Resources for Medicinal Actions of Herbs
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Erik Roskes, MD
Posted on: September 26, 1998

Hi! I am a psychiatrist and a number of my patients use various herbal remedies in addition to medications I prescribe. Are you aware of resources that will help me make appropriate prescribing decisions, avoid drug/herb interactions, etc

I don’t know of any books that describe herb/drug interactions. However, there are several excellent books that describe constituents, actions, contraindications and side effects of herbs that can help you understand the actions of constituents and their effect on patients:

"Nutritional Influences on Mental Illness", Melvyn Werbach, M.D., (Third Line Press, Tarzana, California, (800) 916-0076 or (818) 996-0076) describes the results of clinical research using vitamin and mineral supplements and some herbs.

"Therapy with Phytopharmaceuticals" by German general practitioners R. Hansel & H. Haas, published by the School of Phytotherapy, Bucksteep Manor, Bodle Street Green, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 4RL, UK, describes the constituents, mode of action, and side effects of herbs including those acting on the central nervous system.

Rudolf Weiss, MD, "Herbal Medicine", Beaconsfield Publishers, Beaconsfield, England gives detailed descriptions of herb constituents, medicinal actions, dosages, application and precautions.



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