A classic in the literature of herbal medicine, this book explains in simple terms the commonly occurring chemical constituents of medicinal plants, and how these react with the human body. The major classes of plant constituents, such as phenols, terpenes and polysaccharides, are described both in terms of their chemical structures and their pharmacological activities.
The last 20 years has seen huge growth in research output in phytochemistry, and this edition has been thoroughly revised to incorporate up-to-date research. It contains a new chapter on resins and cannabinoids, and additional content on macrocarpals, essential oil chemotypes, mushroom polysaccharides, phytochemical synergy, and toxicology of phytochemicals.
Features include:
· Over 200 diagrams of chemical structures
· Coverage of energetics, synergism and the emerging field of network pharmacology
· New content on seaweeds and fungi, and polyphenol-rich foods
· References to primary research literature in pharmacy, pharmacology, chemistry, plant biology, molecular biology, integrative medicine and many other disciplines

Written by an experienced herbal practitioner, The Constituents of Medicinal Plants has become a standard textbook for courses on plant-based medicine. It is also an essential desktop reference for health practitioners, lecturers, researchers, producers, and anyone with an interest in how medicinal herbs work.

Table of contents

• 1: Introduction to Phytochemistry
• 2: Phenols
• 3: Polyphenols – tannins and flavonoids
• 4: Glycosides
• 5: Terpenes
• 6: Triterpenoids and saponins
• 7: Resins and cannabinoids
• 8: Essential oils
• 9: Polysaccharides
• 10: Alkaloids
• 11: Plant lipids and alklylamides