In Herbal Supplements and the Brain: Understanding their Health Benefits and Hazards, two leading researchers provide this crucial information in clear language any intelligent reader can understand and use. They begin by introducing the fundamental principles of pharmacology, explaining how drugs and natural products can affect the body’s organs and organ systems. Using examples, they show how to determine whether an ingested substance can enter the bloodstream and reach its target at a concentration sufficient to have an effect. They also explain how natural products may influence blood levels of other substances, and discuss whether such interactions may diminish the effectiveness of prescription medications or alter normal body chemistry.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. The Gifts of Eden
Chapter 2. Transforming Plants into Gold
Chapter 3. Thinking Like a Pharmacologist
Chapter 4. The Brain as a Drug Target
Chapter 5. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Chapter 6. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Chapter 7. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Chapter 8. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Chapter 9. Kava (Piper methysticum)
Chapter 10. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Chapter 11. Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)
Chapter 12. Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus)
Chapter 13. Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata)
Chapter 14. Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa
Chapter 15. Epilogue
