Descriptions of 369 indigenous, naturalized, or cultivated species (97 families) of plants in North Africa. Intended to "bridge the gap between folk and modern medicine." Arranged alphabetically by family names. Each entry gives species name, vernacular names in Arabic, Berber, English, and French; geographical area of growth; uses; and numbers referring to bibliographical citations. 103 plates. Glossary, bibliography (66 references), and indexes (medicinal, common names, and species).

Handbook of African Medicinal Plants provides a comprehensive review of over 1,000 species of plants employed in indigenous African medicine. It gives a concise description of the materia medica of an enormous and extensively varied continent, with well over 2,000 distinct tribes and several distinct floras. A detailed pharmacognostical profile of the major herbs is presented, including the common name, synonyms, African names, habitat and distribution, medicinal uses, chemical constituents, and published pharmacologic activity. This extensive catalog of plants is presented both in alphabetic order and according to family. References are cited from over 600 publications, and photographs and sketches illustrate many of the plants. The book also provides an introduction to African cosmology and beliefs as they relate to healing and the use of herbs. Handbook of African Medicinal Plants is an invaluable, practical desk reference that should be on the bookshelf of every pharmacognosist, ethnobiologist, botanist, ecologist, phytochemist, pharmacologist, and scientist interested in tropical plant utilization as a tool for the conservation of biodiversity and as a source of new drug leads.

Medicinal Plants of East Africa is a revised edition of the book first published in 1976 on herbal remedies and he traditional medical practice of East Africa. The book covers the rich diversity of plants found in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, from sea to alpine plants. East Africa also has a rich ethnic diversity and a large number of herbalists whose traditional knowledge and practices are also covered in the book. Over 1500 species are described and for the first time over 200 of these herbs have been illustrated. Also included are maps detailing where the herbs were collected and an ethnographic map detailing the tribes of each herbalist whose knowledge is contained in the book. John Kokwaro is an Eminent Professor of Botany and a research specialist on herbal remedies at the University of Nairobi.

This volume in the series is devoted to Africa, a continent that possesses a vast treasure of medicinal plants and has produced some exclusive materials for the world market. This volume is expected to strengthen the medicinal plant sector in African countries by making comprehensive information on medicinal and aromatic plants available to policy-makers and entrepreneurs. It can be used to frame effective policies and create an environment conducive to the growth of the plant-based medicine industry, bringing economic benefit to African nations. It will help health organizations to improve the health of their people by using their own resources and a less expensive system of medicine, which is accepted by African society. It could also lead scientific communities to increase R&D activities in the field.

For review see: P. Wagenaar Hummelinck, in Succulenta, maandblad van de Nederlands-Belgische vereniging van liefhebbers van cactussen en andere vetplanten, jg. 63, no. 2 (febr. 1984); p. 50.