Judith Summer. The Natural History of Medicinal Plants. Timber Press. 2000.

The first chapter presents a brief history of the use of plants as medicine. The following quotation provides a taste of the information provided in this book.

The known written accounts of medicinal botany began about six thousand years ago. Some Sumerian clay tablets excavated from Nippur were cuneiform lists of botanical remedies. Despite their knowledge of mathematics and science, the Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians attributed disease to supernatural agents, and they emphasized the role of priests and priestesses in divining cures. The practice of herbal medicine was left to specialists and scholars, such as the learned Assyrian King Ashurbanipal, who left behind tablets recording three hundred medicinal plants, including opium and myrrh. Page 17.

The third chapter talks about sacred groves, herbal gardens, and forests containing many medicinal plants. The importance of preserving our native plants (from around the world) until scientists have tested them for their possible benefits for mankind is pointed out. I was particularly fascinated to know how many medicinal plants are found in the Appalachian Mountain region of the United States. Somehow, we always think of the "tropical forests" as needing preserving and miss important ecological systems in our nation. In my opinion, this chapter should have been followed by Chapter 9, which discusses the importance of protecting our medicinal knowledge and plant biodiversity.

Chapters 4 and 5 discuss plant chemicals. These chapters are best understood by someone with a background in organic chemistry. One point I found interesting is that white clover tests positive for cyanide in some regions but not others. This left me wondering if some of the plants we currently use as herbal medicine might actually be dangerous for us depending on where the plants grew? Chapter 8 should be grouped with Chapters 4 and 5 since it discusses how we go about prospecting for new plant medicines.

The following chapter (six) presents some of the medicines found in common, everyday garden plants. Madagascar periwinkle, an attractive annual in many summer gardens, provides chemicals useful in the treatment of diabetes, leukemia and Hodgkin's disease. I am glad these plants are so easily propagated today so that we don't lose this valuable source of disease fighting chemicals. This is just a small sample of the interesting information provided in this chapter.

Did you know there is evidence that animals may use plants for medicine? Chapter 7 discusses Zoopharmacognosy and Botanical Toxins. The author presents research showing that chimpanzee, other monkey species, and even elephants have been observed collecting and eating plants know to contain medicinal properties. Another interesting example used is European starlings which lines their nests with wild carrot stems and leaves. This plant is known to contain chemicals that kill fowl mites!

Chapter 10 is the conclusion for the book. It sums up the whole study of the history of medicinal plants by saying:

The history of herbalism is the history of medicine, since plants were the material medica available to the first physicians. Often these early cures worked well, and the same plants are being used today for similar applications.

Conclusion

I have used herbal medicines on a temporary basis. Reading this book makes me really leery about continuing to do so until scientists have determined what dosages are truly safe. Learning about the toxins contained in many herbs causes me to be almost fearful of trying to diagnose and dose myself.

I sincerely wish the United States would begin requiring that the companies selling these medicines provide complete lists of the ingredients in their "medicine". I'll surely study possible herbs in detail before deciding if I want to risk my life by taking them in concentrated form as medicine.