Interest and information in the field of medical toxicology has grown rapidly, but there has never been a concise, authoritative reference focused on the subjects of natural substances, chemical and physical toxins, drugs of abuse, and pharmaceutical overdoses. Medical Toxicology of Natural Substances finally gives you an easily accessible resource for vital toxicological information on foods, plants, and animals in key areas in the natural environment.

This book provides a broad reference covering important drugs of abuse including amphetamines, opiates, and steroids. It also covers psychoactive plants such as caffeine, peyote, and psilocybin. It provides chemical structures, analytical methods, clinical features, and treatments of these drugs of abuse, serving as a highly useful, in-depth supplement to a general medical toxicology book. The style allows for the easy application of the contents to searchable databases and other electronic products, making this an essential resource for practitioners in medical toxicology, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, pharmaceuticals, environmental organizations, pathology, and related fields.

Interest in the field of medical toxicology has grown rapidly, but the medical literature lacks an authoritative toxicology reference work dedicated to natural substances and drugs of abuse. This two-volume set combines Medical Toxicology of Natural Substances and Medical Toxicology of Drugs Abuse to deliver an in-depth, sub-specialty, readily accessible reference on these topics. Professionals in diverse fields, who typically do not need most of the information in a general medical toxicology book, can quickly apply the contents of these volumes to searchable databases and other electronic venues.

Interest and information in the field of Medical Toxicology has grown rapidly, but medical literature lacks a concise, authoritative reference work on Medical Toxicology that focuses on the four subjects of Natural Substances, Chemical and Physical Toxins, Drugs of Abuse, Pharmaceutical Overdose. The book series will be an in-depth, sub-specialty resource on Medical Toxicology that does not compete directly with a general medical toxicology book. This approach is particularly relevant in the field of Medical Toxicology where there are many allied fields (e.g., industrial hygiene, governmental agencies, legal profession, occupational medicine, pharmacy, environmental organizations, pathology). These allied fields often do not use the majority of information in a general medical toxicology book. The style of the book allows the easy application of the contents to searchable databases and other electronic products.

The herbai medicine industry is growing at an astounding rate. Trade group estimates suggest that total sales exceeded $4 billion dollars in 1999. Herbai remedies are for sale not just in health food stores, but in supermar kets, drug stores, and even discount warehouses. Along with the proliferation in sales has come a proliferation ofinformation sources. Not all ofthe sources are equally reliable, or even intelligible. Traditional herbalists c1assify thistle and mugwort as "cholagogues," substances used to make the gallbladder con tract and release bile. Medical school graduates are unlikely to have ever heard the term, or even accept the notion that most right-sided abdominal pain is a result of diminished bile flow. Heroin and cocaine may not be the only drugs to come from plants, but a practicing physician or toxicologist might be forgiven for thinking so. In 1998, 1264 papers were published about cocaine and only 17 about kava kava, an abused herb that is not without toxic side effects. Unfortunately, the majority of the papers about kava kava were published in journals not found in ordi nary hospitallibraries. In recognition ofthis fact, and ofthe obvious need for a reliable reference work on herbai toxicology, The Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology 0/ Herbal Products was an early addition to our new series in Forensie Science and Medicine. It is very badly needed.

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the hazards inherent in herbal medicinal products, with systematic coverage of major toxicities. Topics include composition and quality control, toxicokinetics, interactions, safety pharmacology, approaches to studying complex mixtures including metabolomics and systems network pharmacology, and long-term toxicity. The volume also discusses various organ toxicities with a special emphasis on basic mechanisms of actions and the multicomponent and multi-target nature of herbal products. It concludes with a look to future challenges and opportunities. With contributions from noted experts, Toxicology of Herbal Products is a necessary resource for physicians, pharmacists, and toxicologists interested in complex plant-derived products.

Medical toxicology is a sub-branch of toxicology concerned with the diagnosis, management, and prevention of poisoning and other adverse effects of drugs, cosmetics, personal care products, occupational and environmental toxicants, and biological agents. Poisoning with drugs, herbs, venoms, and toxins is a significant global public health problem. Medical toxicologists are involved in the assessment and treatment of acute or chronic poisoning, substance abuse, adverse drug reactions, drug overdoses, envenomation, industrial accidents, and other chemical exposures. As such, there is a pressing need for safe and specific antidotes, as many antidotes currently in use have a relatively low margin of safety or therapeutic index. This book focuses on poisonings with drugs, venoms, toxins, interaction in clinics, antidotes, and forensics. It provides qualified scientific knowledge on different aspects of medical toxicology, drug and substance abuse, clinical interactions between drugs and herbs, antidotes, antidote networks, and forensic toxicology.