries that cover pharmacology, indications, contraindications, dosage information, adverse effects, herb-drug interactions, and references for more than 100 herbs. Includes specific herbal treatments and procedures for diseases involving every human organ system, from cardiovascular to urogenital, with a separate section for pediatric diseases. Offers disease-specific clinical considerations and explains the basic fundamentals and guidelines of phytotherapy.
Textbook of Natural Medicine. Third Edition. Joseph E. Pizzorno, Jr., and Michael T. Murray, eds. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Ltd.; 2006. 2368 pages, hardcover, contents, b&w figures, charts, tables, appendices, index. $229.00. ISBN 0-443-07300-7.
This revised version of the classic two-volume edition offers extensively researched and referenced information on the practice of natural medicine. Six separate sections provide evidence-based overviews into the various topics regarding complementary and alternative medicine, such as its history, diagnostic procedures, and varieties, as well as pharmacology and disease-specific issues and treatment approaches. Provides comprehensive summaries on more than 70 natural medicines and over 70 specific health problems.