Medicinal Plants of South Africa

A photographic guide to the most commonly used and best known South African plant medicines, including their botany, main traditional uses and active ingredients. This Second Edition has been fully updated to incorporate the latest research findings. The book includes: Detailed species descriptions of more than 150 medicinal plants and their close relatives, or other species used in a similar way.

Each entry includes the following information: a description of the plant, the plant parts used, medicinal uses, preparation and dosage, active ingredients and pharmacological effects. In addition, each entry includes a distribution map and a diagram of the chemical structure of the main active ingredient More than 500 excellent photographs of the plants, plant parts used and products Introductory chapters on, among others, cultural aspects of healing, methods of collection and storage, methods of preparation and administration A plant list according to ailments A glossary, detailed index and comprehensive references for further reading This remarkable book is a must for anyone with an interest or involvement in health care and botany.

About the authors Ben-Erik van Wyk is a professor of Botany at the University of Johannesburg with a research interest in systematic botany and plant utilisation. He is the author of international scientific bestsellers such as Medicinal Plants of the World and Food Plants of the World. Bosch van Oudtshoorn is a retired professor of pharmacy, and a pioneer researcher of the medicinal properties of plants. He has many years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Nigel Gericke is a medical doctor and an expert in the field of ethnobotany in South Africa. He is currently involved in the development of new phytomedicines.