National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs the World's Most Effective Healing Plants

Each of th 72 plants featured in this book is represented by four pages. the first two pages introduce the plant's distinguishing characteristics, with an eye to geography, botany, history, culture, and medical science today. A time line puts the plant's recognition and use into the context of history. The next two pages in the "plant-ography" go into greater detail about the plant's botany and its medicinal effects. Botanical information includes detailed plant descriptions, the plant's native origins and present-day range worldwide, its growing habits, and the methods by which it is cultivated and harvested. Medicinal information includes the therapeutic uses of each plant, listed and explained with reference to the most current scientific literature and research; specific information on the most common preparations in use today; and the important precautions regarding the use.