Handbook of Psychotropic Herbs: A Scientific Analysis of Herbal Remedies for Psychiatric Conditions

Contents * About the Author * Contributors * Foreword * Acknowledgments * Part I: Introductory Material * Chapter 1. Introduction: Why Herbs? * An Archetypal Scene * Facts and Figures * Drug Design * About This Book * Herbs, Active Ingredients, Botanicals, and Phytomedicines * Helpful Hints * Safety * How About Homeopathy? * A Word About Wildcrafting * Disclaimer * Chapter 2. Regulation of Botanicals in the United States * Introduction * Herbs As Foods * The Birth of DSHEA * DSHEA Explained * DSHEA Five Years Later: Herbs on the Rise * The Future of Herbs in America * Chapter 3. Research Methodology: Probability, Statistics, and Psychometric Tests Employed in Herbal Medicine Studies * Introduction * Validity and Reliability of Measures * General Psychological Measures * Measures of Behavior and Cognitive Functioning * Diagnostic Classifications * Research Design * Animal Studies * Conclusions * Part II: Psychiatric Conditions and Herbs Employed in Their Treatment * Chapter 4. Depression * St. John's Wort: Hypericum perforatum (ital) L. Hypericaceae or Clusiaceae (Previously Guttifereae) * 5-Hydroxytryptophan: Griffonia simplicifolia (ital) (Vahl ex DC.) Baill. Fabaceae (Caesalpiniaceae) * Licorice: Glycyrrhiza glabra (ital) L. Fabaceae * Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) * Chapter 5. Insomnia * Valerian: Valeriana officinalis (ital) L. Valerianaceae * Passion Flower: Passiflora incarnata (ital) L. Passifloraceae * German Chamomile: Matricaria recutita (ital) L. Asteraceae * Roman (English) Chamomile: Chamaemelum nobile (ital) (L.) Allioni Asteraceae * California Poppy: Eschscholzia californica (ital) Cham. Papaveraceae * Hops: Humulus lupulus (ital) L. Cannabinaceae * Lemon Balm: Melissa officinalis (ital) L. Lamiaceae * Linden: Tilia (ital) ssp. Tiliaceae * Scullcap: Scutellaria lateriflora (ital) L. Lamiaceae * Oats: Avena sativa (ital) L. Poaceae * Chapter 6. Dementia and Cognitive Impairment * Ginkgo: Ginkgo biloba (ital) L. Ginkgoaceae * Gotu Kola: Centella asiatica (ital) (L.) Urban Apiaceae * Huperzine: Huperzia serrata (ital) (Thunb.) Trev. Lycopodiaceae * Chapter 7. Anxiety * Kava-Kava: Piper methysticum (ital) Forest. f. Piperaceae * Chapter 8. Adaptogens * Chinese Ginseng: Panax ginseng (ital) C. A. Meyer Araliaceae * American Ginseng: Panax quinquefoluis (ital) L. Araliaceae * Eleuthero: Eleutherococcus senticosus (ital) Ruprecht et Maximowica Araliaceae * Chapter 9. Miscellaneous Herbal Psychotropic Agents * Damiana: Turnera diffusa (ital) Willdenow Turneraceae * Aromatherapy and Essential Oils * Cannabis: A Breed Apart * Part III: Clinical Case Studies * Case Study 1. Episodic Use of Kava * Case Study 2. Case of Dementia Treated with Ginkgo biloba (ital) * Case Study 3. Head Injury Treated with Ginkgo * Case Study 4. Head Injury Treated with Ginkgo * Case Study 5. Treatment of Varied Symptoms with 5-HTP * Case Study 6. Dementia Treated with Ginkgo * Case Study 7. Treatment with a Variety of Herbal Agents * Case Study 8. Managing Mania and Obsessive-Complusive Disorder * Case Study 9. Cases of Treatment with Ginkgo and Kava * Afterword * Glossary * Bibliography * Index * Reference Notes Included