American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook

Access to accurate, evidence-based, and clinically relevant information is essential to anyone who uses or recommends herbal products. With input from some of the most respected experts in herbal and integrative medicine, this completely revised edition of the American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook reviews both traditional knowledge and contemporary research on herbs to provide an authoritative resource on botanical safety. The book covers more than 500 species of herbs and provides a holistic understanding of safety through data compiled from clinical trials, pharmacological and toxicological studies, medical case reports, and historical texts.

For each species, a brief safety summary is provided for quick reference, along with a detailed review of the literature. Easily understood classification systems are used to indicate the safety of each listed species and the potential for the species to interact with drugs.

Enhancements to the Second Edition include:

• Classification of each herb with both a safety rating and a drug interaction rating
• More references listed for each individual herb, vetted for accuracy
• Specific information on adverse events reported in clinical trials or case reports
• Safety-related pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of each herb, including drug interactions
• Additional information on the use of herbs by pregnant or lactating women
• Toxicological studies and data on toxic compounds

Representing the core of the botanical trade and comprising the finest growers, processors, manufacturers, and marketers of herbal products, the mission of the AHPA is to promote the responsible commerce of herbal products. The American Herbal Products Association Botanical Safety Handbook, Second Edition ensures that this vision is attained. The book will be a valuable reference for product manufacturers, healthcare practitioners, regulatory agencies, researchers, and consumers of herbal products.

Zoe Gardner has studied, researched, and taught production, conservation, quality, safety, and appropriate use of medicinal plants since 1998. After completing her undergraduate degree in environmental studies at the Audubon Expedition Institute, Zoe helped to establish the Medicinal Plant Program at the University of Massachusetts, earning her master’s degree there in plant and soil sciences. More recently, Zoe joined the Research & Development Department at Traditional Medicinals, a leading producer of herbal dietary supplements.

Michael McGuffin has been active in the herbal industry since 1975, having owned and managed both retail and manufacturing businesses in this field. He is the managing editor of Botanical Safety Handbook, 1st edition (1997) and of Herbs of Commerce, 2nd edition (2000). He serves on the boards of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and United Plant Savers, on the Advisory Board of the USC School of Pharmacy Regulatory Science Program, and as chair of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for ISO/TC 249—the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Michael maintains active involvement with regulatory agencies. He served on FDA’s Food Advisory Committee Working Group on Good Manufacturing Practices for Dietary Supplements, FDA’s Food Advisory Committee’s Dietary Supplements Subcommittee, and California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Analysis Food Warning Workgroup.