ARTICLE IN PRESS

doi:10.1016/j.ph

Phytomedicine 15 (2008) 310

www.elsevier.de/phymed

BOOK REVIEW

Understanding Medicinal Plants: Their Chemistry and

Therapeutic Action, H. Bryan. Haworth Herbal Press,

Binghamton, NY (2005). 307pp., US$44.95, ISBN: 0-

7890-1552-8

‘‘Anyone can make the complex complicated, but ittakes real genius to simplify the complex.’’ This adagewas the first thing that came to the mind while readingthis book written by Bryan Hanson. Through this book,the author skillfully, yet simplistically, puts forth acomprehensive guide to understanding basic chemicaland biological principles and applying them to theultimate purpose of the book – understanding medicinalplants.

The book is broken down into seven chapters. It startswith a brief introduction to the purpose of the book andwhat a reader can expect to get out of it. A series ofquestions pertaining to use and science of St. John’swort (Hypericum perforatum L.) immediately catchreaders’ eyes at the very beginning of the book. Itappears that backgrounds in various areas are requiredto address these questions, which become the subjects ofthe book. Immediately followed are four chapters tointroduce and prepare readers in several of these areas.Chapter 1 focuses on basic chemistry and structure.Chapter 2 covers rules of chemical bonding, functionalgroups, chemical nomenclature and molecular formulas.Chapter 3 deals with atoms, electrons and the periodictable. It talks about the formation of ions, the types ofchemical bonds formed between atoms and the forma-tion and geometry of molecules. The VSEPR theory andsome very clear illustrations of the Newman projectionsand Sawhorse views of molecules are some of the toolsused to explicate these concepts. Chapter 4 is acomprehensive list of the different chemical familiessuch as alkaloids, lipids, etc., with several examples andillustrations of each classification. After the aboveintroduction, the author then illustrates in Chapter 5how various chemistry tools can be applied in theseparation, isolation and structure-elucidation of activecomponents from medicinal plants. A very brief sectionof bioassays is also included. Principles of pharmacoki-netics, including absorption, distribution, metabolism

ymed.2007.07.002

and elimination, are covered in Chapter 6. This chapteralso deals with pharmacodynamics by introducingreceptors and mechanisms of action at the molecularlevel. Finally, the author presents several cases of well-known medicinal plants – with an emphasis on therelationship between chemical structures and actions ofpotential active constituents – including Ayahuasca, acomplex mixture used by indigenous Amazonians forspiritual journeys, Gingko biloba, one of the mostwidely studied plants, and a number of naturallyoccurring chemotherapeutic agents.

The seamless integration of the tenets of biology andpharmacology with the underlying concept of chemistryis well achieved in the book. The author engages theaudience by stories of historical anecdotes, usage andorigin. Although the text follows a casual and conversa-tional style, most of materials are well referenced bycitations to scientific papers. The plentiful and fittingillustrations of plants (unfortunately not in colors) andchemical structures make the material easier to becomprehended. Each chapter is also followed up with alist of suggested reading, which becomes handy forcurious and more advance-level readers who want todelve deeper into a particular area.

The book intends to provide a sound foundation inthe understanding of the chemistry and action ofmedicinal plants, or ‘‘what’s in them and how theywork’’, as the author puts it. It largely succeeds in thisaspect, while managing to be non-tedious and engagingas well. These traits make it a must-read for buddingmedicinal chemists. However, this book is also suit-able for health profession students, ethnobotanists oreven a lay person – anyone seeking to gain someknowledge of the exciting and enigmatic world ofnatural medicines.

Divya Iyer, Z. Jim WangDepartment of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, and

the Program for Collaborative Research in the

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PCRPS), MC865,

University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612, USA

E-mail address: zjwang@uic.edu (Z. Jim Wang)