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Medicinal plant research has progressed significantly in recent years. In many cases, a transition from classic herbal teas to standardized extracts and thus to phytopharmaceuticals has been the result of the increased knowledge of herbal drug constituencies and their effects. Phytopharmaceuticals are defined as drugs whose active constituents are exclusively plant-based and are used in rational phytotherapy.The third edition of Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals is a translation of the revised and expanded fourth edition of the German Teedrogen and Phytopharmaka. It has been adapted to include pertinent British, Canadian, and United States regulations for herbal products. The main objective of the text is to offer healthcare practitioners a comprehensive description of all aspects of herbal drugs used for tea preparation and for the production of phytopharmaceuticals. Two hundred and twelve monographs describe herbal drugs that are used for these purposes. Thirty-four are new to this edition; many others have been significantly revised. Monographs are comprehensive, clearly organized, and uniform in structure. The heading of each monograph contains both Latin and English names and the pharmacopoeias to which the drug is official. The monograph itself is then divided into sections including illustrations and descriptions, pharmacopoeial names and German standard license, plant source, synonyms, origin, constituents, indications, side effects, making the tea, tea preparations, phytomedicines, authentication, thin layer chromatography identification, adulteration, storage, and references. Extensive general information about medicinal herbs, herbal teas, and phytopharmaceuticals precedes the monographs section. Several indexes complete the volume.Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals is an invaluable handbook for pharmacists, physicians, food scientists, and students of these disciplines.Reviewer: Victoria Tamborrino, Associate Professor and ILL Librarian, St John's University Library, tamborrv@stjohns.edu Copyright 2005 E-Streams Reviews.