Herbal Library

Welcome to ABC’s Library. Take your time and browse through the range of educational materials we offer. While some of this information is available to the general public, much of it is reserved for our members. If you click on an item and get a message that you need to be a member in order to access that information, we hope you will support our educational mission by joining ABC.

This information is also available for hosting on your website through HerbStream^TM, our online content licensing program.

As always, the information in this section is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional. If you need help finding a healthcare practitioner who is knowledgeable about herbal medicine, please review the Organizations in the Related Links section of our website.

Online Resources

HerbalGram is ABC’s scientific quarterly journal reporting on a wide range of topics including features, clinical updates, legal/regulatory, market reports, and book reviews. Access the archives of the peer-reviewed journal of the American Botanical Council. Search back to 1990 by issue, author, department, or text. Many articles are available to the public, while access to the full HerbalGram database is reserved for members.

HerbClip^TM provides summaries and critical reviews of seminal articles covering research, regulation, marketing and responsible use of medicinal plants. Search back to 1995 by number, title, keyword, text, or citation (journal, author, title) of the original article. Many HerbClips are available to the public, while access to the entire HerbClip database is reserved for members at the Academic level and higher.

HerbalEGram is the electronic publication of the American Botanical Council. Published monthly, HerbalEGram includes stories on hot topics; a listing of recent news stories in other publications (with links to them), information on ABC appearances, and upcoming events. Past issues are available to the public. The current issue is reserved for ABC members.

Healthy Ingredients is a database of herbs and other ingredients used for cosmetics, aromatherapy, and dietary supplements. The overviews highlight the historical and current uses, modern research from human clinical studies, and the future outlook which addresses the availability, market statistics, and sustainability of each plant (when available). Sample profiles are available to the public, while the entire database is available to members and registered users.

The Complete German Commission E Monographs is ABC’s English translation of the monographs produced by an expert committee formed by the German government to evaluate the safety and efficacy of more than 300 herbs and herb combinations. It includes: 380 Monographs, 190 Herbs and Fixed Combinations approved for therapeutic use, 150 Indications, Glossary of anatomical, botanical, medical, pharmaceutical, and technical terms; Common, Latin, Pharmacopeial, and Therapeutic indexes for Uses & Indications, Contraindications, Side Effects, and Pharmacological Actions. Sample monographs are available to the public, while access to the complete database is reserved for ABC members.

Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographsis an updated reference of 107 of the most popular herbs in the US based on the original Commission E translation. It includes expanded sections on chemistry and pharmacology, more information on dosage and administration, extensive references, and full color photos. Sample monographs are available to the public, while access to the complete database is reserved for ABC members.

The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs This in-depth, therapeutic guide and reference book is a comprehensive review of 30 of the most commonly used herbs in the United States and 13 proprietary products, and their relevance to modern medicine. Now online as a benefit of ABC membership at the Professional level and above.

HerbMedPro^TM is an interactive, electronic herbal database that provides hyperlinked access to the scientific data underlying the use of herbs for health. It is an evidence-based information resource for professionals, researchers, and general public. Made possible through an agreement with the Alternative Medicine Foundation, HerbMedPro can be accessed through a yearly subscription or for a 48-hour period through a Pay-per-Day program. It can also be licensed as content for company websites. Access to HerbMedPro is also a benefit of membership in ABC at the Academic level and higher.

Virtual Tour Take a leisurely stroll through our many medicinal theme gardens. Includes photos and snippets of information on the plants plus hyperlinks to articles on that contain additional information about the plant. While the entire tour is open to the public some of the associated articles are reserved for ABC members.

Pycnogenol^® Monograph - In January 2010 the American Botanical Council published a monograph on Pycnogenol^®, a patented dietary ingredient from French maritime pine bark, summarizing selected scientific and clinical studies demonstrating the extract's potential benefits in cardiovascular health, blood sugar control, edema, ADHD, asthma, menstrual pain, and osteoarthritis of the knee.

POM^® Wonderful Pomegranate Juice Product-Specific Monograph is an extensively researched, peer-reviewed literature review covering the pharmacological research and 6 preliminary human clinical trials on this patented pomegranate juice, demonstrating this juice’s safety and strong antioxidant activity, as well as its potential benefits to possibly reduce cardiovascular risk factors.

The COLD-fX^® Product-Specific Monograph is an extensively researched, peer-reviewed literature review covering the pharmacological and human clinical research on COLD-fX, aka CVT-E002, a proprietary, patented fraction of saccharides from the roots of American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), which the Canadian government has approved for use to prevent and/or treat symptoms related to colds and flu, complete with safety data, recommended dosage levels, etc.

Sinupret^® Product-Specific Monograph - In February 2009 the American Botanical Council published a product-specific monograph summarizing the scientific and clinical studies of Sinupret^®, a clinically-tested combination of extracts of five traditional European herbs. Sinupret is widely used in Germany and other countries for upper respiratory tract health, including conditions associated with sinusitis and bronchitis.

Terminology Understanding terms or words commonly used in herbal literature provides a foundation for people new to herbs and reinforces the basics for those with some experience with herbal medicine. The definitions offer a comprehensive understanding of herbal medicine’s role in healthcare.

Elder Berry Profile is a comprehensive profile written as a chapter from The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs. It includes a fully referenced monograph, clinical overview, patient information sheet, and table of clinical studies. Open to the public.

Bitter Orange Peel and Synephrine is a 2-part article written by Mark Blumenthal. Reprinted with permission from WholeFoods.

The Ginseng Evaluation Program was a long-term (1993-2001) comprehensive study of commercial ginseng products sold throughout North America.

Resources Available Offline

The Identification of Medicinal Plants: A Handbook of the Morphology of Botanicals in Commerce. The first step in quality control of botanical preparations is ensuring the correct identify of the plant intended for use. This manual describes morphological characteristics that can be observed with a hand lens or dissecting microscope. It features 113 botanical entries covering more than 150 different species of botanicals in commerce, plus 87 detailed black-and-white line drawings. It also contains a brief review of basic plant structure, some practical advice on identification, an introduction to botanical nomenclature, a glossary, a reference list, and an index.

The information on this site is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional. The American Botanical Council does not endorse or test products, nor does it verify the content or claims made, either implicit or explicit. ABC does not accept responsibility for the consequences of the use of this information or its most up-to-date accuracy. ABC is an independent, nonprofit, tax-exempt research and education organization under IRS section 501(c)(3). All text, images and content Copyright © 2013 American Botanical Council, unless otherwise noted.