This list mainly covers books written by doctors or academic researchers, or books that are associated with herbal or botanical organizations or major brands. Some of these books can be expensive, so in that case it’s good to try one of these options:
• Using Google Books or Amazon to skim through or search through the books
• Checking if the books are available at a nearby academic library
• Trying to get the books through interlibrary loan
• Going through the table of contents on Amazon or Google Books and then searching Medline or Google Scholar for further information on the plants mentioned in the book (searching Medline is a good idea no matter what, since you can get the latest information on research studies about certain medicinal plants)
Books on medicinal plants and herbs:
• 100 Super Supplements for a Longer Life – a book that has information on supplements and many citations to many research papers
• 1000 Cures for 200 Ailments – has integrated treatments and home remedies for a variety of conditions
• 1801 Home Remedies – an extensive selection of home remedies compiled by Dr. Carolyn Dean
• A Clinical Guide to Identifying Chinese Medicinal Herbs – a guide to Chinese herbs written by two professors
• A Comprehensive Guide to Chinese Herbal Medicine – a reference book about Chinese herbs written by Dr. Zi-Len Chen and Dr. Mei-Fang Chen
• A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs – a guide to medicinal plants written by the renowned ethnobotanist James Duke
• A Guide to Medicinal Plants: An Illustrated, Scientific, and Medicinal Approach – a guide to 75 medicinal plants found in Singapore
• A Guide to Understanding Dietary Supplements – a reference with information on a variety of supplements by Dr. Shawn Talbott
• A Materia Medica for Chinese Medicine: Plants, Minerals, and Animal Products – a guide to phytotherapy in Chinese medicine written by two doctors
• A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions – has information on how supplements and medications interact
• Alternative Cures that Really Work – information on alternative medicine from Dr. Ronald Hoffman and Dr. Barry Fox
• Alternative Therapies for Cancer and Common Ailments – a guide to chemopreventive plants written by Dr. Youyou Jin and Dr. Joseph Hou
• Ancient Herbs Modern Medicine – Dr. Glenn Miller coauthors this book on combining Chinese herbal treatments with Western medicine
• Better Health through Natural Healing – osteopath Dr. Ross Trattler coauthors this book on natural medical treatments
• Botanical Medicines: The Desk Reference for Major Herbal Supplements – an extensive guide to herbs written by Dr. Dennis McKenna
• Cancer and the Search for Selective Biochemical Inhibitors – a guide to using plant substances in oncology
• Chinese & Related North American Herbs: Phytopharmacology & Therapeutic Values – an extensive guide to the therapeutic benefits of hundreds of herbs
• Chinese Herbal Formulas: Treatment Principles and Composition Strategies – a guide to Chinese herbal medicine written by Dr. Yifan Yang
• Chinese Herbal Formulas and Applications – a huge book about Chinese herbal medicine coauthored by Dr. John Chen
• Chinese Herbal Medicine: Formulas & Strategies – an extensive guide to over 800 formulas in Chinese medicine
• Chinese Herbal Medicine: Modern Applications of Traditional Formulas – includes descriptions of over 800 formulas and 600 herbs
• Chinese Herbal Medicines: Comparisons and Characteristics – an overview of Chinese herbal medicine written by Dr. Yifan Yang
• Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Applications – a pharmaceutical reference from Dr. You-Ping Zhu
• Chinese Medical Psychiatry – a guide to traditional Chinese medicine treatments coauthored by psychiatrist Dr. James Lake
• Chinese Medicinal Herbs: A Modern Edition of a Classic Sixteenth Century Manual – a translation by two physicians of a classical Chinese herbal reference manual
• Chinese Medicinal Herbology & Pharmacology – an extensive guide to the medicinal use of Chinese herbs coauthored by Dr. John Chen
• Chinese Nutrition Therapy – a guide to the use of food in medicine by Dr. Joerg Kastner
• Classified Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine – a dictionary of Chinese medicine compiled by Dr. Zhu-Fan Xie
• Clinical Botanical Medicine – a guide to the use of plants in medicine coauthored by Dr. Robert Rountree M.D.
• Clinical Natural Medicine Handbook – a guide to natural therapies coauthored by Dr. Robert Rountree M.D.
• Collins Alternative Health Guide – a guide to natural treatments written by Dr. Steven Bratman
• Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs – a guide to treating mental illnesses with medicinal plants written by Dr. Marcello Spinella
• CRC Handbook of Medicinal Spices – a guide to spices with medicinal properties written by ethnobotanist Dr. James Duke
• Delmar’s Integrative Herb Guide for Nurses – an extensive reference guide to medicinal plants
• Doctor’s Guide to Natural Medicine – a guide written by Dr. Paul Barney about treating many different conditions naturally
• Dr. Atkins’ Vita-Nutrient Solution – a reference guide to supplements with an extensive list of research citations
• Dr. Duke’s Handbook of Medicinal Plants of the Bible – a guide to traditional medicinal plants written by ethnobotanist Dr. James Duke
• Duke’s Handbook of Medicinal Plants of Latin America - a guide to traditional medicinal plants written by ethnobotanist Dr. James Duke
• Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Great Lakes Region – a guide to medicinal plants of the upper plains written by Dr. Thomas Naegele
• Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements – an extensive peer reviewed reference for many dietary supplements
• Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine – a guide to 1000 herbs used in phytotherapy
• Essentials of Chinese Medicine – a guide to Chinese medicine including descriptions of 151 herbs and 84 formulas
• Ethnopharmacology of Medicinal Plants Asia and the Pacific – describes the medicinal and pharmaceutical benefits of Asian plants
• Evidence Based Herbal Medicine – an evidence based guide to 65 herbal remedies from Dr. Michael Rotblatt and Dr. Irwin Ziment
• Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy – a guide to the fundamentals of phytopharmaceuticals
• Handbook of Chinese Medicinal Plants: Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology – a guide to Chinese medicinal plants with over 8,000 research citations
• Handbook of Medicinal Herbs – a guide to medicinal plants from ethnobotanist Dr. James Duke
• Handbook of Psychotropic Herbs – a description of herbs that act on the central nervous system written by Dr. Ethan Russo
• Healing Mushrooms – Dr. Georges Halpern describes the health benefits of certain mushrooms
• Healing with Vitamins – a guide to vitamins and minerals that has the complete text of the book online
• Healing without Medication – has extensive coverage of herbs and supplements to replace common medications
• Herb Drug Interactions in Oncology – medical professions of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center provide a guide to the use of herbal medicine in oncology
• Herbal Antibiotics: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-Resistant Bacteria – a guide to herbal antibiotics and plants that strengthen the immune system
• Herbal Drug Interactions and Adverse Effects: An Evidence-Based Quick Reference Guide – this book by Dr. Richard Philp describes interactions between botanicals, neutriceuticals, and pharmaceuticals
• Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals – a reference guide to phytomedicines compiled by Medpharm
• Herbal Medicinals: A Clinician’s Guide – a reference book edited by Dr. Lucinda Miller and Dr. Wallace Murray
• Herbal Medicine Expanded Commission E Monographs – a book from the American Botanical Council describing the medicinal benefits of over 100 herbs
• Herbal Vade Mecum – pharmacist Gazmend Skenderi describes the health benefits of 800 botanical products
• Herbs and Natural Supplements: An Evidence-Based Guide – has evidence based information on 130 herbs and supplements
• Herbs Demystified – a guide to herbs written by Dr. Holly Phaneuf
• Herbs for Beauty – Dr. Qing Yan describes the cosmetic benefits of 140 herbs
• Herbs for Health and Healing – a guide to herbs that has the complete text of the book online
• How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care – a guide to herbal therapies for mental health written by three physicians
• Integrative Medicine – a textbook written by Dr. David Rakel
• Let’s Play Herbal Doctor – a guide to herbal medicine coauthored by Dr. Me Lan M.D.
• Major Herbs of Ayurveda – contains medicinal profiles of 50 herbs used in Ayurvedic medicine
• Management of Cancer with Traditional Chinese Medicine – a guide to the use of Chinese herbs in oncology written by Li Peiwen, Director of the TCM Oncology Department at the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital in Beijing
• Manual of Chinese Herbal Medicine – a guide to Chinese herbal medicine written by Dr. Warner Fan
• Medicinal Plants from the East – ethnopharmacologist Christophe Wiart describes the pharmacological properties of Asian plants
• Medicinal Plants of the Asia Pacific - ethnopharmacologist Christophe Wiart describes the pharmacological properties of over 400 Asian plants
• Medicinal Plants of the World – a guide to over 300 medicinal plants written by two professors
• Medicinal Plants of the World: Chemical Constituents, Traditional and Modern Medical Uses – a guide to medicinal plants written by Dr. Ivan Ross
• Medicinal Seasonings – Dr. Keith Scott describes the health benefits of seasonings
• Medicinal Spices – a guide to hundreds of medicinal plants and spices compiled by Medpharm
• Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie – a guide to medicinal plants written by Dr. Kelly Kindscher
• Meyler’s Side Effects of Herbal Medicines – Dr. Jeffrey Aronson edits this compilation of information on phytopharmaceutical side effect profiles
• Miracle Medicines of the Rainforest – Dr. Thomas David describes how herbal medicines can be used to treat cancer and AIDS
• Modern Phytomedicine: Turning Medicinal Plants Into Drugs – a handbook of generating pharmaceuticals from plant substances
• National Geographic Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicine – a guide to the 150 most popular medicinal plants
• Native American Medicinal Plants – an ethnobotanical guide from Dr. Daniel Moerman
• Natural Medicine Optimal Wellness – this book is written by two of the most experienced doctors in natural medicine and lists a number of treatments for a variety of ailments
• Natural Remedies: Their Origins and Uses – an introductory guide to phytotherapy
• Natural Standard Herb & Supplement Guide: An Evidence-Based Reference – a guide to the scientific evidence behind 400 herbs and supplements
• Natural Standard Herbal Pharmacotherapy – a guide to the use of herbal therapies for medical conditions
• Nature’s Medicine: Plants that Heal – a guide to the history of medicinal plants from Dr. Joel Swerdlow
• Nature’s Medicines – a guide to vitamins and minerals that has the complete text of the book online
• Neutraceuticals: The Complete Encyclopedia of Supplements, Herbs, Vitamins, and Healing Foods – a guide from the American Neutraceutical Association written by Dr. Arthur Roberts and Dr. Mary O’Brien
• NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements – a reference for 1500 nutritional supplements
• Nutritional Herbology – a guide to the nutritional benefits of herbs from research chemist Mark Pedersen
• PDR for Herbal Medicines – a guide in the Physicians’ Desk Reference Series that lists the effects of various medicinal plants
• PDR for Nutritional Supplements – a guide in the Physicians’ Desk Reference Series that lists the effects of various supplements
• Pharmacodynamic Basis of Herbal Medicine – a guide to the scientific basis of plant remedies written by Dr. Manuchair Ibadi
• Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants – an extensive resource covering the chemical background of medicinal plants
• Phytotherapy: A Quick Reference to Herbal Medicine – a reference guide to herbal medicine written by four professors of pharmacy
• Plants in Hawaiian Medicine – a description of 30 Hawaiian medicinal plants from ethnobotanist Beatrice Krauss
• Plants that Fight Cancer – a guide to plants with anticancer benefits written by Dr. Spiridon Kintzios and Dr. Maria Barberaki
• Pocket Guide to Herbal Medicine – Dr. Karin Kraft of Germany’s Commission E describes the benefits of selected medicinal plants
• Pocket Guide to Herbal Remedies – Dr. Lane Johnson describes the medicinal benefits of 200 herbs
• Prescription or Poison?: The Dangers and Benefits of Herbal Remedies – a book about herbal remedies written by Dr. Amitava Dasgupta
• Prime Ayurvedic Plant Drugs – a guide to the therapeutic efficacy of plants used in Ayurvedic medicine
• Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy – a detailed guide to herbal treatments
• Quality Control of Herbal Drugs – Dr. Pulok Mukherjee discusses how to maintain quality of medicinal plants
• Rational Phytotherapy – a guide to medicinal plants
• Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs – an extensive guide to medicinal plants
• Solve it with Supplements – a natural medicine reference written by Dr. Robert Schulman and Dr. Carolyn Dean
• Staying Healthy With Nutrition – a massive and detailed reference guide to supplements and more from Dr. Elson Haas and Dr. Buck Levin
• Streetwise Guide: Chinese Herbal Medicine – a guide to Chinese herbal medicine coauthored by Dr. Martha Dahlen
• Taiwanese Native Medicinal Plants – describes the therapeutic values of over 1000 plant species
• The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy – a guide to energy boosting supplements
• The 5-Minute Herb & Dietary Supplement Consult – a guide to herbs and supplements compiled by Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman
• The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs: a guide from the American Botanical Council
• The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines – an overview of natural medicine from the APhA
• The Chopra Center Herbal Handbook – a guide to healing herbs written by Dr. Deepak Chopra
• The Complete Guide to Herbal Medicines – two pharmacists describe the health benefits of over 300 herbal medicines
• The Complete Guide to Vitamins, Herbs, and Supplements – a reference guide to natural health edited by Dr. David Wong
• The Complete Illustrated Book to Herbs – an herbal guide from Reader’s Digest
• The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to the 50 Most Common Medicinal Herbs – a guide to medicinal plants coauthored by Dr. Heather Boon
• The Consumer’s Guide to Herbal Medicine – a reference guide to herbal medicine written by physician Dr. Steven Karch
• The Desktop Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine: An Evidence Based Approach – a guide to the scientific data behind medicinal plants
• The Doctor’s Complete Guide to Healing Herbs – Dr. David Kessler describes how to heal various conditions with medicinal plants
• The Doctor’s Complete Guide to Vitamins and Minerals – an excellent guide to supplements from Dr. Mary Dan Eades
• The Doctors Book of Herbal Home Remedies – a guide featuring suggestions from 200 experts
• The Doctors’ Book of Home Remedies – a reference guide to home remedies that has the complete text of the book online
• The Doctors’ Book of Home Remedies for Children – a reference guide to home remedies that has the complete text of the book online
• The Doctors’ Book of Home Remedies for Seniors – a reference guide to home remedies that has the complete text of the book online
• The Doctors’ Book of Home Remedies II – a reference guide to home remedies that has the complete text of the book online
• The Encyclopedia of Popular Herbs – a guide to medicinal plants from the Herb Research Foundation
• The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants – a reference guide to 414 psychoactive plants from ethnopharmacologist Christian Ratsch
• The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety – a guide to safe treatments with medicinal plants
• The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide – a book written by psychiatrist Dr. George Grossberg about possible interactions between supplements and medications
• The Fungal Pharmacy – a guide to medicinal mushrooms
• The Green Pharmacy – a book by Dr. James Duke about the healing properties of plants that has the complete text of the book online
• The Handbook of Clinically Tested Herbal Remedies – a two volume reference tool about medicinal plants written by Dr. Marilyn Barrett
• The Healing Power of Celtic Plants – Dr. Angela Paine describes the medicinal benefits of plants used in traditional Celtic medicine
• The Healing Power of Chinese Herbs and Medicinal Recipes – a guide to Chinese medicinal plants from Dr. Joseph Hou and Dr. Youyu Jin
• The Healing Power of Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs – a guide from Readers’ Digest to a variety of supplements
• The Health Professional’s Guide to Dietary Supplements – a guide to dietary supplements written by Dr. Shawn Talbott
• The Health Professional’s Guide to Popular Dietary Supplements – a reference guide written in association with the American Dietetic Association
• The Herbal Drugstore – a reference for natural treatments written by Dr. Linda White
• The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook – a guide to herbal medicine from Simplers Botanical Company founder James Green
• The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth – a guide to natural treatments
• The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer – a guide to natural supplements that enhance health and longevity
• The Natural Health Bible – a reference guide to herbs and supplements and how they can be used to treat a variety of conditions
• The Natural History of Medicinal Plants – a guide to the world of medicinal plants from Harvard botanist Judith Sumner
• The Natural Pharmacy – a reference guide written by Dr. Alan Gaby
• The New Healing Herbs – a guide to 125 herbal remedies
• The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook – a guide to herbs coauthored by Dr. Robert Abel M.D.
• The Oxford Book of Health Foods – a guide to 100 natural remedies
• The People’s Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies – a guide to healing health problems from Dr. Teresa Graedon and Joe Graedon
• The Pharmacology of Chinese Herbs – describes the chemical composition and therapeutic value of 473 herbs
• The Psychopharmacology of Herbal Medicine – Dr. Marcello Spinella describes how medicinal plants can treat mental illnesses
• The Scientific Basis of Chinese Integrative Cancer Therapy – Dr. Bruce Halstead describes the use of Chinese herbs in the treatment of cancer
• The Treatment of Pain with Chinese Herbs and Acupuncture – Dr. Peilin Sun describes how Chinese medicinal plants are used in pain management
• Tibetan Medicinal Plants – a guide to medicinal plants found in Tibet
• Traditional Chinese Medicines: Molecular Structures, Natural Sources, and Applications – describes over 9000 chemicals isolated from 4000 natural substances used in Chinese medicine
• Traditional Herbal Medicines: A Guide to Their Safer Use – a guide to the safe use of herbal medicines written by two toxicologists
• Trease and Evans’ Pharmacognosy – information on natural substances and their use in medicine written by Dr. William Evans
• Tyler’s Herbs of Choice – an update of the legendary Honest Herbal book
• Understanding Medicinal Plants – information on the chemistry of medicinal plants by Dr. Bryan Hanson
• Wan’s Clinical Application of Chinese Medicine – a book about Chinese medicine co-authored by Dr. Marc Micozzi
• WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants – information on medicinal plants from the World Health Organization
• Winston & Kuhn’s Herbal Therapy and Supplements – a reference guide about 115 herbs written by the author of pharmacology textbooks
• Wonder Herbs – a guide to adaptogens written by Dr. J.P. Saleeby
