JEFFSelects: Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Herbs & Drugs

• American Botanical Council
  Information about phytochemicals or medicinal plants, compiled from reputable scientific sources, including the German E Commission monographs.
  
  
• EthnobotDB
  Worldwide ethnobotany database.
  
  
• Introduction to Herbal Medicine (MEDLINEPlus)
  Overview and links to articles, organizations, images, and more.
  
  
• Herbal and Supplement Monographs from Medline Plus
  Over 100 herbal and supplement monographs in English and Spanish, supplied to Medline Plus by Natural Standard. Natural Standard is an evidence-based, peer-reviewed collection of information on alternative treatments. Each monograph includes a table of uses of the supplement based on scientific evidence. The herbal or supplement receives a grade ranging from A (strong scientific evidence for this use) to F (strong scientific evidence against this use) for diseases or conditions it treats. In addition, each monograph provides information on dosing, safety, interactions, and selected references. Many monographs also contain illustrations.
  
  
• HerbMed (Alternative Medicine Foundation)
  A free, searchable database of "scientific data underlying the use of herbs for health. It is an evidence-based information resource for professionals, researchers, and general public. HerbMed is a project of the Alternative Medicine Foundation, Inc."
  
  
• Herb Research Foundation
  The Foundation serves as a publishing house for herbal information, and solicits individual memberships as well as selling publications. Full text of recent scientific news related to herbs is free, along with selected longer works called "green papers."
  
  
• MedHerb
  A consumer-oriented site devoted to the medicinal use of herbs. Solicits reports about adverse effects from herb users. Features links to Culpeper's Herbal and King's American Dispensatory, both freely available as full text. Includes an extensive set of links to herb-related Internet sites.
  
  
• Medicinal Herb Garden (University of Washington)
  Images of herbs cultivated in the UW Medicinal Herb Garden, listed by both botanical and common names, with links to MEDLINE and other sources of reference.
  
  
• Medicine of North American Plants
  The Littleflower guide organizes information into several useful categories, but is also searchable by keyword.
  
  
• A Modern Herbal, by Mrs. M. Grieve (Botanical.com)
  Originally published in 1931, the online version of Mrs. Grieve's A Modern Herbal is searchable, and includes both a recipes and poisons index. CAUTION: medicinal information is outdated (1931) and cultivation information is geared to an English climate. The work is provided for historical interest.
  
  
• Native American Ethnobotany Database (Univ. of Michigan)
  Over 44,000 items on the foods, drugs, dyes and fibers used by Native North Americans, in easily searchable format. Results are citations only - no full text. See also Demeter's Genomes (above).
  
  
• Natural Standard
  Evidence-based information about alternative and complementary therapies includes foods, herbs & supplements, fitness, traditional therapies, diets, and more. Medical conditions are listed, with analysis of alternative approaches. Includes a nutrition database for raw and packaged foods, interaction checker and symptom checker for differential diagnosis.
  
  
• PhytoNET (Univ. of Exeter)
  The Centre for Complementary Health Studies, University of Exeter, provides PhytoNET as "an information resource for those involved in the development, manufacture, regulation and surveillance of phytomedicines and herbal drugs." PhytoNET includes a registry for reporting adverse reactions to herbal drugs, options to sign up for free email newsletters, and information about its research programs.
  
  
• Poisonous Plants Home Page (Cornell Univ.)
  A source of images and information about toxic plants and other natural flora. Some text is under construction, but images are in place with links to the Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System.
  
  
• RxList
  RxList is a free, full text drug index which includes a significant section on herbs and traditional Chinese medications.
  
  
• Society for Medicinal Plant Research
  This professional society organizes scientific meetings, sponsors research, and publishes the journal "Planta Medica."
  
  
• U.S. Pharmacopeia
  The USP promotes public health by establishing and disseminating officially recognized standards and information for the use of medicines and healthcare products. Information is available for both consumers and practitioners.

• Medical Comprehensive Subject Indexes
• Recommend a Web Site