Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs

by James A. Duke

Combining the most powerful natural substances. Dr. Duke has created a "cocktail" for heart disease that may well have the calcium channel-blocking punch of a leading pharmaceutical--and without the side effects.

Do you legs ache after standing? Are you bothered by hemorrhoids? Do you think there's no help for varicose veins? Dr. Duke tells you about horse chestnut capsules--and the ancillary herb that may further enhance their performance.

Alcohol, Hepatitis C, environmental toxins, and other serious attacks on your liver now have an astonishing first line of defense in milk thistle.

Don't get rid of your dog, but do add saw palmetto, which helps avert prostate problems, may keep your hair from thinning, and boosts both sexes' libido. Dr. Duke compares it to the widely prescribed alternative--and you can judge which lands firmly in the plus column.

Genres: Herbs, Nonfiction

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 1999

About the author

James A. Duke was an American botanist and leading authority on medicinal plants. He earned a doctorate in botany from the University of North Carolina in 1961 and later led the USDA's Plant Taxonomy Laboratory. He authored numerous works on botanical medicine, including The Green Pharmacy and CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, and developed the USDA's Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases.

Reviews

[Jennifer Ritchie]

I read most of this book, but skipped a few sections. I thought it was really interesting. The author’s engaging style is entertaining, especially his cheerful reports about all the things he’s done, but doesn’t recommend. I was a pharmacy tech before I had kids, and I still have an interest in medications, supplements, herbs etc. When it comes to herbs, the internet is a real sinkhole of confusion, so I liked getting the perspective of one guy who knows a lot about these things (and isn’t just “saying what’s official and safe”). Even though the book is almost 25 years old, it’s still way more helpful than Dr. Google. I like how he includes information about the way the herbs were used historically, what the plants are like to grow (he grows most of them himself in his garden), and the way other cultures use them. I don’t really intend to start using any of them, though if I see a deal on some evening primrose or hawthorn I might pick some up. :)

[Tiffany]

Why 4 stars? Because this guy is brilliant, a gifted teacher, an amazing thinker, and I've had the joy of working with him. This is a mere reference book, but the word "mere" does it no justice. It's a top five desert island book for any herbalist.