By Mitchell Bebel Stargrove, Jonathan Treasure J, and Dwight L. McKee
Published by Elsevier Health Sciences

Mitchell bebl Stargrove, Jonathan Treasure, Dwight L. McKee
Presenting detailed, evidence-based coverage of the most commonly encountered therapeutic agents in modern clinical practice, this resource is designed to help you safely and effectively integrate herbal, nutrient, and drug therapy for your patients or clients. Combining pharmaceuticals with herbs or supplements may complement or interfere with a drug’s therapeutic action or may increase adverse effects. Additionally, drug-induced depletion of nutrients can occur. Comprehensive clinical data, quick-reference features, and the insight and expertise of trusted authorities help you gain a confident understanding of how herbal remedies and nutritional supplements interact with pharmaceuticals and develop safe, individualized treatment strategies for your patients.

  • More than 60 comprehensive monographs of herb-drug and nutrient-drug interactions cover the most commonly used herbs and nutrients in health-related practice and help you coordinate safe, reliable therapy.
  • Each herb and nutrient monograph features summary tables and concise, practical suggestions that provide quick and easy reference and complement the systematic review and in-depth analysis.
  • References included on the bound-in CD provide high-quality, evidence-based support.
  • Unique icons throughout the text differentiate interactions, evidence, and clinical significance.
  • Up-to-date information keeps you current with the latest developments in pharmacology, nutrition, phytotherapy, biochemistry, genomics, oncology, hematology, naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, and other fields.
  • A diverse team of authoritative experts lends valuable, trans-disciplinary insight.

REVIEW #1

By Penny Robertshawe
Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (Monday, September 1, 2008)

This comprehensive reference book is written in an accessible style that would suit both professional healthcare consultants and laypersons. It contains more than 60 monographs of herb-drug and nutrient-drug interactions.

Each monograph is introduced with a summary table that lists a drug/class interaction type; describes its mechanism and significance in relation to the subject supplement; and provides advice for its management to decrease adverse affects.

A more in-depth analysis follows with a detailed description and information about the supplement’s therapeutic uses, dietary sources, safety profile and its drug interactions. Information about interactions includes relevant research, evidence and clinical concerns.

All interactions are graded according to three guides presented at the front of the book: the interaction probability guide; the type and clinical significance guide; and the strength and character of source evidence guide. By means of icons representing graded implications, these guides give readers an at-a-glance assessment of the interaction.

As well as monographs, the text encompasses three cross-indexes that allow readers to search interactions by drug class, generic drug name, and drug trade name, respectively. This is followed by a general index.

The CD-ROM included with the book gives electronic access to the textual information and provides a search facility. It also lists the references used for monographs.

REVIEW #2

Evidence-based coverage of herb, nutrient and drug interactions

By Pam Mason
From Pharm J

Taking herbal products or dietary supplements with prescribed or over-the-counter medicines may increase or inhibit a drug’s therapeutic response or may increase the risk of adverse effects. In addition, nutrients (e.g., vitamins and minerals) can be depleted by drugs. It is important that pharmacists know about such interactions and can apply this knowledge in the development of patients’ care plans. This book will help them to do that. It gives detailed and evidence-based coverage of the most commonly encountered interactions between medicines, herbal products and food supplements. There are 70 monographs, about half of which are for herbs and the rest for food supplements. Each monograph starts with a tabular summary of key interactions involving the herb or food supplement with mechanisms and significance of each interaction and considerations for management.

The main body of the monograph includes a brief summary of the use of the herb or supplement, followed by a more in-depth review of key interactions with the evidence base for each interaction. The type of interaction (e.g., adverse drug effect, drug depletion of nutrient), the likelihoOd of the interaction, its significance and evidence base are presented in useful summary form, and I particularly liked the use of icons, which provide additional clarity. References are provided and the key ones are annotated with a descriptive summary of the research and conclusions.

This is a useful reference book for a pharmacy and will help pharmacists involved in medicines use reviews or advising on the use of herbal products or food supplements in the context of conventional medicines to give evidence-based information to patients.